Joseph Paxton

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(b. Milton Bryan, England 1801; d. Sydenham, England 1865)

Joseph Paxton was born in Milton Bryan, England in 1801. A farmer's son, he was apprenticed as a gardener to the Chatsworth estate where he eventually attained the position of head gardener. In 1832, Paxton was appointed Manager to the Duke of Devonshire's estates.

Paxton developed an interest in glasshouses at Chatsworth where he designed a series of buildings with "forcing frames" for espalier trees. Generally considered a landscape gardener, Paxton's superiority in conservatory design earned him recognition as an innovative architect. His position in the House of Commons as MP for the Coventry allowed Paxton to dedicate his later years to urban planning projects.

Never formally educated, Paxton studied independently and used shrewd observation to advance in his field. He received a knighthood in 1850 for his success in artificially producing the Victoria Amazonica under glass.

Paxton died in Sydenham, England in 1865.

References
Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8230-2539-X. NA40.I45. p119.

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