| Admin History | William Keble Martin (1876-1969), clergyman, botanical author, was the son and grandson of clergymen, and moved to Dartington at the age of 14, where in 1899 he made his first sketches for 'The Concise Flora'. He attended Malborough College, and went up to Oxford in 1896 to read Greek Philosophy and Botany. He trained for the church at Cuddesdon Theological College, and worked in parishes in Derbyshire and Lancashire before the First World War. In 1920 he returned to Devon, and in 1934 became the incumbent at Great Torrington. Here he collaborated with G.T. Frazer on producing 'The Flora of Devon' (1935). He was briefly incumbent at Coombeinteignhead at the end of the war, but moved on his retirement in 1949 to a bungalow at Gidleigh. He moved to Woodbury in 1963, where he lived for the rest of his life. 'The Concise British Flora in Colour' was published in 1965. In 1966 Keble Martin received the honourary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Exeter. He died at Woodbury in Nov 1969. |