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William Aiton (1731-1793) and
William Townsend Aiton
(1766-1849)
William Aiton was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1731. He trained
as a gardener and left for London in 1754, where he became assistant
to Philip Miller, author of the Gardener’s Dictionary, at
the Chelsea Physic Garden. In 1759 he was engaged by Princess Augusta
to develop her botanical garden at Kew House: this date is considered
to be the inauguration of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Aiton
initially worked with John Haverfield and Lord Bute whilst introducing
to Europe many new species from around the globe. With George III
assuming control of the gardens in 1772, Bute was replaced as royal
adviser by Joseph Banks. In 1783 Aiton gained overall control of
the garden and six years later published his Hortus Kewensis, a
catalogue of the plants in cultivation at Kew including their provenance
and descriptions of new species. He died in 1793 and his family
tomb can be found in St Anne’s churchyard on Kew Green.
The eldest son of William Aiton, William Townsend Aiton was born
at Kew in 1766. He gained a practical knowledge of horticulture
whilst working under his father at Kew. He also developed an expertise
in landscape gardening. On his father’s death in 1793 he took
charge of the royal gardens at Kew and at neighbouring Richmond;
he also assumed control of the gardens at Kensington and Buckingham
Palaces and at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton. In 1804 he became one
of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society. He oversaw publication
of a second edition of the Hortus Kewensis between 1810-13. Following
the accession of William IV in 1830, Aiton’s responsibilities
were restricted to the gardens at Kew and there followed 10 years
of decline as royal funding was severely reduced. With the transfer
of the gardens to the nation and the appointment of William Jackson
Hooker as first official Director in 1841, W T Aiton retained a
position of influence but eventually resigned in 1845.
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