Page 21 - Simply Veg 1 2024

Andrew F Pearson
MICHAEL GORDON FNVS
The Summer 2023 issue of Simply Vegetables featured an article on The Parsnip from Irish Gardening magazine from January 1918, by Andrew F. Pearson.
I was curious to find out more about
the author, so I undertook some research on him. My first point of contact was an online search of the 1911 Census of Ireland. There was seven Andrew Pearsons listed on the 1911 census. I came across one Andrew Pearson in Cork, place of birth Scotland and aged 37, married to Agnes also 37 with a 3-year-old daughter also named Agnes. His occupation is listed as ‘Land Steward and House Gardener.’ A land steward was generally responsible for growing food, i.e. vegetables, on large estates. The house and building return shows his landlord was A.J.S Crawford
of the Beamish and Crawford Brewery whose home was Lota Lodge, still in existence as the Vienna Woods Hotel.
Next, I tried searching Civil records online and found Andrew Forrett Pearson, 108 Cabra Road, died in 1947 aged 74, the age in 1911 would indicate that this was the same man. His occupation is given
as Retired Assistant Superintendent of Phoenix Park and the informant’s name
is Agnes Cowen Pearson, widow, same address. I found out that Andrew Pearson was on the organizing committee which carried out the development of the Irish
National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge in Dublin, dedicated to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1914-18 war. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The initial planning for this project began after the 1914-18 War and wasn’t finally completed until 1938. Mr. Pearson supervised the planting of all the trees and shrubs in the 60 acre site. He was originally from St. Andrews in Scotland. I wanted to find out if any of his direct descendants were still around, but I found that his wife Agnes died in 1969 aged 96 and their daughter Agnes died
at 99 in 2007. They are all buried together in Mt Jerome Cemetery in Dublin, a photo of their headstone can be seen on the
Mt Jerome website. I wonder will anyone try to find out what happened to us in a hundred years’ time, if you get an article published in Simply Vegetables someone might!
Heritage Seeds and Fruit Tree Whips by Harold Herlihy
We, living in Ireland, are blessed
to have an association called the Irish Seedsavers. They are an environmental charity organisation, who conserve native fruits and vegetables going back hundreds of years.
Apple trees have been recorded
in Brehon Law, which goes back thousands of years as sacred specimens. Apple trees being produced by Irish Seedsavers have been bred over the centuries to thrive under Irish weather conditions. The apples have a huge range of tastes and are grown without the aid of sprays or chemicals. The fruit is far superior to what you can purchase
in your local supermarket. We have
a generation of young people who have no idea of the real fresh taste
of the likes of apple, pear, and even
vegetables like carrots and parsnips. Writing about vegetables, Irish
Seedsavers also have rare vegetable seeds, such as potatoes, tomatoes, beans, peas, etc. etc. also going back nearly 100 years and some seeds even longer than that. The practice
of growing one’s own vegetables particularly in the farming community seems to be an inconvenience
and far easier to go to the nearest supermarket to purchase fruit and vegetables that have travelled hundreds or thousands of miles.
Irish Seedsavers sell to the public and are located in Capparoe, Scariff County Clare V94V6W0 an hour or two spent in the nursery is time well spent and will surprise you.
You can also purchase online from www.irishseedsavers.ie.
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