1881

In 1881 my great grandfather Henry Woolman (1852-1932) a cabinet maker working for Jimsons in Birmingham, was finding it difficult to get work. In his back garden in Cooksey Road there were a few of the new early flowering garden chrysanthemums. He used to earn some money by selling the blooms in Birmingham Market Hall. He was a good grower and encouraged by his wife Elizabeth decided to try selling some cuttings. He put an advert in the local paper for five varieties for a shilling, four of them were white, the most popular colour at the time:

Mdm. Desgrange

A large white decorative with creamish centre. Very early flowering September. Edward Molyneaux the gardener to W. H. Myers at Swanmore Park recommended rooting in January and topping once when 4ins high. Then allowing 3 stems to grow, which would break naturally to give three more on each, nine stems in total. Still for sale in the 1899 Woolmans catalogue.

Incurved Desgrange

A yellow sport of Mdme. Desgrange with similar characteristics.

Soeur Melanie

A grand hybrid pompon variety producing white flowers freely. Good in pots as a market plant. Dwarf habit it retains its foliage in good condition for a long time, it is very floriferous and of great importance its blooms expand together. Cuttings should be rooted in February and March.

Elaine

In the opinion of Edward Molyneaux “The finest of all chrysanthemums in purity of colour, substance, floriferousness, and duration of the blooms”. Flower size was 6ins. x 4ins. Height 6ft.

Lady Selborne

A white decorative Japanese sport of James Salter. Height 6ft.

In those days varieties were sometimes advertised as being 8 feet high and one Mdm C. Audiguier was advertised as 10 feet. I think glasshouses must have been taller!

1886

The advert was a great success and after a few years in 1886 they moved to new premises at Muntz Street just round the corner. Here they were able to erect two new greenhouses and cultivate a good piece of ground.

1887

The first advert I have been able to trace is from Amateur Gardening 5^th March 1887

1889

In this year the National Chrysanthemum Society listed 1,900 named varieties of which 170 were thought to be of doubtful distinctness.

1893-94

Muntz Street again proved too small and another move was made to Tyseley were four greenhouses were erected. In 1894 Dahlias were added and we have been selling them ever since.

1896

By now the adverts in Amateur gardening were offering 25 varieties for 2s. 6d.

1899

A page from the 1899 Woolman catalogue still listing the variety Mdm. Desgrange.

The trade in cut flowers was also developing and in 1899 a florist shop was opened at 8 Warwick Road, Sparkhill (Kelly’s Directory 1899) to sell the many blooms being produced. In 1907 the address was listed as 10 Warwick Road, the business having taken over the former grocery premises of the Birmingham Industrial Co-operative society and another shop had been opened at 802 Stratford Road, Sparkhill.

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