Thomas Cripps (1809 - 1888), English nurseryman and plant breeder at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
See also under nurseries.
[From l'Illustration horticole, March 1888, p. 28:] THOMAS CRIPPS, horticulteur anglais très estimé, est mort à Tunbridge-Wells, à l’âge de près de 80 ans. C'est de son établissement que sortit la splendide variété de Fuchsia connue sous le nom de Venus Victrix, qui fit sensation il y a une quarantaine d'années. C'est lui aussi qui obtint de fort belles variétés de Clematis désignées sous la dénomination de Crippsianae. Il survécut à ses deux fils qui furent des élèves distingués de l’École d’horticulture de Gentbrugge.
[From The Gardeners' Chronicle, April 21, 1888, p. 504:] We regret to have to record the death, on Tuesday, the 17th inst., of Mr. Thomas Cripps, of the well-known firm of Cripps & Son, nurserymen, Tunbridge Wells, in his 79th year. The deceased, who was highly respected by all who knew him, started in business nearly sixty years ago, and had developed his nursery into one of the largest of the kind in the kingdom. For several winters Mr. Cripps had been obliged, through a bronchial affection, to stay indoors during bad weather, but this did not impair his zeal for business. Many new varieties of plants were originated in this nursery, and some of our readers will remember that it was from this nursery that the first white Fuchsia (Venus Victrix) was sent out nearly fifty years ago; and of late years the Clematis has been very successfully handled, and many new varieties raised. The deceased was a kind-hearted man, and many a gardener can bear testimony to his kindness in times of adversity, and many a young gardener obtained at the Tunbridge Wells nursery his start in life. The funeral is to take place at the new cemetery, Tunbridge Wells, on Saturday, April 21.
[From An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Clematis, p. 177:] Thomas Cripps and Son, Tunbridge Wells, England
[From An Abundance of Flowers, by Judith M. Taylor, 2018, p. 145-146:] Thomas Cripps ( 1809-1888 ) , Tunbridge Wells , Kent Cripps was one of the earliest breeders of clematis . He opened his nursery in 1837, subsequently naming it Thomas Cripps and Son. He worked primarily wih Clematis patens, C. lanuginosa and C. 'Jackmanii' to produce his hybrids. A brief obituary of Cripps appeared in the Gardener's Chronicle of 1888 following his death earlier that year at the age of 79.....Sadly, both of his sons died before he did... Thomas's daughter, Ellen took over the business after her father died.
