ABSTRACT
Paul Westmacott Richards, the youngest of four sons of H. Meredith Richards was born at Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey on 19 December 1908. At that time his father was M. D., MOH for Croydon, but in 1911 moved to a senior post in the health service at Cardiff. The ethos of the Society perhaps embodies all that Paul lived and believed it should be; a collection of people from all walks of life drawn together as equals by a love of bryophytes. Paul Richards enjoyed botany and much has been written about his travels, scientific publications and work for conservation, particularly of tropical forests. The Richards' family returned to London in 1920 whereupon Paul was an active participant in lectures and field excursions from the South London Botanical Institute thereby establishing life-long friendships with other bryophilic schoolboys including E. C. Wallace and D. G. Catcheside.
