Brett Family
Kaye Gambles wants to find out more about the gardeners in her family: Charles Edward Brett (born c.1822) who lived at 1 Taylor Cottages, Leatherbottle Lane, Norwood was a gardener possibly at Grove House owned by the 4th Duke of Portland . All the other occupants of the whole road appear to be Gardeners including two of his sons Charles Edward Brett b.1851 and Walter Brett b.1849ish. This was the 1861,1871,1881 census.
Charles Jnr later became a police officer in 1871 at the age of 20 and on his retirement in 1898 he was inspector at Division ‘A’ in the Metropolitan police, which was ‘Whitehall.’
Kaye would like to know if any of them ever became Head Gardener and would like more of an idea of what their day to day duties would have been.
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11 Comments » 
We have a book ‘Vegetable Growing’ by Walter Brett F.R.H.S, first published 1938.
According to this he was also the author of:
The Home Gardening Encyclopaedia
Pictorial Gardening
The Home Gardeners Year: Week By Week
The Rose Encyclopaedia
The Smallholder Encyclopaedia
Pictorial Poultry Keeping and Gardening
Poultry Keeping Day To Day
Published by C. Arthur Pearson Ltd, Tower House, Southampton Street, Strand WC2.
I am gifting an old book to a friend in Glasgow, Scotland today, The Home Gardening Encyclopaedia, edited by Walter Brett, FRHS. It was published by C. Arthur Pearson Ltd at 18, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London and, oddly, not a single date appears anywhere relating to its editing, publishing or print.
I have had the book for over 25 years and its previous owner consulted it for over 30 years. I think she bought it in London for three shillings. The book is an absolutely delightful, old-fashioned ‘bible’ for gardeners and in the introductory words of Walter Brett, “provides instant guidance on all that matters in gardening”.
I paid 50p yesterday at a car boot sale in Chorleywood, Herts for a delightful copy of volume 1 – the earlier version which was published by Georges Newnes Ltd, Southhampton St, Strand W1…which is not dated, but I feel
would have been about 1925/30. It has a lovely full colour
front plate of a bouquet of roses. Beautifully bound. The content is most readable and I will now be looking out for volumes 2 and 3.
I chanced upon your comments whilst trying to research a book that I consulted just yesterday (not for the first time) as I too was trying to date it as a matter of interest and learn more about the Editor.
It is my late Grandfather’s copy of The Smallholder Encyclopaedia. I know from my Mother’s tales that it was never far from his side and I still find it invaluable. There are no publishing details however save ‘Pearson’.
From the images of the ‘modern farm machinery’ (and the style of hats on display) I would say it is probably early to mid-thirties. Not much help for you Kaye/Stuart I’m afraid but Walter Brett FRHS must surely have been a great comfort to the gardener new and old in those troubled years. Bravo!
I was lucky enough to acquire all three volumes of Walter Brett’s The New Book of Gardening. These editions were published by George Newnes Ltd of Southampton Street but they are not dated. I would be very interested to have a more precise date. They are wonderfully informative books and indeed I planted Little Marvel peas in December quite against the recommendations of modern books and so far they seem to have survived the frosts and snow…..
I have recently obtained The Home Gardeners Year week by week by Walter Brett,printed by C Arthur Pearson Ltd
someone has written inside 1943 could anyone advise of date printed
Thank you
I have the book ‘Pictorial Cardening’ for sale, if anyone is interested.
Re: The New Book of Gardening edited by Walter Brett FRHS and published by George Newnes Limited, Southampton Street, Strand WC2.
On looking at your website, there is a comment from a Mr. Andy Rogers saying he is looking for volumes 2 and 3 (albeit in 2009). I have vols. 1, 2 and 3 should he still be looking.
You may pass on my email address to him should he wish to purchase them.
Thank you.
Walter Brett’s, The Home Gardener’s Yearbook was originally published in 1940.
I have a book called “The Book of Garden Improvements” by Walter Brett. Does anyone have any idea on date for the this. There are some coloured pictures but style hints at either 30’s or early 50’s. Thanks, Katie
I have the 3 volumes of Walter Brett’s The New Book of Gardening, inherited from my father who may have purchased them himself sometime in the late 40s or early 50s when he set up home with a large garden or he may have had them passed on from his father around that time. A great deal of what is in these volumes will still be current although I suspect that some of the chemicals mentioned will be unavailable (and unacceptable) these days and plant technology has moved on quite a bit too.