[From the
American Rose Annual 1950, p. 187:] Longley, George, & Sons, Rainham, Kent, England.
1952 The Rose Annual, UKp130. Round the Nurseries.
L. Longley: George Longley & Son, Rainham, Kent.
In 1819 George Longley, the son of a nurseryman, commenced business in Rainham, Kent. In those days, besides Roses, sales as shown in his old books were mostly fruit and forest trees. His two sons, Edward and Charles, following him in the business.... Charles was mostly interested in the roses and fruits; he was for some years with Hugh Low at Clapham. On one of his journeys home to Rainham he bought a small Wellingtonia tree in his pocket which he planted in his father’s garden, and in later years lived in the shade of this fine old tree, now over 100 years old and 100 feet high. In 1900 on the death of his brother Edward, Charles now advanced in years, passed the major portion of the business over to his son, George. The expansion of the nurseries continues and George’s two sons, Leonard and Clifford were absorbed, and when their father died in 1929 eighty acres were in cultivation. Clifford retired from the business about five years later. Leonard, now with the help of his son Godfrey, aged 21 – the fifth Longley in direct line – continues the business. 300 acres have recently been purchased at Boxley a few miles away for development if and when necessary.
Photo: Leonard Longley and Godfrey Longley.
