Joseph Hooker, Director 1865-1885
While he was alive, William Hooker had campaigned vigorously for
his son, who was very much involved with collecting for Kew, to
become Director. In 1865, on his father's death, Joseph Hooker became
Kew's second Director.
Joseph Hooker's focus was to rationalise and expand his father's
designs. He created new designated walks, both gravelled and grassed,
in the arboretum and between the Lion Gate and the Unicorn Gate.
He also continued the theme of taxonomic planting begun by his
father and Nesfield and planted avenues of single families of trees,
such as Thorn Avenue in 1868; Cedar Vista in 1871; Acacia Avenue
in 1872; Holly Walk in 1874; and Sweet Chestnut Avenue in 1880.
He expanded this theme to plant groups of birches and elms near
the Brentford Gate, poplars near Rhododendron Dell, and a pinetum
on the south side of the Lake. The impact of these walks on the
design and structure of the Gardens can be seen by comparing the
1st and 2nd editions of the Ordnance Survey maps of the site.
The unpopular gravel on Syon Vista was gradually replaced by grass
over a number of years and the Lake was expanded by about half an
acre and had its edges softened by the planting of trees. This expansion
of the Lake probably had more to do with the needs of the Gardens'
water supply, than for any aesthetic reason.
Joseph Hooker also contributed his share of new buildings to the
Gardens, and these included the new wing of Hunter House, completed
in 1877 and purpose-built to house the Herbarium. He was also responsible
for the T-Range glasshouse and accepted Marianne North's offer of
her collection of botanical paintings and a purpose-built gallery
in which to house them.
Kew received another significant bequest during this period: the
funds to build and equip the Jodrell laboratory to investigate 'the
effects of blight, insect ravages and disease of plants', courtesy
of Thomas Jodrell Phillips-Jodrell.
Joseph Hooker also introduced two entirely new gates at Kew. The
Queen's Gate opposite the Temperate House was opened in 1868 and
the Isleworth Ferry Gate in 1872. The Cumberland Gate was also created
under Hooker's directorship, by converting the old Water Engine
Yard gateway in 1868.
The London and South Western Railway reached Richmond; another
branch from Brentford to Willesden brought passengers to 'Kew Junction'
(now Kew Bridge Station); river steamers stopped at Kew for the
Gardens; and even in 1850, annual attendance had reached the heady
heights of more than 150,000 visitors. In 1865, while Joseph Hooker
concentrated on his works in the gardens, public pressure was continuing
for the extension of the Gardens' opening hours.
However, on the advice of the Treasury, Joseph Hooker remained
adamant about the restricted opening hours until his retirement
in 1885, with the single compromise of opening the Gardens one hour
earlier, imposed upon him by the Commissioner of Works. From 1 April
1883, the Gardens were open from noon on weekdays and from one o'clock
on Sundays.
 Back to: 1841-1885:
The flowering of Kew
|
