Rosherville Gardens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rosherville Gardens was a botanical garden in Gravesend, Kent, England.
It was opened in 1839 by George Jones (a business man from Islington in north London) on the site of a disused chalk pit in Northfleet. It became a favourite destination for thousands of Londoners during good weather, many travelling by paddle steamer down the River Thames. In 1878 many visitors to the gardens died in the Princess Alice disaster.
The advent of the railways led to the Gardens' demise, as Londoners were now able to reach coastal resorts such as Margate and Southend.
[edit] In Literture
Rosherville is referred to in Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera "The Sorcerer" Act 2. Mr Wells sings "Hate me! I spend the day at ROSHERVILLE!"
It is also mentioned as a "place to spend a happy day" in chapter 13 of E. Nesbit's The Story of the Amulet.
