Carter's Seeds, Raynes Park, London c.1935
Seeds
Most of us tend to take seed packets for granted. The printed packet came with the arrival of the large-scale commercial production of seed; the seed merchants needed to sell their products and give some promise of what the gardener might expect. Their customers also needed advice on how to get the best results. Below : Seed packets c.1920
Elphick Collection
A recent donation to the Museum came from Mr Tony Elphick, Managing Director of Elphick's, seedsmen in Lewes, Sussex for 180 years and who ceased trading in 2003.
Shown above is a selection from the Elphick collection including : wooden
bulb measures, seed measuring spoons, winnowing machine and printer's
blocks used to produce illustrations for catalogues.
Newton Collection
This archive was donated by Mr Ron Newton of Ward and Newton, Nurserymen and Seedsmen from Richmond, North Yorkshire. Many of the items were originally obtained with the closure of Kent, Brydon and Haigh, Seed Merchants of Darlington, Co. Durham.
Above left : The archive includes this image of phlox. It was reproduced from a watercolour by Winifred Walker who illustrated many seed packets in the 1920s-30s. Above centre : Seed measuring spoons manufactured by Blake & MacKenzie, Liverpool c.1895. Above right : Seed measuring bowl c.1900. The seed spoon's measure was levelled on the horizontal bar.
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