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WILSON & JOHNS Researched and compiled by Gordon Freegard June 2023 George Harmston Wilson was born on 27th
December 1869 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England to parents William Wilson and
Mary Harmston and was employed as a nurseryman and seedman in 1884. He immigrated
to Australia on the 116 ton “Ormuz” on 28th June 1890 to Victoria,
Australia. He met Mary McGillivray and they got married on 30th
September 1896 in Foxhow, Victoria, Australia. Nine months later, on 12th June
1897 they sailed on the “Orient” to Fremantle, Western Australia. They had a family of ten children: |
GEORGE HARMSTON WILSON #1 |
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WIEDENBACH'S RESIDENCE, CANNINGTON #2 |
A Perth shopkeeper, Mr. Wiedenbach
owned a Cannington property in the 1890s which became “Kaliamba”, the site of George
Wilson’s first nursery. George formed a partnership with Mr. Henry Johns in
1897, to create the nursery business of Wilson & Johns. This went on to
become one of the oldest family businesses in the Cannington/Queens Park area
operating from 1897 till 1965. His nursery covered the area between Wharf
Street, Manning and Chapman Roads and Albany Highway. Water was drawn from the
river for the plants until the nursery closed. Initially Wilson set up the
nursery adjacent to his home on the eastern side of Albany Road near Mallard
Road.
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CHRYSANTHEMUM DISPLAY AT FLOWER SHOW, PERTH'S ZOO 1902 #3 |
CHRYSANTHEMUM DISPLAY AT FLOWER SHOW, PERTH'S ZOO 1902 #4 |
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CHRYSANTHEMUM DISPLAY AT FLOWER SHOW, PERTH'S ZOO 1902 #5 |
CHRYSANTHEMUM DISPLAY AT FLOWER SHOW, PERTH'S ZOO 1902 #6 |
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Later the nursery moved to the western
side of the road operating from what is now the Civic Centre in Cannington. The
company provided plants and seeds across the state. They developed a big business selling
in the country by delivering large quantities of plants to a particular town and
then selling them by auction. This method, although unusual, proved successful.
Examples are:
FLORAL ARRANGEMENT BY WILSON & JONES #7 |
1903 ADVERT #8 |
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In 1902 they had a shop at 108 Barrack Street, Perth, a branch at Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie, managed by Henry Johns and the nursery at Cannington.
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1907 ADVERT #9 |
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GEORGE WILSON SITTING IN PASSENGER'S SEAT OF HIS CAR, 1913-14 HUPMOBILE #10 |
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The nursery now covered 7
acres and employed 8 or 9 workers. In December 1911 a newspaper reporter was
given a tour of the nursery and noted the following; 3 Glasshouses |
SPRINKLER SYSTEM AT WILSON & JOHNS NURSERY #11
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GEORGE & MARY WILSON'S FAMILY 1915c #12 |
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For the first time in 1924
Western Australian gardeners could refer to their own locally produced
gardening publication when Wilson and Johns released “The West Australian
Gardening Guide Methods Simplified and Condensed” and then followed in the
1930s with the “Westralia Gardener”. Wilson & John exhibited a display of 68 varieties of Carnations in the Town Hall in September 1921 and opened a nursery mart in 417 Hay Street, Perth next to Sandovers. They were believed to be the
only firm in Australia to be growing ferns from spore in 1927. George saw a
potential market in the local Geraldton Wax plant, and was giving 13000 plants
of it, special attention in his nursery. |
' VIEW OF WILSON & JOHNS NURSERY #13 |
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Whilst the Nursery partnership
of Wilson & Johns was dissolved in 1910, the business continued under the
name until it closed in 1965. Wilson and Johns were one of the biggest nursery concerns at the time. Their
nursery at Cannington specialized in palms. George was not content with
the growth of roses and fruit trees in the sandy and swampy soil conditions of
Cannington. This led him to developing a nursery in the Darling Ranges, at
Carmel, which had heavy rich loamy soil. On this site he specialised in growing
roses and fruit trees. Wilson and Johns probably took over the property about the 1920s that was originally owned by Levi Wallis,
and had
previously leased to Chinese market gardeners about 1913. It was claimed that roses nurtured in
the strong loam soil of the hills, had a better constitution and bear
transplanting far better than roses raised in the sandy soils around Perth. |
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GERARD PUTLAND WORKING IN WILSON & JOHNS NURSERY AT CARMEL #14 |
In 1938,
local Carmel resident, Gerard Putland was Foreman/Manager for this Wilson and
John’s Nursery at the bottom of Union Road, Carmel, which covered about 35
acres. Gerard was in charge of 6 men (4 Southern Italians, 1 Australian and 1
Englishman), employed budding roses and fruit trees, propagating vines and
growing cut flowers including gladioli. Gerard remembers beautiful
crimson-flowered rhododendrons at least 30 feet high growing in the nursery.
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WILSON & JOHNS NURSERY AT CARMEL #15 |
WILSON & JOHNS NURSERY AT CARMEL #16 |
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By 1939 the business had
grown greatly and Cannington now covered 20 acres employing 50 workers. They now
had shops at 74 Barrack Street, Perth and 128 High Street, Fremantle. The seed
supply business was huge and the Seed Store contained 150 tons of agricultural
seed.
1939 ADVERT #17 |
SHOP IN BARRACK STREET, PERTH #18 |
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George Wilson joined the
Canning Road Board in 1903 and at 38 years old, and in 1907 became the first
Mayor of the Canning District (Queens Park), and was Mayor and Chairman for 29
years. He was a member of the Agricultural Society for 52 years, and President
for 50 years. George was awarded the King’s Medal for services to Canning in
1937 and the suburb of Wilson was named after him. The title of Honorary
Freeman had not yet been instituted in Canning. However his service to the
Canning District was recognised at a Presentation Dinner at the Agricultural
Hall in 1946. He owned the first car in the Canning District.
THE AWARD PRESENTED TO GEORGE WILSON IN 1937 #22 |
GEORGE WILSON BEING PRESENTED WITH AWARD #19
GEORGE WILSON BEING PRESENTED WITH AWARD #20
GEORGE WILSON BEING PRESENTED WITH AWARD #21 |
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WILSON HOUSE & NURSERY, CANNINGTON 1962 #23 |
WILSON HOUSE & NURSERY, CANNINGTON 1963 #24
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WILSON HOUSE & NURSERY, CANNINGTON 1965 #25 |
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In 1968 the City of Canning made the decision to build a new Civic Centre on the land where the Wilson and Johns Nursery was situated. |
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DEMOLITION OF NURSERY FOR NEW CIVIC CENTRE 1968 #26 |
DEMOLITION OF NURSERY FOR NEW CIVIC CENTRE 1968 #27 |
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Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.
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References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: Trove 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18
Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008 - 2023
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