John Haverfield Sr
John Haverfield Sr (1694–1784) was an English gardener and landscape architect.[1][2]
Career
[edit]
John Haverfield was a surveyor at Twickenham; he later moved to Kew Green where he had a house built c. 1750, which was known as Haverfield House.[3]
Lord Bute recommended John Haverfield to Princess Augusta in 1759 to succeed Robert Greening at Kew. At that time there were two royal gardens at Kew, Richmond Gardens to the west and the grounds of Kew House to the east, which had been reconstructed by Capability Brown. John Haverfield was Head Gardener at Kew to Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales, and superintendent of the Royal Gardens at Richmond Lodge. In October 1759 he was recorded "ordering and cultivating Her Royal Highness's garden at Kew".[4] On the death of George II in 1760, Haverfield was in charge of Richmond Gardens and William Aiton of Kew Gardens. In 1762 his son, John, joined to assist his father. In 1763 he was paid £700pa "for cultivating and keeping in order our Pleasure Grounds and Orangery, Kitchen Garden and Melon Ground at Kew".[4] In 1768 he recorded a "barge load of Tann" for the Exotic Garden. This was "tanner's bark" made of crushed oak bark used in leather tanning. The spent bark produced a gentle heat during fermentation used to cultivate exotic plants.[5] His salary in 1769 was £200.[6]
On 1 January 1783 William Aiton was appointed chief gardener when the Haverfields resigned, although they continued to be responsible for the Richmond Gardens.[4] On Havefield's death in 1784 his son John followed him for a couple of years in the management of Richmond Garden before concentrating on his own business. Aiton then succeeded to the management of both gardens, so combining the two main gardens.[7][8]
Personal life
[edit]
He married Ann Drew (1717–1769) in 1742.
Their surviving children were:
- John Haverfield (1744–1820) who was a landscape architect.[2]
- Thomas Haverfield (1748–1804)[9] was superintendent of the Hampton Court Palace Gardens from 1783 where he was responsible for the Great Vine.[10][11] He married Isabella Pigott on 8 July 1773 at St Vedast, London with a second ceremony on the 13 July at St Anne's Church[12][13] where he was later buried.[14]
- Rev William Haverfield (1749–1822)[15]
The three sons of John Sr were members of Kew Masonic Lodge.[16] Johan Zoffany painted "The three brothers Haverfield" (John, Thomas and William).[17]
John Haverfield died aged 90 on 25 October 1784 at Kew, Surrey, and was buried on the 29th at St Anne's Church, Kew, in the family tomb.[18] There is a pew cushion for him in St Anne's Church, Kew, which depicts Haverfield House.[19] Haverfield Gardens, Kew, is built on the orchard that once belonged to the Haverfield estate.[20]
References
[edit]- ^ Haverfield, T Tunstall (29 November 1862). "Notes on Kew and Kew Gardens". The Leisure Hour: A Family Journal of Instruction and Recreation (570): 767–768.
- ^ a b Desmond, Ray (1994). Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturalists. Taylor & Francis and The Natural History Museum, London. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-85066-843-8 – via Google Books.
- ^ Pasmore, Stephen (1986). "Miss Haverfield of Kew". Richmond History. 7: 28–29.
- ^ a b c Pagnamenta, Frank (1997). "The Aitons: Gardeners to their Majesties, and others". Richmond History. 18: 7–19.
- ^ "RA GEO/MAIN/55522:Bill issued by John Haverfield for expenses for extra works in Kew Gardens, with acknowledgement of payment received". Royal Archives, Windsor. 3 October 1768.
- ^ "John Haverfield's receipt of his yearly salary. GEO/MAIN/55589". Royal Archives, Windsor. 12 June 1769.
- ^ "The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew". Plant Explorers.
- ^ "Historical Account of Kew to 1841". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). 1891 (60): 279–327. 1891. doi:10.2307/4111337. JSTOR 4111337.
- ^ "Thomas Haverfield in 1748. Middlesex Baptisms. Twickenham, Middlesex, England". Findmypast. 25 November 1748.
- ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". General Evening Post. 11 December 1804. p. 4.
- ^ Jacques, David L (1995). "The King's Privy Garden at Hampton Court Palace, 1689–1995". Academia.
- ^ St Anne's Church, Marriage Register Book. Ancestry. gbprs_surrey_6060_1_1_041bprs_surrey_6060_1_1_041
- ^ "Thomas Haverfield in 1773. Surrey Marriages. Kew, Surrey, England". Findmypast. 8 July 1773.
- ^ "Thomas Haverfield in 1804. National Burial Index For England & Wales. Kew, Surrey, England". 16 December 1804.
- ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries". Baldwin's London Weekly Journal. 18 May 1822. p. 1.
- ^ Johnstone, James (28 May 1938). "History of the Lodge of Harmony". Richmond Herald. p. 21.
- ^ Couch, Sarah (2015). "The Conservation of the Pitzhanger Manor Landscape" (PDF). The London Gardener. 19: 84–101.
- ^ "John Haverfield in 1782 Surrey Burials". Findmypast. 29 October 1784.
- ^ Cassidy, G E. "The Pew Cushions in St Anne's Church, Kew" (PDF). Richmond Local History Society.
- ^ Thomson, Betty. (2001). "The Story of a Kew Street". Richmond History. 22: 37–44.