When scientist and botanist Dr Mary Noble (1911-2002) died, The Beatrix Potter Society commissioned a wooden table in her memory and presented it to the Perth Art Gallery in 2004. In 2023, the table was brought to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition at Birnam Arts, another Pertshire institution with which both Dr Noble and Beatrix Potter had connections, for visitors to enjoy.
Dr Mary Noble was born in Edinburgh. She studied Botany, gained an Honours degree and then earned a PhD on the mycological aspects of seed pathology. After a successful career she came across the works of Charlie MacIntosh. This lead her to discover Beatrix Potter’s studies on Fungi. She became very interested in Potter’s work and promoted her as a Mycologist to a world wide audience.
Many thanks to Paul Adair and Mark Simmons in Perth and to Rachael Livingston, and others, in Birnam for helping to make this transfer possible.