Arthur Woodward: papers

The archive consists of course notes and examination papers relating to Arthur Woodward's horticultural training, references and papers relating to job applications, and correspondence, papers and photographs relating to his work as Parks Superintendent.

Arthur Woodward (17 Mar 1917-5 Feb 2008) was born in Wigan, Lancashire, and was educated at Hindley Green Council School. At the age of 15 he began his career as an apprentice at Leyland Park, Hindley, maintaining the tennis courts and doing horticultural work when time permitted.

In 1935 Woodward was appointed gardener, at a level known as 'improver', on a private estate, Leggatt's Park in Potters Bar, where he spent 18 months, and where in due course he was put in charge of the fruit and plant houses. In 1937 he moved to Cambridge University Botanic Garden, employed as student gardener in the glasshouses and propagating department. He left two years later as a trained gardener, to gain more experience in parks work and joined the Council Parks Department at Dudley, Worcestershire. His time at Dudley was interrupted by the war, which he spent in the Royal Air Force, during which time he continued to practice horticulture.

After demobilisation Woodward spent a year as a student gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, before being appointed 'technical assistant' at Beckenham Parks Department, where he had a wide range of administrative responsibilities. Over time he gained a number of qualifications: the RHS junior and senior certificates in general horticulture, the RHS Teachers preliminary and advanced qualifications in school and cottage gardening, RHS National Diploma in Horticulture qualifications in general horticulture, and the Diploma of the Institute of Park Administration.

In 1947 he was appointed Deputy Parks Superintendent at the Borough of Richmond. In 1956, following the retirement of George Humphreys, Woodward was appointed Parks and Allotments Superintendent, a post he held until his retirement in 1982. During his time at Richmond he developed the Terrace Gardens, Richmond, improved tree care practices, opened up the parks by removing gates and fences, and created 200 acres of natural parkland from gravel pits near the river. He also established a central nursery at Ham and a nine-hole golf course at Twickenham.

After retirement Woodward joined a local group of architects as Landscape Consultant, and was variously President of the University Botanic Gardens Association, Kew Guild, Richmond Rotary Club and the Barnes Horticultural and Allotments Association.

Arthur Woodward married Adah Major in Lancashire in 1942, and they had two sons.

Source: the archive of Arthur Woodward

Some sorting of material was carried out by the donor prior to the acquisition of the archive by the RHS. Papers were mostly kept in the order in which they were received; any rearrangement has been noted in the relevant description.

Summary of contents:

AWO/1 Papers relating to Arthur Woodward's work and career

AWO/2 Printed material collected by Arthur Woodward

AWO/3 Involvement in other organisations

AWO/4 Collected personal papers and photographs

Open

Partially open for consultation at the Lindley Library London. Some items are closed to public access for a period, as stated in the relevant catalogue record. It is essential to check opening hours and make an appointment. Readers are asked to take care due to the fragile nature of the original material. Readers are required to wear protective gloves when consulting objects or photographic material. Glass slides may only be accessed with staff assistance; staff are required to handle the item on behalf of readers. It is essential to make an appointment providing a minimum of 2 weeks' notice to arrange staff availability to provide access to glass slides

The archive was donated by Ann Rawlings between Jan 2013 and Apr 2014

The Lindley Library descriptive catalogue, available on-line via the Archives Hub, and as a paper copy in the Research Room.

Catalogued by Liz Taylor, RHS Lindley Library archivist, in October 2014. Packaging carried out by Jennian Geddes and Annie Johns, RHS Lindley Library volunteers.

Some selection of photographs was carried out by the archivist

PUBLICATIONS

The following books and pamphlets belonging to Arthur Woodward were donated along with the archive. Titles marked with an asterisk were transferred to the Lindley Library Printed Collections. Those with no asterisk were duplicates or out of scope and returned to the donor.

Books:

Adam the gardener: a pictorial guide to each week's work / by Cyril Cowell and Morley Adams. Sunday Express. [c.1960s]. 160 pages

Adam the gardener shows you how to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables. Sunday Express. [c.1965]. 160 pages

*A study of the growth of grass in 'surface-stabilised' soil / by Martin A.F. Sutton. Sutton and Sons Limited [c.1940s]. 22 pages

Better hedges / by Roy Hay. Roy Hay Publications. [1950?]. 19 pages

Concrete cricket pitches. Cement and Concrete Association. 1948. 5 pages

*Cricket ground maintenance / by H.C. ('Bert') Lock. Surrey Junior Cricket Committee. 1957. 43 pages

Forestry Commission leaflet No. 19: Elm disease. Forestry Commission. 1947. 7 pages

Forestry Commission leaflet No. 31: The grey squirrel. Forestry Commission. 1953. 15 pages

Forestry Commission leaflet No. 42: Woodpeckers in woodlands. Forestry Commission. 1958. 11 pages

Forestry Commission leaflet No. 44: Voles and field mice. Forestry Commission. 1958. 11 pages

Forestry Commission leaflet No. 45: The roe deer. Forestry Commission. 1960. 16 pages

Forestry practice. HMSO. 7th edition, 1958. 93 pages

*Gardens to visit. Gardeners' Sunday Organisation. 1972. 64 pages

*Gardens to visit. Gardeners' Sunday Organisation. 1985. 72 pages

Glossary for landscape work. Part 4. Plant description. British Standards Institution. 1966. 26 pages

Guide to Wisley Gardens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1948. 36 pages

Ham Common and the Dysarts. A brief and an indictment / by William H. Harland. 1894. 78 pages

Ham lands. A guide to nature conservation / by G.E. Davis and E. Lathan. London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. [c.1989]. 24 pages

Herb gathering / by Barbara Keen and Jean Armstrong. Brome and Schimmer. [1941?]. 51 pages

History of Ham and Petersham (typescript). Various sources. [c.1940s]. 12 pages

Humphrey Gilbert-Carter: a memorial volume. University Botanic Garden Cambridge. 1975. 132 pages

If I had your garden / by Percy Thrower. Plant Protection Limited (subsidiary company of ICI). [c.1950s]. 30 pages

John Innes Leaflet No. 1: John Innes composts for pot plants. John Innes Horticultural Institution. 1940. 4 pages

John Innes Leaflet No. 2: Soil sterilisation for pot plants. John Innes Horticultural Institution. 1940. 4 pages

John Innes Leaflet No. 3: Soil steriliser. John Innes Horticultural Institution. 1940. 8 pages

John Innes Leaflet No. 4: The fertility rules in fruit planting. John Innes Horticultural Institution. 1940 8 pages

John Innes Leaflet No. 10: The John Innes glasshouses. John Innes Horticultural Institution. 1950. 12 pages

*Lawn and turf culture for gardens and grounds / by H.C. Lock. Surrey County Cricket Club. 1963. 56 pages

Lawn grasses. A guide to their identification and various uses / by F.J. Reed. [1954]. 27 pages

*Lawns and greens / by A.W. Darnell. William Wood and Son. 1935. 40 pages

Practical instructions for the planting of trees and shrubs (with special reference to roadside conditions). The Roads Beautifying Association. [c.1950s?]. 8 pages

Recommendations and classification for top soil. British Standards Institution. 1965. 11 pages

Recommendations for transplanting semi-mature trees. British Standards Institution. 1966. 12 pages

Report of the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. 1952. 32 pages

Report of the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. 1956. 48 pages

Rhododendrons at Sunningdale / by James Russell. Sunningdale Nurseries. 1960. 103 pages

Specification for nursery stock. Park 4. Forest trees. British Standards Institution. 1966. 12 pages

*Specification of playing facilities / by P.W. Smith. The National Playing Fields Association. [c.1960s]. 60 pages

Tree preservation orders. Advisory leaflet No. 1. The Arboricultural Association. 1965. 4 pages

Trees please / by Keith Wilson. The Blue Circle Group. 1977. 13 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 1: Twickenham Riverside. [c.1960s]. 6 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 2: Richmond Walk (A) Parkshot to Richmond Park. [c.1960s]. 8 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 3: Richmond Walk (B) The Hill Top to George Street. [c.1960s]. 8 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 4: Richmond to Kew. [c.1960s]. 7 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 5: A walk round Petersham. [c.1960s]. 8 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 6: Mortlake and East Sheen. [c.1960s]. 8 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 7: A walk around Barnes. [c.1960s]. 6 pages

Walking around Richmond upon Thames. No. 8: A walk from Hampton Court Bridge to Hampton Church. [c.1960s]. 6 pages

Western Europe: a selection illustrating the range of information available. Central Reference Library, Richmond. [c.1960s]. 23 pages

*Wisley, the first 100 years. [Royal Horticultural Society?]. [1978?]. 40 pages

Nursery catalogue:

*Cacti and Succulents. T.M Endean, Laindon, Essex. Undated

Periodicals:

Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society:

Vol LXXV, part 6, Jun 1950

Vol LXXVI, part 10

Vol LXXVIII, part 1, Jan 1953

Vol LXXX, part 11, Nov 1955

Vol LXXXII, part 12, Dec 1957

Vol LXXXIV part 1, Jan 1959

Vol LXXXV, part 12, Dec 1960

Vol LXXXVI, part 1, Jan 1961

Vol LXXXVII, parts 1 and 12, Jan-Dec 1962

Vol LXXXVIII, part 1, Jan 1963

Journal of the Kew Guild:

Vol V, numbers XLIV and XLVI-XLIVII, 1937-1940

Vol VI, numbers XLVIII, L-LII, 1941-1945

Vol VI, L-LII, 1943-1945

Vol VII, number LVII, 1952

Vol VIII, *number LXVII, 1962, *number LXXIII, *number LXXIV, *number LXXV, 1968-1970

Vol IX, number LXXVI-LXXXI, 1971-1976, number 82-85, 1977-1980

Vol 10, numbers 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 95, 1981-1982, 1984-1988, 1990

Vol 11, number 96, 98, 99, 100, 1991, 1993-1995

Vol 12, number 101, 1996

Vol 13, number 102, 1997

Other periodicals:

Annual Report of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens Syndicate, 1939-1941, 1953, 1954-1955, 1957-58, 1958-1959, 1959-60, 1960-1961, 1961-1962, *1967-1968, *1968-1969

Journal of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden Association, numbers 1-3, 1959-1963

Amateur Gardening, 23 Aug 1949

Gardeners Chronicle, Vol 140, number 24, 15 Dec 1956

Gardeners Chronicle, Vol 161 number 19, 10 May 1967

The Journal of The Sports Turf Research Institute, number 42, 1966

Modern forestry (no. 3). 1962

Modern forestry (no. 4). Chain saw issue. 1963-4

Journal articles and reprints

Some plants of Ham Common, Surrey 1941-1961 / by B. Welch. Reprinted from the London Naturalist. Undated

Petersham Common, Surrey / by B. Welch. Photocopy of article in the London Naturalist, No. 40. Undated

Postcards

The following postcards belonging to Arthur Woodward were transferred to the Lindley Library postcard collection in Feb 2014:

'Stormont Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings, Belfast', polychrome, blank, undated

'Stormont Northern Ireland Parliament Buildings, Belfast', monochrome, blank, undated

'City Hall and Garden of Remembrance, Belfast', monochrome, blank, undated

'The "Pot of Legawherry" from Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down, polychrome, blank, undated

'Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down', polychrome, blank, undated

'Old Bridge, Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down, polychrome, pencil annotation on reverse, possibly from child, undated

'The Winter Garden in aid of Friends of Cambridge Botanic Garden', polychrome, blank, undated

'Sandstone Rock Garden in aid of Friends of Cambridge Botanic Garden', polychrome, blank, undated

'Richmond Bridge by C.P. Shilton', polychrome, blank, undated

'The Thames at Richmond', polychrome, written to Arthur Woodward from Jed Herbert, 1964[?]

'The Carpet Gardens, Eastbourne', polychrome, written to Mrs G. Woodward from Arthur and Len, date unclear

'Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, no.110. The Sherman Hoyt Cactus House, presented, together with the scenic backgrounds and many of the plants, by Mrs Sherman Hoyt of Pasadena, California; erected 1931', polychrome, blank, undated

'Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, no.51. Succulent house. Contains plants peculiarly adapted to the arid regions of the earth. Inset, the flower of the Giant Cactus from California', monochrome, blank, undated

'Rock Gardens, Happy Valley, Llandudno', monochrome, pencil annotation on reverse, '49. Mr G. Humphreys', undated

'New Gardens, Craig-y-Don, Llandudno', monochrome, pencil annotation on reverse, '49. Mr G. Humphreys', undated

'Happy Valley from Great Orme, Llandudno', monochrome, blank, undated

'Rock Gardens, Happy Valley, Llandudno', monochrome with colour tinting, blank, undated

'Rock Gardens, Happy Valley, Llandudno', polychrome, blank, undated

'Rock Gardens, Happy Valley, Llandudno', polychrome, with three figures, blank, undated

'Statue in White Garden, Sissinghurst Castle', monochrome, written to Mr and Mrs Woodward from the Cassidys, postmarked 1964

'A unique attraction of Wester Ross, Inverewe Gardens, Poolewe, has many visitors from all over the world. Its famous collection of plants and shrubs includes this colourful border of Primula 'Inverewe'. A property of The National Trust for Scotland', polychrome, written to Mr and Mrs Woodward from Janet Anstis, 1963

'Hidcote Manor Garden - White Garden', polychrome, no addressee, written from Ann and Rees, Sep 1988

'Internationale Gartenbau-Ausstellung Hamburg, 26. April 13. Oktober 1963', polychrome, written to A Woodward Esq from the Cassidys, 1963

'Nice, le Jardin du Roi Albert 1er et le Casino Municipal', polychrome, written to Monsieur Humphries from Monsieur Inglis, 1938

'Interlaken, Blumenuhr im Kurgarten', polychrome, written to Mr and Mrs Humphries from Edith and Ernest, 1951

'Villa Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal, Jardim Marginal, Marginal garden, Jardin marginal', polychrome, written to Mr Arthur Woodward from Basil[?], 1964

These papers were rescued by Ann Rawlings, friend of Arthur Woodward, after his death.