Cicely M. Crewdson Collection

1 photo album marked 'Vol 2' containing 42 prints of alpine plants; 2 separate prints mounted on card (Cyclamen repandum and Primula reidii); and 3 RHS certificates dated 1947, 1959, and 1964

Born Surrey 1882; died Westmoreland 1966
Cicely Nichols, the daughter of a Surrey printer, married William Crewdson a barrister and later High Sherriff in 1907. In 1911 they moved to Westmoreland eventually having three daughters. In 1914 William Crewdson went to war, serving in Burma where Cicely joined him in 1915. She returned home in 1916, William in 1919. After the war Cicely’s interests turned more and more to flowering plants, particularly alpines, which she grew in her garden at Helme Lodge, Kendal. In 1931 she had an article published in <i>‘Popular Gardening’</i> and thereafter produced a series of articles in various Alpine Garden Society magazines, including the <i>Journal of The Scottish Rock Garden Club</i>. Her expertise developed through a lifetime correspondence with alpine specialists and she brought back seeds from her travels in Europe. Primulas were a particular speciality but she is best known for her hybrid blue poppy <i>Meconopsis crewdson</i>.
Source: 'Recollections of Cicely Maud Crewdson', unpublished family memoir in RBGE Library.
D.W.

Prints mounted on paper were removed from the ringbinder album, placed in melinex sleeves and inserted into an archival box in order, followed by the 2 prints mounted on card and the 3 certificates, all in melinex folders. The ringbinder has been placed in the box also, but could be considered for disposal in the future.

Collection is open to researchers by appointment, see (right click, open link in new tab:) https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/library-and-archives/visiting-the-library/

The items were transferred to RBGE from Holehird Garden near Windermere in 2015. The album was given to the librarian at Holehird, presumably by a Crewdson family member?

Born Surrey 1882; died Westmoreland 1966
Cicely Nichols, the daughter of a Surrey printer, married William Crewdson a barrister and later High Sherriff in 1907. In 1911 they moved to Westmoreland eventually having three daughters. In 1914 William Crewdson went to war, serving in Burma where Cicely joined him in 1915. She returned home in 1916, William in 1919. After the war Cicely’s interests turned more and more to flowering plants, particularly alpines, which she grew in her garden at Helme Lodge, Kendal. In 1931 she had an article published in <i>‘Popular Gardening’</i> and thereafter produced a series of articles in various Alpine Garden Society magazines, including the <i>Journal of The Scottish Rock Garden Club</i>. Her expertise developed through a lifetime correspondence with alpine specialists and she brought back seeds from her travels in Europe. Primulas were a particular speciality but she is best known for her hybrid blue poppy <i>Meconopsis crewdson</i>.
Source: 'Recollections of Cicely Maud Crewdson', unpublished family memoir in RBGE Library.
D.W.

2 photocopies were made of the album before it was transferred to RBGE - 1 to remain at Holehird; 1 to go to the residents of Helme Lodge in Kendal, Crewdson's former home.

good, slight physical damage to 1947 certificate

description compiled by L.P.

not to be copied without permission from RBGE - credit to Cicely Crewdson (c/o RBGE)

published

Partial

CRE