David Taylor Fish

David Taylor Fish FRHA (25 September 1824 — 22 April 1901) was a 19th-century Scottish gardener and horticultural writer.

Life

David Fish was born at Old Scone, Scotland, United Kingdom on 25 September 1824. He was younger brother to Robert Fish (1808–1873), also a gardener and horticulturalist.[1]

He followed in the footsteps of David Douglas -- also from Scone -- from whom he would have learnt much and acquired a desire to study plants as well as grow them.[2] Around 1838, while a teenager, Fish began working as an apprentice at Scone Palace under James Dodds.[3] From 1842 to 1845 he worked at Putteridge Bury, under his brother and then was head gardener at various manor houses and estates, including Hardwick House in Suffolk,[1] where he remained for many years, starting in 1855. Following his time there, Fish was primarily a lecturer and writer. He retired to Edinburgh in 1896.[4]

Fish died at age 76 on 22 April 1901 at his home, 12 Fettes Row in Edinburgh [5] in Edinburgh's New Town. He is buried in Warriston Cemetery in north Edinburgh. The grave is broken but remains wholly legible.

Family

Fish married Lucie Coldworth (d.1928).[6]

He was father to David Sydney Fish (1881–1912) who became a gardener at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh then to Alexandria in Egypt, where he died. He was an orchid collector and also a horticultural author.[7]

Publications

  • Cherry and Medlar (1881)
  • Pear (1881)
  • Chrysanthemum (1881)
  • Cassell's Popular Gardening editor 1884-6
  • The Peach and Nectarine
  • Bulbs and Bulb Culture (1884)

References

  1. ^ a b Desmond 1994, p. 247.
  2. ^ The Head Gardeners, Toby Musgrave
  3. ^ "British Gardeners—XVIII: David T. Fish", The Gardeners' Chronicle, May 22, 1875, p. 655.
  4. ^ "Obituary", The Gardeners' Chronicle, May 4, 1901, p. 288.
  5. ^ Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1900/01
  6. ^ Grave of D T Fish, Warriston Cemetery
  7. ^ "Fish, David Sydney (1881-1912) - RBGE Archive". atom.rbge.info. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

Sources

  • Desmond, Ray, ed. (1994). "FISH, David Taylor". Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers. London: Taylor & Francis. p. 247. ISBN 0-85066-843-3.


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