Mr Edward Birks (7 June 1828–6 April 1899)

British banker and amateur botanist. Son of a parish constable in Sheffield he was self-educated. In his youth he dedicated himself to the success of the People's College Sheffield, and from 1848 was Honorary Secretary. In 1858 he was awarded a third class certificate (competency) in Botany from the People's College. At 17 he became a bank clerk at the Sheffield Banking Company and rose to chief cashier, and in 1874 was appointed manager which he continued until his retirement in June 1898. Outside his banking career he was Council Member, Honorary Secretary and President of the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society where he read papers on "Notes on the Flora of Sheffield and district," and "Shakespeare's knowledge of plants and flowers" - he was a great Shakespearean scholar. He lectured on botany at the Old Medical School in Sheffield and contributed the chapter on local botany in Joseph Hunter's Hallamshire. Birks was also President of the Athenaeum Club for a number of years. He died aged 70 in Devon.