THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



21 



THE SERLE FAMILY. 



Where can I find a pedigree of this ancient family ? 

 There is no notice of them in Burke's Armory, merely 

 the arms, Per pale, ar. and sa., no crest or motto ; 

 the crest, however, is to be seen attached to a 

 helmet in Eling Church, apparently of the sixteenth 

 century, a tower argent flames issuing from top gu. 

 There is also a hatchment under the tower, which 

 might be preserved by being attached to the wall, as 

 the family were benefactors to the parish. What 

 relation did Peter Serle, who built the church at Chil- 

 worth at his own expense, Richard Serle, Mayor of 

 Southampton in 1766, and Robert Serle, lawyer of 

 Winchester, about the same period, bear to this family, 

 and to one another ? M. 



THE HAMPSHIRE INDEPENDENT, November 23, 16 



REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD 

 SOUTHAMPTONIAN. 



The name of Rogers has for many years been 

 honourably connected with Southampton, and Mr. 

 W. H. Rogers, J.P., has done well in printing for 

 general circulation " A Sketch ot the Life and Remi- 

 niscences of John Rogers (written by himself) Author 

 of the ' Fruit Cultivator,' ' Vegetable Cultivator," 

 &c."* In so doing he has evidently carried out the 

 intention of his grandfather, for the preface is written 

 by the old gentleman, and is dated " Southampton, 

 1838.'' John Rogers had the remarkable experience 

 of living during the reigns of no less than five English 

 sovereigns (one of them the longest which our history 

 records), having been born in the reign of George II, 

 and dying, in his gist year, in 1842. His life thus 

 covered some stirring times, and among his earliest 

 reminiscences are the illuminations on account of 

 Wolfe's victory at Quebec in 1759, and the proclamation 

 of George III in the following year. It was in the 

 neighbourhood of London that he spent his early 

 years, and his record carries us back to a period 

 when the metropolis was very different from what it 

 is now 7 , when " most of the principal streets were un- 

 paved," old London Bridge still had houses on it and 

 Mary-le-bone presented yet a country appearance. 

 We have a glimpse at " the amusements at Shrove- 

 tide when the populace set up cocks, oranges, &c., to 

 be thrown at in the middle of Oxford Road," not far 

 from the " large pound for impounding stray pigs " at 

 the bottom of Tottenham Court Road. Young Rogers 

 earlv gave his attention to gardening and was fortu- 

 nate in obtaining a situation in the Royal Gardens at 

 Richmond. Here he was brought into personal con- 

 tact with King George III and his queen ; and 

 amongst other notable men that he saw 

 were Garrick and John Wilkes. He also 

 witnessed the parting of Nelson and the Prince of 

 j * Southampton : H. M. Gilbert. 1889. 8vo. 46 pages. 



Wales on the departure of the former just before the 

 battle of Trafalgar. It was perhaps with some 

 significance that to the Prince's "Adieu, adieu," 

 Nelson answered emphatically " Farewell, farewell." 

 In his occupation as a gardener Rogers appears to 

 have met with that success which his perseverance 

 and diligence deserved, and when in 1812 his son 

 William "succeeded to an old-established nursery 

 business in the beautiful town of Southampton," the 

 latter was glad to avail himself of his father's ex- 

 perience. This nursery was situated in the Avenue, 

 but, in 1828, the son " took advantage of a favourable 

 offer and leased for a long term of years a large tract 

 of common land, most eligibly and beautifully situated 

 at Basset, about two miles from Southampton, and 

 which is now widely known as the ' Red Lodge 

 Nursery.'" It will be seen that this little book 

 which is illustrated with two very good etchings by 

 Frank McFadden of the author and of William Aiton, 

 of the Royal Gardens, Kew possesses interest which 

 is not confined to Southampton. 



It is curious that Allibone, in his "Dictionary of 

 English and American Authors," does not name the 

 original editions of Rogers's works or gives them 

 under wrong dates. His entry is : 



ROGERS, JOHN. i, Vegetable Cultivator, London, 

 i2mo., 1848; 2nd edition, 1852. Commended. 2, Fruit 

 Cultivator, 1852, i2mo. 



Yet Rogers himself, writing in 1838, speaks of the 

 " Fruit Cultivator " as having by that time " passed 

 through several editions," and alludes to the " Vege- 

 table Cultivator " as having been written in his 86th 

 year. Though Rogers's name does not occur in other 

 works of reference which we have had the oppor- 

 tunity of consulting, his works must evidently have 

 met with considerable appreciation. 



ABOVE BAR CHAPEL, SOUTHAMPTON. 

 " K.T." writes : Will one of the many readers of 

 your paper kindly inform me of the meaning of those 

 mysterious symbolic sculptured figures just beneafh 

 the large front window of Above Bar Chapel, South- 

 ampton ? 



RARE BIRDS IN HAMPSHIRE. 

 A. P. Froggatt writes that he has shot a " little 

 gull " (Lams inimitits) on the coast near Bourne- 

 mouth. Mr. W. J. Green has shot a Sabine's snipe 

 at Bishop's Waltham, and it is now in the hands of a 

 taxidermist at Southampton. 



NICHOLAS PURDUE SMITH 

 (Mayor of Winchester in 1749 and 1755). 

 What was his father's name ? What relation did 

 he bear to William Purdue Smith, banker, of South- 

 ampton, 1818, and to the Purdues, mayors of Win- 

 chester ? Any information respecting him would be 

 of interest to M. 



