Cultivating knowledge

In 1944 Winterbourne’s grounds became the University’s Botanic Gardens and were used to provide plant material for teaching in the Botany department. Produce from the vegetable garden was used in the kitchen of University House. Initially the gardens were also used to provide decorative plant material for Great Hall. Natural order beds were planted in the kitchen garden (following the Bentham and Hooker sequence) to provide material for teaching plant taxonomy in 1947. From that year botanical research and teaching facilities expanded into the orchard and vegetable garden of Westmere next door to Winterbourne. This is where most of the glasshouses and the phytotron are located now, but this area is not open to the public. Lots of different crops were grown for research projects including potatoes and rice. Westmere House became the Staff Club in 1949.

There were twelve gardeners, including at least one woman, Madge Weil, from 1945. In addition to the upkeep of the formal garden, the staff gave assistance, advice and  facilities for undergraduate teaching and postgraduate research. The Head Gardener, Mr William (Bill) Rutter lived in Camp Cottage by the canal near the Medical School, and worked at Winterbourne from 1947 until 1971. Other named gardeners included Donald Skelding, until 1956, and Peter Green. Bob Lane, who was employed until 1966, lived in the flat which is now used as offices by Winterbourne staff. There is a lovely photograph of the gardeners in 1953.

In 1955 part of the original meadow area was sold to King Edward School for playing fields, reducing the site to 6.7 acres. Margaret Nettlefold’s former orchard was replanted as geographical beds in 1958-9 with plants from Australasia, North and South America, Europe, Japan and China. This was a random mixture of plants, not habitat based. A phytotron and bryotron were set up in 1960, when there was a garden staff of eight: three gardeners in the gardens and five technicians in the glass houses. (David Radley was the curator, with a deputy David Lear, with D. Downing, M. Griffiths, S. Kings, Jim Willis, Arthur Blaymires, David Jeacock and Sarah Marsh).

The tennis courts were removed in 1965; a new library was built on one, and the second became a carpark. The former farm buildings at the top of the kitchen garden were converted into lecture rooms and laboratory space and the hayloft became the mess room for the gardeners.

In the archives there are various details about the work carried out by the gardeners including planting plans, holiday times and so on. In 1971 there was a labour force of nine full-time gardener technicians, including one at apprentice level and one part-time worker. The working day was from 8am to 5pm from March to September and 8.30am to 4.30pm October to February. They were entitled to 15 annual days leave plus statutory public holidays.  Work was divided into five sections: development, general garden work, Winterbourne House gardens, teaching, and research. Each technician attended to watering and ventilation, and each gardener had his or her own special responsibilities. The head gardener was known as the Curator.

However, in 1989 the Botany Department decided that the gardens were no longer needed for research. This led to a decline in the use of the glasshouses, and soon Winterbourne instead became home to different departments from the University. Winterbourne’s legacy as the University’s Botanic Garden, and a vital hub for research, has continued thanks to links between Winterbourne and various departments, research groups and institutes across the University. 

Sue Tungate
Archive Volunteer