AN ILLUSTRATED talk dedicated to the memory of Haslemere Natural History Society’s late vice-president, Laura Ponsonby, will be held at Haslemere Museum next month.

Laura was passionately interested in Marianne North, the Victorian biologist and botanical artist, and wrote a book about her travels around the world and paintings.

Entitled ‘Marianne North and the restoration of her gallery at Kew Gardens’, the talk will be given by Jonathan Farley, senior conservator at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Kew Gardens are home to the Marianne North Gallery, which was purpose-built to house the artist’s paintings recording more than 900 species of plants in their natural habitats.

The 130-year-old gallery was designed by her architect friend James Fergusson, who based the building on Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Indian models, and she arranged the pictures in geographical order around the walls, with a dado made from 245 strips of different timbers collected on her travels.

Assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Royal Botanic Gardens embarked on a programme to conserve and restore the Marianne North Gallery to its original Victorian splendour.

Next month’s talk will cover the artist’s travels, her construction of the gallery, the restoration and the odd things collected along the way.

The event which starts at 2.15pm on Saturday, March 10, has been organised by the Haslemere Natural History Society and the hosts Haslemere Museum, in the High Street.

It is one of a series of events held over the winter months. Non-members are welcome and entry is £4.

For more information, go to: www.haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk