Joshua Major
Joshua Major (1786–1866) was an English landscape gardener and designer, born on 28 August 1786 in
Owston, near
Doncaster
Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...
in the then
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...
. His parents were Richard Major, an estate labourer, and Mary, née Bramma, and he was the youngest of their three children.
Major founded a nursery garden at
Knowsthorpe
Knowsthorpe, Knostrop or Knostropp is an area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire. The spelling "Knostrop" is predominantly used for the large Sewage treatment, water treatment works in the area. John Atkinson Grimshaw, Atkinso ...
in
Leeds
Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
and won awards at flower shows. His son Henry became a partner in the firm which became involved in landscape design. His firm was commissioned to landscape Hanover Square in Leeds in 1824 and
Oakes Park in
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...
in 1834.
He was also responsible for landscaping the grounds of
Ben Rhydding Hydro in 1843–44,
and Ilkley's
Wells House Hydropathic Establishment in 1853.
Major entered a competition to design some of the earliest public parks. He won the commission to design
Peel Park in
Salford
Salford ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Greater Manchester, England, on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester city centre. Landmarks include the former Salford Town Hall, town hall, ...
and Queens Park and
Philips Park in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
. They were in densely populated areas and financed by public subscription. Parks designed by Major has areas for sport, recreation and walking.
Major wrote books on gardening and contributed to the Gardeners' Magazine. He was involved in the formation of the first
Sunday school
]
A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes.
Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...
in Leeds. He died in Leeds at the age of 79 in January 1866.
Works
*
...on fruit trees...(1829)
*
The theory and practice of landscape gardening' (1852)
References
English landscape and garden designers
English gardeners
1866 deaths
1786 births
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