Richard Smith of Summersbury, West Sussex has been trying to identify the provenance and naming of the 'Chichester' hybrid elm, first officially recorded by the young John Lindley in 1823 but known to have been sold by his father George Lindley at Catton near Norwich as early as 1801.
The name 'Chichester' elm, which Lindley referred to as Ulmus vegeta, appears in a number of surviving catalogues, including that of the Suffolk plantsmen Fenn and Laws of Beccles Nursery (1836).
Sometimes, Richard says, the tree has been confused with the earlier 'Huntingdon' elm - a hybrid raised by Wood and Ingram at Brampton c.1760. Additionally, the 'Chichester' has been listed as merely a 'nurserymans' name.
Richards research has led him to the conclusion that the 'Chichester' and the Huntingdon elm are two distinct hybrids, but unfortunately he has found no firm evidence as to who originally raised the 'Chichester' tree or why it was named thus. Richard suggests that it may have come from Chichester Hall in Rawreth (Essex), an area known for glabra x nitens elm hybrids since at least Adam Buddles day, but documentary proof is needed.
Can you help Richard in identifying the origin of the 'Chichester' elm? Evidence for the initial propagator is likely to be found by searching for old catalogues or house records.
At present the first record of the tree comes from A Catalogue of Forest Trees, Fruit Trees, Evergreen and Flowering Shrubs, Kitchen Garden and Flower Seeds by George Lindely, Nursery and Seeds-Man at Catton, near Norwich (1801).
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