The ACT Heritage Library in Woden has launched a display of items from the personal papers of Canberra’s pioneer horticulturist Charles Weston (pictured), widely acknowledged as the man who “greened” the National Capital.
The Library said the donation of the papers by Mr Weston’s grandson was among the most significant it had received.
“An exhibition of selected items from the papers, and related items from the ACT Heritage Library and ArchivesACT, will be on display at the ACT Heritage Library throughout May,” the Library said.
It said Thomas Charles George Weston was born at Poyle, England (now adjacent to Heathrow Airport), in 1866 and began his career as a gardener after leaving school at age 13.
The Library said having failed to find advancement in Britain, Mr Weston decided in 1896 to try his luck in Sydney.
It said in 1898 he was appointed Gardener-in-Charge, and later Head Gardener, at Admiralty House, Kirribilli.
The Library said from 1908 to 1912 Mr Weston was seconded to the Commonwealth Government as Head Gardener at Government House, Macquarie Street, at that time the Governor-General’s Sydney residence.
It said after six months as Superintendent of the NSW State Nursery at Campbelltown, he was appointed Officer-in-Charge, Afforestation Branch, Federal Capital Territory.
The Library said when Mr Weston arrived in Canberra in 1913 there was no house or schooling for his family and for nine years he saw them at Christmas and Easter and on other infrequent occasions in Sydney or when the family visited Canberra during school holidays.
It said in 1920 he was given responsibility not only for afforestation in and around Canberra, but also for planting the city and suburbs.
“From 1921 to his retirement in 1926, he and his 80 or so staff planted over 1.2 million trees and shrubs in the city area,” the Library said.
“With the establishment of the Forestry Branch in October 1925, much of the afforestation work was removed from Charles’s responsibility, and he was appointed Superintendent of Parks and Gardens.”
Mr Weston left Canberra in 1926, retiring to Turramurra, where he died in 1935.
“As he had requested, his ashes were scattered in the parklands in front of Parliament House, Canberra,” the Library said.
The donation of papers was officially received during the launch of Canberra Tree Week 2018.
