May  9,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
397 
Retirement  of  ll(r.  Owen  TRomas. 
After  a  period  of  ten  years’  successful  superintendence  of  the 
gardens  at  Windsor  and  Frogmore,  Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  V.M.H.,  retires 
on  a  pension.  He  is  to  be  succeeded  by  Mr.  A.  Mackellar,  head 
gardener  for  many  years  at  Sandringham.  Mr.  Thomas  was  born  at 
Hermon,  a  small  village  in  Anglesea,  in  1843,  and  commenced  his 
gardening  career  at  Bodorgan,  where  he  stayed  for  eight  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1863  he  was  transferred  by  Messrs.  F.  &  A.  Dickson  to  the 
gardens  of  the  Hon.  C.  Parker  Jervoise,  Aston  Hall,  near  Sutton  Cold¬ 
field  ;  and  after  two  years  here  he  became  journeyman  at  Drayton 
Manor  Gardens.  In  1869  he  took  charge  of  the  gardens  at  Drayton, 
and  remained  at  the  head  for  thirteen  years.  In  1882  he  was  appointed 
to  the  superintendence  of  the  gardens  of  J.  Corbett,  Esq.,  M.P.,  at 
Impney,  near  Droitwich.  Chatsworth  was  his  nextoharge,  and  occupied 
our  friend  for  eight  years  ;  and  lastly,  the  Royal  Gardens  at  Windsor.  The 
accompanying  portrait  will  recall  Mr.  Thomas’s  features  to  our  readers. 
Mr.  Thomas’s  successor  is  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  one  of  the  best 
fellows  in  the  profession.  He  has  qualified  for  his  high  position  at  suoh 
well-known  places  as  Hopetoun,  Tyninghame,  Chatsworth,  Penrhyn ; 
and  was  ten  years  head  gardener  to  the 
Duke  of  Roxburgh,  at  Floors  Castle, 
Kelso.  He  was  born  in  the  Highlands 
of  Scotland.  The  accompanying  portrait 
represents  Mr.  Mackellar  as  he  was  about 
ten  years  ago. 
- - - 
were  usually  well  occupied  with  the  affairs  of  his  own  district.  Not¬ 
withstanding  all  that,  his  letters  to  the  “  Scotsman,”  and  other  news¬ 
papers,  showed  that  he  observed  and  took  an  active  interest  in 
national  and  other  events.  Whether  debating  through  the  newspapers, 
or  with  a  friend,  he  showed  great  quickness  to  discover  a  weak  point  in 
his  opponent’s  arguments.  In  addition  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
Caddonfoot  churchyard  contains  the  remains  of  the  late  Mr.  William 
Thomson  already  mentioned,  and  also  those  of  his  elder  son  William. 
Mr.  M.  Davis. 
It  is  with  deep  regret  that  we  learn 
of  the  untimely  demise,  on  the  3rd  inst., 
of  Mr.  Michael  Davis,  who  has  had  charge 
of  the  gardens  of  the  Jesuit  College, 
Manresa  House,  Roehampton,  during  a 
period  of  rather  more  than  forty  years. 
Mr.  Davis  was  an  Irishman,  with  all  the 
geniality  of  his  countrymen.  He  was  an 
excellent  cultivator  of  hardy  fruits  and 
vegetables,  but  was  known  to  fame  for 
the  magnificent  Vine  that  he  raised  from 
a  cutting  some  thirty-eight  or  thirty-nine 
years  ago.  The  rods  were  trained  longi¬ 
tudinally,  and  as  they  extended  year  by 
year  the  house  was  increased  in  size  to 
provide  accommodation.  At  last  no 
further  additions  were  possible,  and  the 
building  had  to  cease.  Every  year  this 
SDlendid  Vine  bore  hundreds  of  bunches, 
averaging  about  1£  lb.  in  weight,  and 
practically  the  whole  of  which  were  sent 
to  market.  The  bunches  were  built  up 
of  berries  of  good  size,  which  took  on  a 
very  fine  black  colour,  and  developed  a 
rich  flavour.  We  tender  our  sympathies 
to  the  family,  and  can  assure  them  that 
the  name  of  Mr.  Davis  will  live  in 
posterity,  as  well  for  his  uprightness  of  character  as  for  having  raised 
the  Vine  which  has  made  Manresa  House  Gardens  famous  everywhere. 
The  accompanying  portrait,  which  we  reproduce,  was  furnished  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  for  August  24tb,  1893,  where,  on  page  167,  will 
be  found  further  notes  of  Mr.  Davis  and  his  work. 
Mr.  John  Thomson. 
It  was  our  sorrowful  duty  to  record  the  death  of  Mr.  John  Thomson, 
of  Messrs.  William  Thomson  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Tweed  Vineyard,  Galashiels, 
in  last  week’s  issue.  Mr.  Thomson  has  died  in  the  prime  of  lif-*,  after 
a  long  and  painful  illness,  borne  with  exemplary  patience.  He  died 
27th  April,  aged  forty-nine  years,  leaving  a  widow  and  one  child.  His 
removal  is  very  much  regretted,  and  he  will  be  much  missed  by  a  wide 
circle  of  friends,  by  whom  he  has  been  known  as  a  man  of  a  most 
kindly  and  helpful  disposition.  All  who  knew  him  intimately  in 
business  matters  found  him  most  upright  and  conscientious,  and  gifted 
with  a  keen  perception,  taking  a  clear  and  comprehensive  grasp  of 
any  question  brought  before  him,  and  efficient  in  all  business  matters. 
He  got  his  horticultural  training  under  his  late  father,  and  it  need 
scarcely  be  said  that  he  was  an  expert,  especially  in  all  matters 
connected  with  Grape  culture.  His  liberal  sympathy  gave  him  a 
competent  knowledge  of  the  feelings  of  his  fellows,  and  his  naturally 
frank  and  generous  manner  readily  gained  the  good  graces  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  into  oontact.  Since  his  father’s  death  six  years  ago, 
themanagement  of  his  firm,  Messrs.  William  Thomson  &  Sons,  Ltd., 
engaged  the  greater  part  of  his  time ;  and,  being  a  member  of  the 
Caddonfoot  School  Board  and  a  County  Councillor,  his  spare  moments 
Mr.  M.  Davis. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fond. 
Annual  Dinner. 
This  yearly  reunion  of  the  members  and  friends  of  this  Institution 
was  held  in  the  Victoria  Hall  of  the  Hot  el  Cecil  on  Tuesday  evening, 
under  the  presidency  of  the  Hon.  W.  F.  D.  Smith,  M.P.,  who  had  on 
his  right  hand  N.  N.  Sherwood,  Esq.,  V.M.H.,  and  on  his  left  the 
Rev.  W.  Wilks,  V.M.H.  There  was  a  fairly  large  gathering, 
including  many  of  the  leading  metropolitan  and  provincial  horticulturists. 
After  the  loyal  toasts  had  been  enthusiastically  honoured,  the  chairman 
proceeded  to  the  toast  of  the  evening. 
The  chairman  was  convinced  that 
everyone  present  would  receive  the  toast 
of  “  The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund  ” 
with  enthusiasm,  and  that  many  without 
the  walls  would  be  equally  interested. 
He  was  glad  to  see  that  the  love  of  gar¬ 
dening  was  increasing,  and  thought  that 
everyone  should  do  their  best  to  increase 
it;  but  it  was,  he  said,  unfortunate  that 
many  who  possessed  gardens  were  not 
scientifically  familiar  with  the  subject, 
r  ■  s\  and  these  persons  had  to  trust  to  the 
men  for  whose  children  this  Fund  was 
instituted  to  benefit.  The  love  of  garden¬ 
ing  came  with  very  early  youth,  but  the 
results  were  often  marred  by  an  over- 
anxiety  to  ascertain  what  was  proceed¬ 
ing  beneath  the  ground.  He  was  con¬ 
vinced  that  gardening,  however  humble, 
brought  brightness  into  the  lives  of 
everyone,  and  for  this  reason  he  was 
most  desirous  of  seeing  the  love  of 
gardening  fostered  and  cherished  in  the 
young  and  old.  He  made  reference  to 
pleasure  gardeners,  and  to  those  who 
produced  fruit  and  flowers  for  the  mar¬ 
ket,  and  which  were  distributed  to  various 
parts  of  London  and  the  provinces  from 
Covent  Garden.  Vast  quantities  of 
these  products  were  produced  by  English 
gardeners  in  English  gardens.  He  asked 
those  who  were  purchasing  to  think  of 
those  who  had  produced  those  things 
which  gave  them  so  much  pleasure,  and 
that  they  might  extend  their  sympathy 
to  the  Fund  for  which  they  were  gathered 
together  to  benefit.  He  explained  how 
beneficial  was  the  Fund,  and  considered 
its  management  most  practical  and 
useful,  and,  further,  pointed  out  how  valuable  the  assistance  must 
be  to  widows  in  educating  their  children,  and  starting  them  on  the 
highway  of  life.  The  speaker  further  pointed  out  that  the  management 
expenses  were  so  small  that  all  the  money  subscribed  went  to  orphans, 
and  that  none  was  lost  in  transit.  He  quoted  figures  in  support  of  the 
charity,  and  pointed  out  that  the  committee  looked  for  more  annual 
subscriptions,  as  there  was  then  a  certainty  in  hand.  He  concluded  by 
wishing  the  Fund  all  success,  as  he  thought  it  was  thoroughly  deserving. 
Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood,  in  rising  to  respond,  thanked  the  chairman  for 
his  attendance,  and  for  his  remarks.  The  Institution  was  founded  by 
gardeners  in  memory  of  the  Jubilee  of  the  Queen,  and  was  sure  it 
must  be  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  those  who  were  instrumental  in  its 
inception  to  see  its  present  success.  He  thought  it  most  satisfactory  to 
know  that  the  income  was  greater  during  the  past  year  than  in  any  previous 
season.  Mr.  Sherwood  then  mentioned  how  the  money  was  passed  to 
those  for  whom  it  was  intended,  and  was  not  locked  up  in  bricks  and 
mortar,  and  referred  to  the  heartrending  cases  that  came  bsfore  the 
committee.  He  appealed  for  the  benefit  of  the  orphans,  and  asked  that 
more  boxes  should  be  used  in  gardens,  and  felt  sure  that  the  appeal 
made  by  the  chairman  would  meet  with  the  generous  response  that  it 
thoroughly  deserved. 
Mr.  F.  Varley  spoke  to  the  toast  of  “  Gardeners  and  Gardening,” 
and  Mr.  T.  W.  Sanders  responded.  Both  gentlemen  made  pertinent 
observations,  and  were  listened  to  with  interest.  Mr.  Arnold  Moss  made 
one  of  his  characteristic  speeches  in  proposing  the  toast  of  “  The 
Visitors,”  for  whom  Mr.  C.  R.  King  responded.  Mr.  H.  B.  May  proposed 
“  The  Chairman,”  to  whioh  the  Hon.  W.  F.  D.  Smith  responded  briefly. 
