Lady Joan Margaret Legge JP (1885–1939) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

botanist who had a fatal accident while collecting samples in the

Valley of Flowers A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...

in India.

Early life

Legge was born on 21 February 1885 to

William Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth William Heneage Legge, 6th Earl of Dartmouth, (6 May 1851 – 11 March 1936), styled Viscount Lewisham between 1853 and 1891, was a British peer and Conservative politician. He served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household between 1885 and 1886 ...

, and

Lady Mary Coke Lady Mary Coke (6 February 1727 – 30 September 1811) was an English noblewoman known for her letters and private journal. She made pointed observations of people in her circle and political figures. Although not intended for publication, an edi ...

. She held the office of

Justice of Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

for Staffordshire.

Death

In 1939 Legge went to India to study flora in the

on behalf of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. While traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and lost her life. She died unmarried at the age of 54. Legge's sister came in search of her and built a tomb in the Valley of Flowers.

Commemoration

In 2010 a new species of ''Impatiens'' found near the Valley of Flowers was named ''Impatiens leggei'' as a tribute to Legge.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Legge, Joan Margaret 1885 births 1939 deaths Accidental deaths from falls Accidental deaths in India Daughters of British earls Legge family, Joan Margaret