William Richardson Linton

Rev. William Richardson Linton (2 April 1850 in Diddington, Huntingdonshire – 7 April 1908 in Ashbourne, Derbyshire), Corpus Christi College, M.A., was an English botanist and vicar of the parish of Shirley, Derbyshire. He was regarded as one of the leading batologists of his day. Life Linton was born in Diddington in Huntingdonshire in 1850. He married Alice Shirley (daughter of Rev. Walter Waddington Shirley and Philippa Frances Emilia Knight Shirley) on 26 January 1887, with whom he had one daughter, Viola Marion Linton. He became the vicar of St Michael's church in Shirley. Linton collected botanical specimens and records, often working with his elder brother who was also a cleric. (Rev. Edward Francis Linton was based mainly in Edmondsham in Dorset). In 1890 W.R.Linton published a short article in the Journal of Botany describing a new species of hawkweed (Hieracium holophyllum) found in Derbyshire. In 1892 he and his brother published a short eight page guide called Some Scottish Willows which they followed two years later with Set of British Willows.