Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

For the most splendid exotic bouquet – Messrs Backhouse, nurserymen, of York. This was a collection of very rare plants, among which were the Plumbago capensis, Ageratum celestinum, Potentilla atrosanguinea, Lathyrus, Grandiflora, Crassula versicolor, and Louezia tricolor. For the best hardy bouquet – Messrs Backhouse. For the rarest exotic in pot – Messrs Backhouse. For the rarest and most recently introduced exotic in pot, in flower – Messrs Backhouse – the Fuchsia gracilis, from Chile, in South America.

Comment

Comment

Backhouse had acquired the business ten years before:

On James Backhouse’s return to Darlington, in 1815, it was with the intention of commencing business as a Nurseryman there. He was pleased with the idea of settling in his native place, and felt somewhat disappointed when he found that the old and well-established Nursery business of John and George Telford, of York, was to be disposed of. “I felt,” he says,

the importance of a right decision, and besought the Most High that He would condescend to direct me, and He in mercy heard and answered my prayer. On going to consult a relative, my mind still bent on my former plans, a clear impression of its being best for me to go to York, broke in upon me with such a feeling of sweetness, as at once overcame my predilection for Darlington. Keeping to this impression, under the belief that it was from the Lord, my mind never became perplexed with doubts upon the subject.

Accompanied by my cousin Jonathan Backhouse, who was one of my Father’s executors, I went to York, and we soon made the needful arrangements for my taking the concern, but being convinced it was too large for myself alone, my brother Thomas consented to join me in it. This arrangement brought us into a position in which, with industry, and the income we had from other sources, we were placed in comfortable circumstances. Neither of us desired affluence, and we felt that we had cause for great thankfulness to our Heavenly Father, who had thus opened the way for our temporal provision.

The business had been in the occupation of the Telford family for one hundred and fifty years. I removed to York in the 11th month of the same year, and my Brother followed soon after we had obtained possession in the 5th month of 1816. We lived in lodgings about a year, and then took a house in Micklegate, and our beloved Mother, with the rest of the family, came to live with us.

Among the servants in the business there were some who were a great comfort to us, – men of good Christian principle; and we have been favoured to have a succession of such, so that, notwithstanding some trying exceptions, we have had much of the comfort and blessing of being compassed about by the righteous.

(Backhouse 1877)

From an almanacker's perspective, Oliver Heywood & Dr Hook are frustrating – tendency to focus on religion vs worldly business – but failure of James Backhouse, Quaker botanist & nurseryman, to diarize his botanical trips with lead miner John Binks to Upper Teesdale is tragic

— Singing Organ-Grinder (@elorganillero) April 1, 2023

Backhouse Snr. explains why this was:

In the study of botany, as well as in other things, I found it necessary to keep “to the limitations of the Spirit of Truth,” lest these things should gain an undue place in my mind, and become as idols, drawing my attention from that Love and service to God which was needful to my growth in grace, and due from me to the Author of all the mercies I enjoyed (Horsman 1998).

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Original

YORKSHIRE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This Society held its summer meeting at Kirkstall Hotel, on Wednesday, and presented a scene truly delightful to both professors and amateurs of the art of Horticulture, the various specimens of fruit, flowers and vegetables, being of the very finest quality. Some delay in commencing the business, was occasioned by the excellence of several of the specimens of fruit submitted to the opinion of the Judges, on the merits of which they found it impossible to decide, and in one case the prize was equally divided between the two competitors. The chair was, in consequence, not taken till near two o’clock, when the Rev. J. A. Rhodes. M. A. of Horsforth Hall, addressed the meeting. Amongst the prizes adjudged were the following:-

For the best Pine — Mr. Gough, gardener to B. Gott, of Armley-House, Esq. to whom a handsome copy of the Dendrologia Britannica, with 172 coloured plates of the trees and shrubs that will flower in Great Britain, 2 vols, value £5. 15s. was adjudged. Second best ditto — Charles Harrison, gardener to J. A. S. Wortley, of Wortley-Hall, Esq. M. P.

For the most splendid Exotic Bouquet — Messrs. Backhouse, nurserymen, of York. This was a collection of very rare plants, among which were the Plumbago Capensis, Argeratum Celestinum, Potentilla Atrosanguinea, Lathyrus, Grandiflora, Crassula Versicolor, and Louezia Tricolor.

For the best Hardy Bouquet – Messrs. Backhouse.

For the rarest Exotic in Pot – Messrs. Backhouse.

For the rarest and most recently introduced Exotic in Pot, in Flower — Messrs. Backhouse – the Fuchsia Gracilis, from Chili, in South America.

For the best Strawberries — Mr. Baines, gardener to Walter Fawkes, of Farnley-Hall, Esq. The subject of this prize was two beautiful specimens of Kean’s Seedling and North’s Hautboy.

A very rare and great variety or roses from Mr. Charters, gardener to the Right Hon. Lord Grantham, were exhibited. The gardeners of the following gentlemen kindly assisted in the decoration of the room; – The Rev. J. A. Rhodes, M. A. Charles Chadwick, Esq. of St. Anne’s, T. W. Tottie, Esq. Mr. Clark, of Rodley, &c.

The meeting concluded about four o’clock, when the Chairman informed the company that the next meeting would be on the first Wednesday in Sept.

388 words.

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• Botany (4) ·
• Chile (2) ·
• Conoclinium coelestinum (1) ·
• Crassula (1) ·
• Flower (2) ·
• Flowering plant (2) ·
• Fuchsia microphylla (1) ·
• Garden roses (1) ·
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• James Backhouse (2) ·
• Lathyrus (1) ·
• 📌Leeds (235) ·
• Micklegate (7) ·
• Passiflora caerulea (1) ·
• Pine (1) ·
• Plant nursery (1) ·
• Plumbago auriculata (1) ·
• Potentilla atrosanguinea (1) ·
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