Chris Nichols was one of very few women to study in the humanities department at Aberystwyth University in the 1950s. Over many long conversations, as well as text and email exchanges, I learnt about her fascinating life of researching, teaching and traveling. She meticulously compiled these botanical dye records in the 1970s in the UK, Sweden and Canada.

They acted as invaluable teaching resources over many workshops around the country (including The Bay Tree Centre, Alfriston School for Girls, Van Gogh House, Norwich Steiner School, Flat Time House, Milton Keynes Council, Big Shop Friday, RCA, Bartlett School of Architecture, Feedback Global, Buckinghamshire Culture, Grymsdyke Farm) and reached hundreds of new eyes and minds in the process. In October 2021, the courier service DHL lost these archives. For the months following this, I chased and chased DHL, went through various consumer complaints and ombudsman processes, sought advice from others who’d had similar experience, but ultimately had no success in retrieving these priceless artefacts.

DHL were completely unhelpful, giving me no indication where these files might be, just that they were ‘lost’. To this day, my heart sinks when this loss crosses my mind. I am so glad I photographed this volume (there is a second undocumented volume) but it does not compare to the textural, sensory beauty of the object itself.

For now, this is a home for Chris’s remarkable research, and I encourage whoever sees this to share this with anyone who would find it useful.

Thank you Chris for your meticulous work and your generosity.