AROUND THE DISTRICT MARTIN STEWART TALK


Stewarts Garden Centre visited Christchurch Rotary to share with the club the fascinating history of his 8th generation family business culminating in the setting up of the first garden centre in the UK. He recounted with great pride and passion the journey the family business had undertaken from its start in Scotland back in 1742 to the present-day. Martin revealed that it was because of the discovery of a box, up in his loft, full of extensive historical material including photographs, letters, invoices and newspaper articles that so much is known. However, as Martin said “A history will always remain a ‘nice to have’, it does not guarantee us a future. We need to understand that”


Martin Stewart from


it was Charles Stewart, his Great, Great, Great Grandfather who started the family business. He had been a plantsman up in Scotland growing forestry trees. He


Martin told the club how


passed on the business, his skills and expertise to his son John who in turn passed it onto his two sons William and David. Whilst William remained in Scotland David moved south in 1859 and started a nursery in Ferndown the start of the presence of the Stewart family business locally. Within 9 months of William arriving his brother was lobbying for a train station to be built at West Moors. They needed a station close to the nursery to make it easier for the millions of trees and plants to be transported down from Scotland to Ferndown - stock needed for the brothers to trade not only in the UK but the Continent and America. The lobbying was successful and a station was built at West Moors.


over by David’s son AF Martin and as well as carrying on the nursery side he took the business into other areas – landscaping, tree moving and the laying of tennis courts and golf courses. Martin revealed


The business was taken


it was the Stewart family who constructed Ferndown Golf Club!


was his father Edward who was responsible for the biggest transformation of the business. He was credited with the introduction of container grown stock into the horticultural industry. Martin explained that this innovation was a major breakthrough allowing for plants to be transported 12 months of the year rather than just through October to March. This was not the end of his father’s impact on the horticultural industry. During the second world war, he had been a pilot and after the war took advantage of his flying experience. He was asked to deliver a plane to America and whilst there he saw the future “Garden Centres”. He wasted no time and in 1955 created his first garden centre in Ferndown adapting a few sheds at his nursery there. It was in October 1961 that the first purpose built garden


INTERNATIONAL OCCASION Martin described how it


centre was opened here in Christchurch and where it is still today.


At the beginning of his talk Martin said that fate had played a big part in the unique story of the Stewart family business. As Martin acknowledged, if his father had not been a pilot during the war and not had the opportunity to fly a plane to the states and discover “Garden Centres” then the business would probably have struggled to survive!


• Picture shows Christchurch Rotary President - Richard Reader with Martin Stewart.


• Past Presidents Mary Brackley and Henry Taylor with language students from the Richard Language College at the Rotary Club of Bournemouth's annual Students International Lunch.


studying English at the Richard Language College were guests of the Bournemouth Club at the annual International Students Lunch held at the Mayfair Hotel. After the meal, students from Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and Finland gave short talks on their home countries and their impressions of studying in England. Although few of the students knew of Rotary beforehand, we felt they left with a good first impression.


Nine overseas students HYTHE MARINA BEACH RENOVATION


Rotary developed a project in partnership with MDL Marinas, Holbury Tool Hire and Community Payback to renovate thirty plus benches along the waterfront at Hythe Marina. These benches, donated by local residents in memory of


Hythe and Waterside 18


loved ones, are very much used and appreciated by all those who take a stroll along the marina front. It was noticed by members of Hythe and Waterside Rotary that most of the benches were in need of some TLC. One of the principles of Rotary is ‘working in the


community’ and as such the project was developed.


Sharpe who led the project and President David Saunders proudly declare a job ‘Well done’. Hythe and Waterside Rotary would like to thank our partners for all


Rotary member Les ROTARY WESSEX NEWS I ISSUE 21 I SUMMER 2017


their help in achieving this excellent renovation.


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