John Knowles.net
GARDEN ROOTS
The links on this page go to support documentation used by John to prepare his talk entitled:
'Friar Park and Bagshot Park - The Life of Estate Gardens.' It includes the nature and structure of their working practices and it offers some insights into how three head gardeners realised the vision of their estate owners and the demands of their houses.
George Du Rose Knowles (1852 - 1910)
Became Head Gardener to the Beverley Estate, Timaru, New Zealand for Arthur Perry at the age of 23, 1875 to 1898
Charles William Knowles (1857 - 1941)
Gardener at Greenlands, Hambledon for Edward Marjoribanks a senior partner in Coutts Banks (1881 Census).
Gardener then became Head Gardener to The Duke of Connaught, Bagshot Park, Windsor Great Park at the age of 34, 1901 to 1927
RHS Floral Committee Member 1902
Philip Oswin Knowles (1859 - 1940)
Gardener at Greenlands, Hambledon Edward Marjoribanks a senior partner in Coutts Banks(1881 Census).
Became Head Gardener to Sir Frank Crisp, Friar Park, Henley on Thames at the age of 28, 1888 to 1919
“the proprietor… is nothing if not thorough. He is not content with any second-rate production.”
Philip O. Knowles
NEWS
At the talk held at Bawdeswell on the 15th October 2022 Judy Stone revealed her ancestral connection to Friar Park. Her Great-Grandfather was Sir Frank Crisp through her grandmother, his daughter Eleanor Crisp, who married Edward Bullard of the famed brewery family. Judy's late husband carried out detailed research on the Crisp family and Friar Park. She has kindly allowed us to include some of this research and photographs on this part of the website. link
Extract (pdf) on Bagshot Park from Royal Gardens by Cyril Ward - 1912
Article by Charles William Knowles
Duke of Gloucester at Bagshot
(pdf of an article from J.C.Loudon Gardener's Magazine on Bagshot Park under the 30 year stewardship of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester).
Please check regularly for updates and a collection of images coming before and after the Norfolk Gardens Trust talk.
