Exotic plants with local roots
We're always finding fascinating things in the archive collections and recently this fascinating photograph was brought to our attention. It shows plants being packed into stout straw-filled crates in April 1907 at James Cypher & Sons, Exotic Nursery on Queen’s Road in Cheltenham, catalogue reference D11492/1
Cypher’s specialised in high-end plants such as orchids, and they enjoyed a global reputation – the plants here were all being sent to Japan. The transport of these plants was an impressive feat in itself! After being loaded into the special wagon (designed to be carried on top of a flat-bed railway wagon), the plants were taken to Cheltenham’s Lansdown railway station, then sent via the Midland & South-Western Junction Railway down through the Cotswolds to Southampton. Here they were unloaded from the wagon and put onboard a fast ship for an Atlantic crossing to one of Canada’s east coast ports. In Canada, they were placed on one of the Canadian trans-continental railways and sent cross-county to Vancouver, where the plants were put onboard a second ship for the next leg of the journey, crossing the northern Pacific to Tokyo. The plants were sent as ‘express freight’, which cost anything from £10 to £80 (around £800 to £6,300 today!). The final leg of their epic journey was the distribution to their recipients – and among these was Viscount Foukouba, a noted Japanese horticulturalist and the director of the Mikado's Imperial Gardens.
Roots and Reflections
Gloucestershire Libraries are currently running an oral history project, 'Roots and Reflections' throughout the county. They are keen to share that the final location of the project will be hosted at the new Gloucester Library, where they'll be inviting older local residents to share their memories and personal stories.
The project team are particularly interested in capturing recollections about social history, school days, working life, neighbourhood changes, and the way the landscape has evolved over time. These stories will help build a richer picture of Gloucester’s past and preserve experiences that might otherwise be lost.
To make sure the project reflects the full diversity of Gloucester, they're hoping to interview people from a wide range of backgrounds. If you’re able, it would be wonderful if you could share this opportunity with any community groups, networks, platforms, or colleagues who may know someone interested in taking part.
Everyone who contributes will receive a memory stick containing a copy of their recording. They can also choose whether they would like their story to be shared with Gloucestershire Archives for public access. Additionally, a local youth group will be creatively reinterpreting some of the stories for a performance, bringing a new intergenerational dimension to the project.
Appointments are available every Monday during February which can be booked by either email or telephone.
For more information, please call on 01452 425986 or contact us via email - sally.williams3@gloucestershire.gov.uk