This photograph is probably of Henry Trevor. The inscription on the back of the original, in the Trevor family’s collection of photographs, reads ‘Great-grandfather Trevor’. Unfortunately, because of a marriage of cousins, there were 2 great-grandfather Trevors – Henry and his brother Frederick. As Henry was the prosperous one it seems more likely that he afforded a photograph.

Henry was born in Wisbech but came to work in Norwich as a young man (see PGPT079 for the opening of his business in Norwich). He married his employer’s daughter, Mrs Mary Page, and became stepfather to her 3 young sons, the eldest of whom, John Page (PGPT168), became a partner in his business.Henry and Mary had several children of their own, but only one, Eliza (PGPT162), survived to adulthood.

In 1855 Henry bought the lease of an old quarry just outside the city walls and built a fine house (PGPT067), then started creating a picturesque garden in the quarry.

He was a very active member of the Baptist church, worshipping and indeed maintaining a chapel in Pottergate (provision of candles, coal and maintenance appear in his account book). He transferred to St Mary’s Baptist church when elderly, and took part in building plans there.

A condition of the lease was that he was to build a house, by the spring of 1857, spending not less than £2000 – a very considerable sum at a time when a terrace house might cost £100. The style is firmly classical, with columned portico, pilasters at the corners. and pediment over the central bay. The quality of the building work is high, with fine pointing between the ‘white’ bricks (now grey). The windows of the upper storey have 12 panes, while on the ground floor the sash windows are glazed with plate glass.

The photograph shows the garden laid out in the popular mid 19c style with beds and edges closely planted to form a ‘carpet’ of colour for the summer.

The ‘Gothic’ fountain was built by Henry Trevor in 1857, a year after he finished his house (cf PGPT366). It must have provided immediately a view point of interest in the quarry where he was planning his garden. It is a unique feature: a tribute to the popularity of the Gothic style in the mid 19c – a reminder that the Houses of Parliament were under construction during 1857. The materials used include flints, probably from the site itself, which form the buttresses that give the impression of a grotto. There are also a large number of Gunton Bros white bricks, moulded into classical and Gothic patterns, which have weathered to look like stone. The ‘windows’ with the cusps in their tops, match drawings in the Gunton catalogue (PGPT300).
Thus this structure combines the attractions of a ruin, a fountain, a grotto, a fish pond and a lily pond.

It is remarkably fortunate that this family photograph has survived since 1886. members of Henry Trevor’s family are posed in front of a rustic summerhouse in the Plantation garden, probably returned from, or about to set out for, the service advertised on the poster in the background (cf PGPT007). From left to right we see Eliza Trevor (cf PGPT162), daughter of Henry and Mary Trevor, holding by the hand Hugh, her eldest son (cf PGPT266). John Page (cf PGPT168) stands behind, beside his son Herbert, his wife (seated) and son Sydney, who died as a soldier in Gaza in WW1. Are the blurred figures moving away to the left Henry and Mary themselves?
Remains of this summerhouse were found on the lawn beside Plantation house in 1980 (cf PGPT255). From these we know that the roof was thatched with heather, and the inside lined with rattan. The wood used in the structure was intended to look ‘rustic’, like the bridge (cf PGPT373). This appearance of a natural look, of ‘rus in urbe’, was very popular with the Victorians, as is shown by the huge sales of Shirley Hibberd’s book (cf PGPT329) in the years following its publication in 1856.

This view was taken looking south from the rustic bridge (cf PGPT402). It shows clearly the overall ‘bowl’ shape of the garden, which was built in an old chalk quarry. Even before chalk was quarried flints were mined there.
Various structures can be seen: prominent in the centre is the ‘Gothic’ fountain (cf PGPT298): ‘Italian’ balustrades and terraces (cf PGPT320) can be seen at the far end: the 1871 Palm House and Winter Garden (cf PGPT003) is visible at the right.

H.T’s gardening style is revealed by the emphasis on carpet bedding in the flower beds, with ‘exotics’ as ‘dot’ plants along the edge of the lawn and shrubs and trees planted on the slopes.

This view was taken looking north from the top of the Italian terrace. The Plantation house (PGPT067) can be seen near the horizon on the left, and the Palm House and Winter Garden (PGPT003) are visible at the far end of the garden. The way the ivy has been cut into triangles and decorates the ‘medieval’ wall (cf PGPT227) to the left of the Palm House is similar to the treatment on the balustrade walls in PGPT001.

This poster advertises ‘An International bazaar and Garden Party’ to be held in The Plantation ‘through the kindness of Henry Trevor Esq.’ in aid of the Y.M.C.A. Stalls represented goods from various countries (ivory from Bombay, Japanese wares, Spanish fans etc) with stallholders dressed in ‘Native Costumes’. The Carrow band and fireworks were added attractions.

Points of interest: cheap trains from all over Norfolk, entrance cost 1s, fashionable oriental decoration (advertising by the oriental merchants Bonsor at the bottom of the sheet?), tickets sold by Jarrolds etc.

An EDP report next day said 4000 attended in spite of bad weather.

PGPT008 shows part of the terrace of 7 houses which Henry Trevor built in the 1860s to form Chester Place. They were designed by the architect Edward Boardman. The low walls between the houses were built to the same design as balustrades in the Plantation (PGPT022) and the pedestals, like the one visible here at the end of the wall, are very similar to those around the fountain in the garden (cf PGPT356), using flints and Gunton fancy bricks.

009 shows two houses in Chester Place (Chester House in the foreground. The Rosary on the left) which were owned by Henry Trevor and included in the 1897 sale.

The photograph shows The Elms, Heigham Grove. In 1897 and for many years before, Henry Trevor’s stepson, John Joseph Gray Page (PGPT168) lived in this house with his large family.

This photograph shows ‘The Beeches’, which Henry Trevor built in the 1860s between his own dwelling house and the Earlham Rd. The conservatory, garden and thatched summerhouse (cf PGPT047/8) are visible to the left of the house. Henry Trevor let the property to tenants. In 1897 the rent was £75 p.a.

In the early 1980s the property was leased to a Mr Hill, who converted it and the neighbouring Plantation house into a hotel.

This is the northern section of the 1883/4 map. The entrance to the garden lies further north, leading off the Earlham Rd .Henry Trevor’s residence, The Plantation, (cf PGPT067), is prominent, and the ‘cottage’ of the gardener (cf PGPT034) is labelled. Several glasshouses, including the Palm House, are marked by crosshatching, and there are 2 other roofed buildings which may be the fruit store and gardener’s office listed in the 1897 auction particulars.

This is the southern section of the map shown in PGPT054. Notable features include the fountain (top right), the glass propagating house (crosshatched), steps, paths and flowerbeds. The number ‘1’ is the lot number of this property at the auction and the names on the right hand side are the owners of the houses in Unthank Rd whose gardens abutted the boundary of the Plantation Garden. The Baptist church of 1897 became a United Reform church in the late 20c.

This enlargement shows clearly the propagating house (described in the auction particulars as ‘span-roof…..24ft by 10ft), with the row of finials along the top, an open door and plants standing on the shelf inside. There is also a cold frame behind. On the pedestals around the fountain urns shaped like tree trunks can be seen, and fragments of these have been found in the garden.