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WILLIAMSON: JOHN WILLIAMSON. 
Horticultural Society was founded at Scarborough, of which he 
became almost the mainspring. Not only was he one of its most 
energetic officers, but also one of the largest exhibitors of greenhouse 
plants at its annual shows. A small greenhouse and a considerable 
range of frames, enabled him to promote horticultural pursuits by 
example as well as by official precepts. He persevered enthusiastic- 
ally in plant culture, not only long after the breaking up of the 
above society, but to the end of his prolonged life. His geraniums, 
fuschias, and calceolarias continued to delight him to the end. His 
energy in working with spade and hoe in the hard clayey soil of his 
garden, would have put to shame the indolence of men of half his 
years. Still retaining his love for his gun, he on one occasion gave 
an illustration of his physical powers. When between eighty and 
ninety years of age, he accompanied several friends on an annual 
rook-shooting visit to Hackness. He walked thither in the 
morning, a distance of six miles, and spent the entire day wandering 
up and down the steep hill -side where the rookery is situated. A 
carriage had been provided to carry the more tired men back to 
Scarborough, but he declined, with scorn, to avail himself of its aid. 
Shouldering his gun, he returned home along with his younger 
pedestrian companions. 
Another of his pursuits continued to be a favourite one 
with him to a late period. Always a disciple of Isaac Walton, 
in his later years he contented himself with sea-fishing, his 
favourite spot being the end of the new pier erected in the 
north bay at Scarborough. His implement was usually a string 
of hooks at the end of a lengthy line. When fishing, his manly form 
attracted the attention of all who came near. With his line care- 
fully coiled at his feet, and himself standing erect as a young 
pine tree, he whirled the weighted end of his line high above 
his head, until having given to it the needful impetus, he flung it 
far out to sea ;• whiling away hour after hour in this amusement, as 
if fatigue was a thing unknown. He only returned home with his 
basket full of fish, to exchange one activity for another. The 
fishing line was replaced by the cue. The evening was commonly 
devoted to the bagatelle-board ; and night found him enjoying the 
