Milner's design for Buxton Pavilion Gardens

Edward Milner FLS[1][2] (20 January 1819 – 26 March 1884) was an English landscape architect.

Early life and career

Edward Milner was born in Darley, Derbyshire, the eldest child of Henry Milner and Mary née Scales. Henry Milner was employed at Chatsworth by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, as a gardener and porter. Edward was educated at Bakewell Grammar School and was then apprenticed to Chatsworth's head gardener, Joseph Paxton. In 1841 he continued his studies in Paris at the Jardin des Plantes and returned home to become Paxton's assistant. He worked with Paxton in developing and managing Princes Park, Liverpool and assisted him at Osmaston Manor in Derbyshire.[3] In 1847 he laid out the Italian Garden at Tatton Park, Cheshire, which had been designed by Paxton.[4] When Paxton re-erected The Crystal Palace in Penge Park, Sydenham in 1852, Milner was appointed as the superintendent of works. He also worked for Paxton in creating the People's Park, Halifax for Francis Crossley.[3]

Independent career

From the mid-1850s, Milner worked as an independent landscape gardener. He received commissions for work in England and Wales, including designing three public parks in Preston, Lancashire.[3] These parks were constructed as part of a scheme for relieving unemployment caused by the cotton famine in the 1860s.[5] He also designed gardens in Germany and Denmark. In 1881 he became principal of the Crystal Palace School of Gardening, established by the Crystal Palace Company.[3]

Works as an independent designer

This is an incomplete list.

Location House/Garden Details Date Refs
Llanfairfechan, Conwy Bryn y Neuadd Hospital [3][6]
nr Lincoln, Lincolnshire Hartsholme Hall For Joseph Shuttleworth, inventor 1862 [3][7][8]
Heighington, Lincolnshire Heighington Hall For Alfred Shuttleworth, industrialist [9] nr Matlock, Derbyshire Stancliffe Hall For Sir Joseph Whitworth, inventor [3]
Tal-y-Cafn, Conwy Bodnant Garden (original garden) For H. D. Pochin, Chemist [3]
Berriew, Powys Glansevern Hall & Gardens (original walled garden) For Arthur Davies Owen, 1880 [3]
nr Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire Rangemore Hall For M. T. Bass, brewer and philanthropist [3][10]
nr Shaftesbury, Dorset Iwerne Minster For G. G. Glyn, Lord Wolverton, Whip and politician [3]
Birmingham, West Midlands Highbury For Joseph Chamberlain, statesman [3][11]
Bath Locksbrook Cemetery [3]
Dingestow, Monmouthshire Dingestow Court For Samuel Bosanquet [12]
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire Elton Hall [13]
Halifax, West Yorkshire Stoney Royd Cemetery Opened 1861 [3][14]
Halifax, West Yorkshire People's Park, Halifax
Horsham, West Sussex Warnham Court For Sir J. H. Pelly's son, Sir John Pelly (2nd Bt.) 1864 [15]
Preston, Lancashire Moor Park Opened 1867 [3]
Preston, Lancashire Miller Park Opened 1867 [3]
Preston, Lancashire Avenham Park Opened 1867 [3]
Buxton, Derbyshire Pavilion Gardens For the Buxton Improvements Company on behalf of the 7th Duke of Devonshire 1871 [3][16][17]
Lincoln, Lincolnshire Lincoln Arboretum Opened 1872 [3][18][19]
Bromyard, Herefordshire Bredenbury Court c. 1876 [20]
Halifax, West Yorkshire Shroggs Park For Colonel Edward Akroyd Opened 1881 [21]
Morpeth, Northumberland Wallington Hall A parterre 1882 [22]
Westphalia, Germany Wildpark Dülmen For the House of Croÿ [23]
Westphalia, Germany Schloss Anholt, Borken For the mediatised Prince of Salm-Salm [3]
Denmark Knutenborg Park For Count E. C. Knuth [3]
Belgium Château Miranda For the Liedekerke-Beaufort family 1866 [3]

Personal life

In 1844 he married Elizabeth Mary Kelly of Liverpool with whom he had 11 children. The family moved to Norwood, London, and later to Dulwich Wood Park. Milner appointed his son Henry Ernest as his principal assistant.[3] Edward Milner founded the garden design and landscape architecture firm of Milner-White.[24] He died at his home in 1884 leaving an estate valued at slightly over £8,000 (£890,000 today).[3][25]

References

  1. ^ "advertisement placed by F. K. J. Shenton and Edward Milner". The Spectator: 1524. 23 November 1883.
  2. ^ Desmond, Ray, ed. (1994). Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists. CRC Press. p. 490. ISBN 9780850668438.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Elliott, Brent (2004), "Milner, Edward (1819–1884)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, archived from the original on 24 September 2015, retrieved 14 July 2013 ((subscription or UK public library membership required))
  4. ^ Groves, Linden (2004). Historic Parks & Gardens of Cheshire. Ashbourne: Landmark. p. 64. ISBN 1-84306-124-4.
  5. ^ Hunt, David (1992). A History of Preston. Preston: Carnegie. pp. 210–212. ISBN 978-0-948789-67-0.
  6. ^ "Bryn-y-neuadd". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  7. ^ "Hartsholme Park". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Hartsholme Park (Grade II) (1000984)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  9. ^ White, William. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire, and the City and Diocese of Lincoln. W. White, 1872, ed. 3, p.648
  10. ^ "Rangemore Hall". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  11. ^ "Highbury Hall and Park". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  12. ^ "Dingestow Court". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  13. ^ "Elton Hall". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  14. ^ "Stoney Royd Cemetery, Halifax". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  15. ^ "Warnham Court". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  16. ^ "Buxton Pavilion Gardens". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  17. ^ Historic England. "Pavilion Gardens, Buxton (Grade II*) (1000675)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  18. ^ "Lincoln Arboretum". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  19. ^ Historic England. "Lincoln Arboretum (Grade II) (1000985)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  20. ^ "Bredenbury Court". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  21. ^ "Shroggs Park, Halifax". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  22. ^ "Wallington, Parterre". Parks & Gardens Data Services. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  23. ^ "Gärten und Parks in Westfalen-LippeGärten in Westfalen - Dülmen, Wildpark". Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  24. ^ "Edward Milner". Garden Visit. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  25. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.

Further reading

Categories