Edward Kemp (25 September 1817 – 1 March 1891) was an English landscape architect and an author. Together with Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner, Kemp became one of the leaders in the design of parks and gardens during the mid-Victorian era in England.[1]
Kemp was born at Streatham, Surrey (now Lambeth), the son of Charles Kemp, a tailor, and his wife, Ann.[1] Nothing is known about his education or early career. In the 1830s he worked with Edward Milner as a garden apprentice at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire under Joseph Paxton.[1] In 1841 Kemp was living back in Streatham, giving his occupation in the census of that year as "gardener". Around that time he was involved with botanical and gardening publications, including The Gardening Magazine. In August 1843 the Improvement Commissioners of Birkenhead appointed Paxton to plan and construct Birkenhead Park. This was the first park to have been provided in Britain at public expense. Paxton appointed Kemp to be superintendent of the park, and Kemp took up this post in September 1843 when he was aged 25. Paxton was responsible for the overall planning and design, while Kemp was involved with the day to day implementation of the plans. By the summer of 1845 Paxton's work was more or less complete, and he recommended to the Commissioners that Kemp be retained as superintendent and to be provided with a residence; this was accepted.
In September 1845 Kemp took leave of absence to marry Sophia, daughter of Henry Bailey who had been park steward and gardener to the Spencer family at Althorp House. When Kemp returned to Birkenhead, his work was not fully occupying his time, and he became involved with planning a residential park estate, Carlett Park, at Eastham in the Wirral. The plans were not realised, and the Commissioners were unhappy that Kemp had become involved in private practice. Birkenhead Park was opened officially in April 1847, and in 1849 the Commissioners decided that a superintendent of parks was no longer required. However Kemp negotiated a settlement that he should work for no salary, but remain in his residence at Italian Lodge plus be given a small plot of land for him to cultivate for his needs. This was agreed, but Kemp had to find sources of income; this was to result in his becoming an author and a landscape gardener.
Kemp's first recorded commission was in 1849 when he designed a rose garden for James Barratt on the grounds of Lymm Hall, Lymm, Cheshire. The following year he worked with the architect Charles Verelst to design the garden at Stanacres (now Thornton Court) in Raby. Also in 1850 came Kemp's first publication, How to Lay Out a Small Garden. Following this came a succession of garden designs and publications. In 1858 a second edition of his book was published (now entitled How to Lay Out a Garden) and, although he was still working for the park, the Commissioners reviewed the agreement to provide him with free accommodation. Kemp then agreed to build a house for himself adjoining the park, and he moved into this house (now 74 Park Road West) in 1860.
Kemp's clients were mainly the newly rich, but he also gained commissions for the designs of parks and cemeteries. These included Flaybrick Hill Cemetery in Birkenhead, Grosvenor Park in Chester, Congleton Park in Congleton, and Queen's Park in Crewe. Kemp's work influenced other garden designers, including Thomas Hayton Mawson, who designed Hanley Park in Stoke-on-Trent.[1] Kemp died at his home in Birkenhead Park in 1891 and was buried in Flaybrick Cemetery. His estate amounted to nearly £10,500 .[1]
| Parks and gardens that are particularly important, of more than special interest | |
| Parks and gardens of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them | |
| County and coordinates | Photograph | Date | Notes and present state | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside | 1843 | For Birkenhead Improvement Commissioners. The park plan was designed by Joseph Paxton and the building was supervised by Kemp. Designated a conservation area in 1977 and declared a Grade I listed landscape by English Heritage in 1995. | ||
| Carlett Park Eastham | Merseyside | 1846 | For William Laird, the 3rd son of shipbuilder William Laird. The park was laid out under Kemp’s supervision.[2] Kemp's landscaping has been incorporated into Eastham Lodge Golf Course. | |
| Lymm Hall Lymm | Cheshire | 1849 | This was Kemp's first completed commission, for James Barratt. It consisted of a flower (or rose) garden. Its present condition is unknown. | |
| Stanacres Thornton Hough | Merseyside | 1850 | Designed for Owen Jones, Liverpool timber merchant. Now Thornton Court. Its present condition is not known. | |
| Lytham Hall Lytham St Annes | Lancashire | c. 1850 | Laid out the drive. | |
| Limegrove Chester | Cheshire | 1853 | Designed for Robert Frost, Chester flour miller, in Lower Park Road, Queen's Park, Chester, next door to Redcliff (now Lindengrove). The present state is not known. Plan and description is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.).[3] | |
| Redcliff Chester | Cheshire | 1853 | Designed for Thomas Gibbons Frost, Chester flour miller, in Lower Park Road, Queen's Park, Chester, next door to Limegrove. The present state is not known. Plan and description is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.).[4] | |
| Halton Grange Runcorn | Cheshire | 1853–54 | Designed for Thomas Johnson, soap and alkali manufacturer of John & Thomas Johnson. Now a public park adjacent to Runcorn Town Hall. Most of the garden as planned by Kemp has been destroyed. | |
| Capernwray Hall Carnforth | Lancashire | 1855 | For the Marton family. | |
| Park Place Frodsham | Cheshire | 1855 | Commissioned by Joseph Stubs, a manufacturer of engineers' tools in Warrington. The house was later known as Castle Park and the gardens are a public park. The essential elements of Kemp's design are still present. | |
| Norley Hall Norley | Cheshire | 1855–56 | For Samuel Woodhouse. Present condition not known. | |
| Mollington Banastre Mollington | Cheshire | 1856 | For Philip Stapleton Humberston, Mayor of Chester and Member of Parliament for Chester. The house is currently a hotel, and at least some of the garden remains. Description and partial plan is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.).[5] | |
| Agden Hall Agden | Cheshire | c. 1856 | For Thomas Sebastian Bazley. No further details known. | |
| Glan Aber Hough Green, Chester | Cheshire | 1857 | For Enoch Robert Gibbon Salisbury. Plan and description is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.). Shortly after the garden was laid out in 1857 both the house and grounds were enlarged and parts of the garden was re-arranged.[6] | |
| Merseyside | 1858 | For St Helens Burial Board. | ||
| Foxdale Bunbury | Cheshire | 1860 | For William Boulton Aspinall. Plan and description is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.).[7] | |
| Birkdale Park Birkdale | Merseyside | 1860 | For Thomas Weld Blundell. Residential suburb containing villas set in their own grounds. Many elements survive. Designated as a conservation area in 2000.[8] | |
| Waterloo House Runcorn | Cheshire | 1860 | For Charles Hazlehurst, soap and alkali manufacturer of Hazlehurst & Sons. Now built up. Plan and description is in How to Lay Out a Garden (3rd ed.).[9] | |
| Anfield Cemetery Liverpool | Merseyside | 1863 | For Liverpool Burial Board. Still functioning as a cemetery. It is listed Grade II*. It is on the Heritage at Risk Register. | |
| Pyrgo Park Havering-atte-Bower | Greater London | 1863 | For Joseph Bray. Now a public park. | |
| Flaybrick Cemetery Birkenhead | Merseyside | 1864 | For Birkenhead's Improvement Commissioners. Still functioning as a cemetery. It is listed Grade II*. | |
| Southport Cemetery Southport | Merseyside | 1865 | Still in use as a cemetery. | |
| Grosvenor Park Chester | Cheshire | 1867 | The land and the design of the park were paid for by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster. Still open as a public park. It is listed Grade II. | |
| Newsham Park Liverpool | Merseyside | 1868 | Designed for the Liverpool Improvement Committee. It continues in use as a public park and had been designated Grade II. The park is on the Heritage at Risk Register. | |
| Hesketh Park Southport | Merseyside | 1868 | For the Southport Improvement Commissioners, possibly assisted by Joseph Paxton. It is still used a public park and is designated Grade II. | |
| Stanley Park Liverpool | Merseyside | 1870 | For Liverpool Corporation. Designated Grade II. | |
| Congleton Park Congleton | Cheshire | 1871 | Designed with William Blackshaw, the town surveyor, for the town council. It is still open as a public park, and has been designated at Grade II. | |
| Massey Hall Thelwall | Cheshire | 1874 | Designed for Peter Rylands, MP for Warrington, and a member of a family running a wire-drawing works. The garden remains much as it was when Kemp designed it. | |
| Saltwell Park Gateshead | Tyne and Wear | 1876 | Designed for Gateshead Council. It continues in use as a public park and is designated at Grade II. | |
| Queen's Park, Crewe | Cheshire | 1888 | Designed for Crewe Municipal Borough Council, following negotiations by Francis Webb with the London and North Western Railway to donate the land. The park is still in public use and is designated as Grade II. | |
| Underscar Applethwaite | Cumbria | Unknown | Now the grounds of a hotel. | |
| Shendish Apsley | Hertfordshire | Unknown | Now the grounds of a hotel. Kemp's design has more or less survived. | |
| Dibbinsdale Bank Allport Road Bromborough | Merseyside | Unknown | For George Whitley. No further details known. | |
| Lead Works Egerton Street Chester | Cheshire | Unknown | For Edward Walker. No further details known. | |
| Daylesford House Daylesford | Gloucestershire | Unknown | Kemp designed the terrace garden. | |
| Ledsham Hall Ledsham | Cheshire | Unknown | No further details known. | |
| Residence (details unknown) Newton, Chester | Cheshire | Unknown | For James Ball. No further details known. | |
| Bank House Runcorn | Cheshire | Unknown | Designed for John Johnson, soap and alkali manufacturer of John & Thomas Johnson. Only a small portion still remains. | |
| Knightshayes Court Tiverton | Devon | Unknown | Features designed by Kemp include the terraced gardens, an American Garden, and the kitchen garden. | |
| Leighton Hall Welshpool | Powys | Unknown | For John Naylor. | |
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