Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp was born in 1817. He was a garden apprentice under Joseph Paxton during the 1830s. He became a leading figure in the design of parks and gardens in mid-Victorian England. He developed Birkenhead Park from 1843, following planning by Paxton. Work at this site led to more commissions, including flower gardens, winter gardens and American gardens for private houses.

He produced How to Lay Out a Small Garden in 1850, which was into its third edition by 1864. In 1851, he published The Parks, Gardens etc. of London, which compiled features from visits to 81 public and private parks and gardens. He later did work on Anfield Cemetery, Hesketh Park, Stanley Park and Saltwell Park. Private commissions included Mollington in Cheshire and Leighton Hall in Welshpool in 1858. He retired in the 1880s and died in March 1891.

Bibliography

Waymark, Janet, ‘Kemp, Edward (1817-1891)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Oct 2006) <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/96724?docPos=1> [ accessed 25 June 2009]