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Document number: 04632
Date: 26 Oct 1842
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: GARDEN Felix Robert
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Last updated: 9th February 2010

Sir/

I beg to inform you we can supply Hypo Sulphite of Soda in Solution at 6/. per Gallon & Carbonate of Soda also in Solution at 3/ 6 -

Your Obdt Servt
F R Garden

for AG.<1>
372 Oxford St
Oct 26/42.

Notes:

1. Alexander Garden (1784-1866), Scottish born operative chemist, whose discoveries were important to Michael Faraday. He became a founder member of the Pharmaceutical Society and supplied Talbot with chemicals, including gallic acid. Felix Robert was his son and partner in the business. Garden had been a student of Friedrich Accum (1769-1838) a chemist and writer in London and an assistant to Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution. Accum was an influential author, a pioneer of gas lighting, and was especially noted for exposing the widespread and dangerous practices of food adulteration. At this time, he operated a shop supplying chemicals and laboratory supplies, taking in Garden as a student, later making him his partner in Accum & Garden in Soho. In 1820, Accum was caught stealiing pages from books in the library of the Royal Institution and fled to his native Germany. Accum had supplied young WHFT at Harrow with chemicals and supplies - see Doc. No: 00570; Doc. No: 00586; Doc. No: 00589.