Thomas Rivers, 1873 drawing

Thomas Rivers (1798–1877) was an English nurseryman, known for developing new varieties of roses and fruits.

Life

Cross section of the Thomas Rivers apple, National Fruit Collection
Bonks Hill House, Rivers' home

The son of Thomas and Jane Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, he was born there on 27 December 1798. His ancestor John Rivers from Berkshire, established the Rivers family nurseries at Sawbridgeworth in 1725. On the retirement of his father in 1827, Rivers concentrated on the cultivation of roses.[1]

As a practical nurseryman, by the introduction of the "Early Rivers" plum, Rivers both extended the fruit season and enabled British fruit-growers to compete with European rivals. He also developed small fruit trees, and in 1854 took part in founding the British Pomological Society.[1]

Rivers died at Bonks Hill, Sawbridgeworth, on 17 October 1877, and was buried at Sawbridgeworth.[1]

Works

Rivers published:[1]

He also contributed to gardening journals, beginning with a paper on apple cultivation in Loudon's Gardener's Magazine in 1827.[1]

Family

By his marriage in 1827 to Mary Ann, Rivers had two sons and four daughters. His son Thomas Francis Rivers took over the family business and edited his father's works.[1][3] It was Thomas Francis Rivers who introduced the Conference pear.[4] His granddaughter, Thomas Francis's daughter May Rivers, was a notable botanical illustrator.[5] His great-granddaughter was the artist Elizabeth Rivers (1903–1964), who won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Rivers, Thomas" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 48. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ↑ "Review of The Orchard House by Thomas Rivers. Fifth edition, 1858". The Quarterly Review. 106: 535–541. October 1859.
  3. ↑ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ↑ Joan Morgan (2015). The Book of Pears: The Definitive History and Guide to Over 500 Varieties. Chelsea Green Publishing. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-60358-666-5.
  5. ↑ "History of Botanical Illustration: R". www.scientificillustrator.com. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Rivers, Thomas". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 48. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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