With his permission yesterday, I have shared a 2005 email from Robert Peace in Victoria:

I remember this rose, Amy Johnson, from many years ago! I'm pleased to say I helped it to be preserved. A lovely Englishman, long retired and a severe cardiac invalid by the time I met him, had this rose in his collection. On his small suburban block he had crammed roses at every level. The carport was covered with ‘Silver Moon’, for example, and all the HT's were underplanted with miniatures. On the back fence he had an aging plant of ‘Amy Johnson’ and he was happy to share budwood.

Mr Harrison had written to Heritage Roses in Australia requesting other Clark roses and offering ‘Amy Johnson’ in exchange. He told me nobody had followed it up and contacted him about this rose, prior to my visit. I don’t remember that it was in cultivation before Mr Harrison sent budwood to John Nieuwesteeg after my meeting with him. This was in the early 1980's when there were few Clark roses known and we both wanted to share the few we had.

I'd be very surprised if ‘Amy Johnson’ is anything to do with giganteas. It seems a HT to me. Re the poor repeat mentioned by some.....this rose refuses to rebloom while it has hips on it, as Lilia Weatherly in Tasmania mentions. Trim them off and it repeats quickly. The foliage is clean and matt, not wrinkled in my memory.

Mr. Harrison is likely long gone now. I remember his wife gave me some stewed blood plums as well! I 've never forgotten that day, winding our way through that thicket of roses...and I've never forgotten his name which he shared with the Beatle....George Harrison. Rob...

Where in the UK may I purchase the rose called "Amy Johnson", which your site tells me is commercially available?