James Bateman

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Sobralia macrantha, from Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala
Sobralia macrantha, from Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala

James Bateman (July 18, 1811 – November 27, 1897) was an accomplished horticulturist and landowner. He developed Biddulph Grange after moving there around 1840, from nearby Knypersley Hall. He created the famous gardens at Biddulph with the aid of his friend and painter of seascapes Edward William Cooke.

Born at Redivals near Bury in Lancashire, he matriculated from Lincoln College, Oxford in 1829, graduating from Magdalen College with a BA in 1834 and an MA in 1845.

"MA Magdalen College, Oxford, 1845, took great interest in collecting and cultivating tropical plants; FLS, 1833; FRS, 1838; fellow of Royal Horticultural Society; published writings on orchids and other horticultural subjects."[1]

He was a collector of and scholar on orchids, President of the North Staffordshire Field Society, and served on the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Exploration Committee. He had a number of notable sons who grew up at Biddulph Grange, including the painter Robert Bateman.

He especially loved Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Bateman was "a collector and scholar on orchids,"[2] Bateman "was one of the early developers of orchid culture. He sponsored expeditions to Mexico and South America enabling collectors to gather rare specimens. He published three lavish books about orchids. He pioneered “cool orchid cultivation” which enabled the Odontoglossum to be cultivated in England, replicating the cool arid climate of the cloud forests in Central America where these exotic flowers are found. Walter Hood Fitch, (1817–1892)...was employed by Bateman to create the paintings for his magnificent orchid books...exceedingly rare, A Monograph of Odontoglossum, is comprised of thirty large scale hand-colored lithographs."[3] Bateman "was also responsible for laying out the Arboretum at Derby, the first public park in England."[4]

His gardens are a rare survival of the interim period between Capability Brown landscape garden and the High Victorian style. The gardens are compartmentalised and divided into themes. The naturalist, Charles Darwin "received a box of orchids from Bateman on 25 January 1862 (and) a letter from him dated 28th January 1862."[5]

The novel by Priscilla Masters, Mr Bateman's Garden (1987), is a fantasy set in the gardens.

In 1861 Bateman and his sons gave up the house and gardens, and he moved to Kensington in London. He later moved to Worthing in Sussex, where he died in 1897.

The standard author abbreviation Bateman is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.[6]

Contents

[edit] Publications

  • The Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala by James Bateman, c.1845 "Only 125 copies of this book were published. It is physically one of the largest botanical books ever published."[7]
  • A Second Century of Orchidaceous Plants, by James Bateman, London: L. Reeve & Co., 1867. "Large-4to (315 x 245mm). pp. viii, with 100 beautifully handcoloured lithographed plates and descriptive text."[8]
  • A monograph of Odontoglossum by James Bateman, London: L. Reeve & Co., 1874.[9] Facsimile of the title page[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Concise Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford, 1995, p.169
  2. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/castrovalva/301925626/ Biddulph Grange Tunnels
  3. ^ original audubon prints,botanical prints,audubon paintings,audubon watercolors, Mark Catesby, botanical art Chicago, natural history, fine art, historical"
  4. ^ Biddulph photos, maps, books, memories - Francis Frith
  5. ^ Darwin Correspondence Project - Letter 3356 — Bateman, James to Darwin, C. R., [1862]
  6. ^ Brummitt, R. K.; C. E. Powell (1992). Authors of Plant Names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-085-4. 
  7. ^ Staffordshire Past Track -Cattleya skinneri - Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala
  8. ^ https://www.rockingstone.nl/antiquariaatjunk/secure/order.php3?bnr=7428
  9. ^ Biodiversity Heritage Library: Information about 'A monograph of Odontoglossum by James Bateman.'
  10. ^ MBG Rare Books: title page

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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