Basford, Kathleen (1916–1998)

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Basford, Kathleen (1916–1998)

English botanist. Born Sept 6, 1916, in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England; died Dec 20, 1998; University of Manchester, MS; m. Dr. Freddie Basford, 1936; children: 3.

Developed interest in cultivation of fuchsias (late 1940s); published paper in Journal of the Fuchsia Society (1952) about a cross between a Mexican and New Zealand fuchsia which had existed 20-30 million years ago; received post in botany department at University of Manchester as a result; researched maize breeding in Peru with S.C. Harland; worked in department of diagnostic cytology at Christie Cancer Hospital, Manchester; in retirement, researched significance of mythical Green Man, resulting in The Green Man (1978).