The Museum Collection
The Museum has a large and varied collection of artefacts associated with garden history as well as a collection of garden-related ephemera - including garden catalogues, invoices, seed catalogues, prints, books and seed packets.
Left to right : Hansens' pansies catalogue for 1953; Carter's seeds catalogue 1936; Good Gardening magazine 1937; Advertisement for a Royal Horticultural Society show at Holland House, London 1913.
Left to right : Poster for Dahlia Show at Surrey Zoological Gardens 1840; Tradecard for Brunton, Forbes and Hunter Nurserymen, No. 25 High Street, Birmingham c.1785; Print entitled 'Look at my carnations' c.1825
Left to right: James Sharp catalogue 1777; Banner from
.Ancient Order of Free Gardeners c.1830; Ransomes advert c.1900; Kettering Flower Show 1962.
Doulton Collection
The pottery firm of Doulton and Company has long had associations with Lambeth. John Doulton (1793-1873) was employed at a pottery in Vauxhall Walk and in 1815 became partner in a firm soon to become Doulton and Watts with new premises in Lambeth High Street, adjacent to St Marys. The firm expanded from their utilitarian stoneware vessels to also produce commemorative flasks and architectural terracotta wares such as chimney pots, roof tiles and ornaments for the garden. John's second son Henry (1820-97) joined the family business when he was just 15 years of age. He brought an entrepreneurial flair and produced innovations such as the first ceramic sink, air-tight jars and a steam-driven potter's wheel. Sanitary ware and drainpipes generated the bulk of the company's revenue at this stage and in 1853 it became known as Doulton and Company. Henry entered into a collaboration with the newly founded Lambeth School of Art resulting in the production of art pottery, employing over 400 artists and assistants from the school - notable names included George Tinworth, Hannah Barlow, Frank Butler, Mark V. Marshall and Eliza Simmance. The Lambeth factory closed in 1956 and was demolished, although the offices and studios in Lambeth High Street survived and are now a listed building.
Left to right: Doulton & Watts factory 1840s; surviving Doulton building in Lambeth High Street; detail from Doulton building depicting Sir Henry Doulton (seated), George Tinworth and Hannah Barlow.
There are several monuments made by Doulton in St Marys - the most notable is the surviving fragment of the altar reredos modelled by Tinworth and presented by Sir Henry in 1887 in memory of his wife. A Tinworth panel was also erected as a memorial to John Hernaman (died 1899) headmaster of the Parochial Boy's School.
Left: Remains of theTinworth reredos, presented by Henry Doulton in memory of his wife and mostly destroyed by an enemy bomb in 1941. Right: Hernaman memorial by Tinworth.
Dr Ronald Austin has kindly loaned a collection of Doulton Lambeth ware pottery for display within the Museum.
Lambeth ware art pottery from the Austin Collection - Left to right: Vase by Eliza Simmance c.1895, jug by Mark Marshall c.1900, vase by Hannah Barlow c.1910, vase by Frances Pope 1904 and bowl by Agnette Hoy 1950s.
Doulton also produced many basic stomeware items including: bottle for Stapleford Vinegar Brewery c.1890; chimney pot c.1920; pipe joint sample c.1910; ginger beer bottle for Nicholson & Sons c.1890; ink bottle c.1890 and water filter c.1900.
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