Cants of Colchester was a firm of commercial rose growers, and was the oldest in Britain at the time of its closure in 2023. The company was established as a general nursery by Benjamin Cant in 1765 in Myland, Essex. The family nursery initiated a rose breeding programme in 1875. Early rose varieties include 'Ben Cant' (1901) and 'Golden Ophelia' (1918). The company's most successful new rose cultivars include 'Just Joey' (1972), 'Alpine Sunset' (1973), and 'English Miss' (1977).
Cants of Colchester, the oldest commercial rose growers in Great Britain, was founded by Benjamin Cant in 1765. The nursery, 'Benjamin R Cant & Sons', was located in Mile End, now a northern suburb of Colchester. The firm originally sold a variety of plants, seeds, bulbs and trees, including azaleas, rhododendrons and peach and apricot trees. With the rise in popularity of roses in the mid 1800s, Benjamin R. Cant (1827-1900) initiated a rose breeding program in 1875. By 1880, Cant had become a very successful rose exhibitor in England.[1][2]
Cant's nephew, Frank Cant (1857-1928), left the family business to establish his own nursery in Colchester in the early 1880s. The two Cant families became fierce competitors. The rivalry between the two nurseries lasted until the 1960s, when their descendants decided to merge the two family businesses into one company.[3] The 'Benjamin R Cant & Sons' of Mile End Colchester and 'Frank Cant & Company' of Stanway, Essex became the 'Cants of Colchester' under the leadership of Cant family descendant, Roger Pawsey.[4] The company remained in the family until its closure in September 2023,[5] with a 1,600 housing development built on the business’ former rose growing fields.[6]
Cant's Rosesedit
'Abbaye de Cluny' 1995
The Cant family has introduced more than 130 new rose varieties since 1875. Early roses include 'Ben Cant' (1901), 'Augustus Hartmann' (2014), and 'Golden Ophelia' (1918). Frank Kant and Company developed several successful rose varieties from the turn of the century through the 1920s, including 'Blush Queen' (1916), 'Yvonne' (1920) and 'Henry Nevard' (1924).[7]
Roses bred by Roger Pawsey at Cants of Colchester include many of the company's most successful rose varieties, including 'English Miss', 'Alpine Sunset', 'Sally's Rose' and 'Goldstar'.[2][8] The company's most successful rose is the buff-orange, hybrid tea, 'Just Joey'. Created in 1972 by Roger Pawsey and named in honor of his wife, Joey Pawsey, 'Just Joey' has won multiple awards and was inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame as "World's Favourite Rose" in 1994.[9]
^"Cant & Sons, Benjamin R." Help me find Roses. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ ab"About Us". Cants of Colchester. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
^"Cant, Frank". Help me find roses. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^Beales, Peter (1999). Botanica's Roses: The Encyclopedia of Roses. Welcome Rain. p. 677. ISBN978-1566491761.
^"UK's oldest rose-growing firm Cants of Colchester to close". BBC News. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
^"Historic business faces crippling cut in trade after housing estate built right in front of it". Gazette. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
^"Frank Cant plant lists". Help me find roses. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
^"Cants of Colchester". Help me find roses. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
^Quest-Ritson, Brigid; Quest-Ritson, Charles (2011). Encyclopedia of Roses (Reprint ed.). DK. p. 213. ISBN978-0756688684.
March 14, 2024
cants, colchester, firm, commercial, rose, growers, oldest, britain, time, closure, 2023, company, established, general, nursery, benjamin, cant, 1765, myland, essex, family, nursery, initiated, rose, breeding, programme, 1875, early, rose, varieties, include,. Cants of Colchester was a firm of commercial rose growers and was the oldest in Britain at the time of its closure in 2023 The company was established as a general nursery by Benjamin Cant in 1765 in Myland Essex The family nursery initiated a rose breeding programme in 1875 Early rose varieties include Ben Cant 1901 and Golden Ophelia 1918 The company s most successful new rose cultivars include Just Joey 1972 Alpine Sunset 1973 and English Miss 1977 Contents 1 History 2 Cant s Roses 3 Select roses 4 Rose gallery 5 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Frank Cant amp Co Cants of Colchester the oldest commercial rose growers in Great Britain was founded by Benjamin Cant in 1765 The nursery Benjamin R Cant amp Sons was located in Mile End now a northern suburb of Colchester The firm originally sold a variety of plants seeds bulbs and trees including azaleas rhododendrons and peach and apricot trees With the rise in popularity of roses in the mid 1800s Benjamin R Cant 1827 1900 initiated a rose breeding program in 1875 By 1880 Cant had become a very successful rose exhibitor in England 1 2 Cant s nephew Frank Cant 1857 1928 left the family business to establish his own nursery in Colchester in the early 1880s The two Cant families became fierce competitors The rivalry between the two nurseries lasted until the 1960s when their descendants decided to merge the two family businesses into one company 3 The Benjamin R Cant amp Sons of Mile End Colchester and Frank Cant amp Company of Stanway Essex became the Cants of Colchester under the leadership of Cant family descendant Roger Pawsey 4 The company remained in the family until its closure in September 2023 5 with a 1 600 housing development built on the business former rose growing fields 6 Cant s Roses edit nbsp Abbaye de Cluny 1995The Cant family has introduced more than 130 new rose varieties since 1875 Early roses include Ben Cant 1901 Augustus Hartmann 2014 and Golden Ophelia 1918 Frank Kant and Company developed several successful rose varieties from the turn of the century through the 1920s including Blush Queen 1916 Yvonne 1920 and Henry Nevard 1924 7 Roses bred by Roger Pawsey at Cants of Colchester include many of the company s most successful rose varieties including English Miss Alpine Sunset Sally s Rose and Goldstar 2 8 The company s most successful rose is the buff orange hybrid tea Just Joey Created in 1972 by Roger Pawsey and named in honor of his wife Joey Pawsey Just Joey has won multiple awards and was inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame as World s Favourite Rose in 1994 9 Select roses edit Ben Cant B R Cant amp Sons 1901 Blush Rambler B R Cant amp Sons 1903 White Dorothy B R Cant amp Sons 1908 Golden Ophelia B R Cant amp Sons 1918 Snowflake Frank Cant 1922 Captain F S Harvey Cant Frank Cant 1924 Memory B R Cant amp Sons 1932 English Miss 1977 Just Joey Cants of Colchester 1972 English Miss Cants of Colchester 1977 St Helena Cants of Colchester 1983 Alpine Sunset Cants of Colchester 1973 Abbaye de Clune Cants of Colchester 1995Rose gallery edit nbsp Ben Cant 1901 nbsp Blush rambler 1903 nbsp White Dorothy 1908 nbsp Mrs Oakley Fisher 1921 nbsp Lady Forteviot 1926 nbsp Crimson Descant 1972 nbsp English Miss 1977 nbsp Just Joey 1972 nbsp Alpine Sunset nbsp St Helena 1983 nbsp Apricot Candy 2006References edit Cant amp Sons Benjamin R Help me find Roses Retrieved 13 October 2020 a b About Us Cants of Colchester Retrieved 16 May 2020 Cant Frank Help me find roses Retrieved 13 October 2020 Beales Peter 1999 Botanica s Roses The Encyclopedia of Roses Welcome Rain p 677 ISBN 978 1566491761 UK s oldest rose growing firm Cants of Colchester to close BBC News 22 September 2023 Retrieved 30 September 2023 Historic business faces crippling cut in trade after housing estate built right in front of it Gazette 19 May 2017 Retrieved 30 September 2023 Frank Cant plant lists Help me find roses Retrieved 15 October 2020 Cants of Colchester Help me find roses Retrieved 14 October 2020 Quest Ritson Brigid Quest Ritson Charles 2011 Encyclopedia of Roses Reprint ed DK p 213 ISBN 978 0756688684 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cants of Colchester amp oldid 1178641662, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
