G.W. Cooper - Alexandra Gardens curator and gardening expert

Carlo Catani designed the Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne. G. W. Cooper quoted an acquaintance of his who had just returned from a world tour who described the Alexandra Avenue area as the finest example of city beautification he had seen in his travels. Carlo, however, cannot take all the credit for these gardens, much of it is due to his colleague, G.W. Cooper, who was the curator.

It is not surprising that George William Cooper  had a career in landscape design and floriculture - his father, also called George, was the foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. George, Junior, was the eldest child of George and Mary Ellen (nee Cox) Cooper and was born in 1880 in Prahran. George and Mary had eleven children - George, Reg, Elsie, Ada, Norman, Marion, Beryl, Dolly, Nerine, Harold and Allan. George Senior died in 1947, aged 89 and Mary died in 1933, aged 76.

The very informative death  notice of George Cooper, Senior, who passed away September 1, 1947.

The Argus September 2, 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22504623

An article in Labassa Lives, published by the National Trust of Victoria in 2015, has an interesting article on George Cooper, Senior, and his career. George Senior, started his working life at Labassa (originally called Ontario) and in 1900 moved to the Botanic Gardens where he worked under William Guilfoyle. In 1909, George Senior, laid out Dame Nellie Melba's garden at Coombe Cottage, and it is thought that young George also worked there. When  George Junior, moved from his position at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 to Sydney, his father at the age of 60 took over his position and remained there until his retirement in 1928, aged 70. (Read the full article, here)

Let's have a look at George's career (from now on, when I say George, I am referring to George Junior) The Sydney Morning Herald  of  March 6, 1930  had a short retrospective of his working life  Mr Cooper commenced work at 12 years of age and was with his father for eight years in private gardening in Melbourne. This brings us to 1900 and we then find out what George did next, as the article goes on to say that For 17 years previously he was associated with the late Mr C Catani chief engineer of the Public Works Department Melbourne in the beautification of Alexandra avenue and gardens on the southern banks of the Yarra. 

Here's another short look at George's life from The Bulletin, December 5, 1918 - He was born in Melbourne and his father and grandfather were professional gardeners. At twelve he started with the drudgery of being handy boy in training under his father. At 12, he got the job of Assistant-landscape gardener to help carry out the work which has made Alexandra Gardens and Avenue (Melbourne) so often quoted as instances as what can be achieved when Art picks up a spade. His chief, the late Carlo Catani, who taught and showed the way for 17 years, was a noted landscape gardener to whom Melbourne owes much of its decorative Melbourne lawns and shrubs. 

In my post on the Alexandra Gardens I quoted an  article from the Leader of May 4, 1912 which,  inter alia, described George as one of the best of the younger generation gardeners in Victoria. The all-important factor of enthusiasm is behind this excellent example of public gardening, and Mr.Cooper's untiring efforts receive full encouragement from another enthusiast, Mr. C. Catani.

In 1917, George finished up in Melbourne and moved to Sydney to be the Superintendent of Parks for Sydney City Council. The position attracted 54 applicants and he was the successful candidate. In fact, a journalist in The Age in a 1929 interview with George directly links his time working with Carlo to his successful application 
It is primarily to Mr. Cooper's artistry as a landscape gardener that the enchanting ensemble of flower-bordered lawns and spreading trees, that make the Alexandra-avenue and gardens one of Melbourne's most picturesque embellishments is due, and incidentally led to covetous eyes being cast on him by the civic authorities of Sydney.  (The Age February 1, 1929)

1917, the year George moved to Sydney, was also the year that Carlo Catani retired from the Public Works Department.  Carlo retired on April 28 and George resigned in the May. Were these two departures linked?  The Argus of May 17, 1917 had something to say about this double loss as they called it  - For over 16 years Mr. Cooper, though working in one positions continuously, has been kept on the temporary staff, and on that account has lost the rights to increments and holidays which permanent men enjoy. His salary has only once been raised, and that was when he was offered
a position at Port Darwin, but was tempted to stay here by an increase of £26 a year.

Since the end of last year he has had full control of Alexandra Avenue, as well as of the gardens, and for this extra duty he received an additional £26 a year, paid to him by the Alexandra Gardens Committee (not the State departments), although it rendered possible the saving of £182 a year to a foreman. For 14 years Mr. Cooper, jun., though he has proved his value as a landscape gardener, has had no increase in his salary. It is not surprising that the Sydney City Council has been able to tempt him from the beauty spot he created and loved.

Clearly, the powers to be in Melbourne did not appreciate George, however other Melburnians did and there were two letters published the next day, extolling George's virtues and criticising the bureaucracy that did not appreciate his true worth.

Letter to the Editor regarding the resignation of  G. W. Cooper.
The Argus, May 18 1917  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1618744?#

One of George's first projects in Sydney, in Hyde Park was planting 2,000 dahlias.  The following year he recommended the removal of a large number of Moreton Bay fig trees in the park,  and replacing them with ornamental Australian trees. Sydney felt the loss of each Moreton Bay fig tree more than the death of a Cabinet minister, but today, Sydney is congratulating itself on having discovered a gardening genius in Melbourne. (The Herald, December 29, 1921)

One of George's innovations in Sydney, that he thought Melbourne should emulate,  was the introduction of playgrounds into parks. The Sydney City Council had given particular attention to providing children's playgrounds,which it had supplied with gymnasiums,swings and sliding planes, and kindergartens which parents could leave small children for the day (The Age, January 10, 1923) The kindergarten idea seems amazingly progressive for the time and I have never heard of a slide being referred to as a 'sliding plane' 

Another idea that George was keen on was a floral clock. Sir Arthur Rickard had donated  a floral clock to Tooronga Park in Sydney, which was only the third one in the World and George thought Melbourne should have one also. There is quite a long description of this clock in The Age of February 1, 1929. The paper had conducted an interview with him and also told us that George was staying with his parents who lived in Deakin Street, St Kilda. The article had the gushy headlines - Australia's Garden City. Melbourne still unrivalled. Former Curator's Eulogy.  You can read this, here.

G. W. Cooper

Sydney Morning Herald March 6, 1930. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16631301

Back in 1911, Carlo Catani had imported 50 varieties of Japanese Iris and planted them in front of the head gardeners residence in the Alexandra Gardens.  George also had an interest in the flower as he introduced the Japanese Iris into Sydney -  The Herald of December 29, 1921 - reported Melburnians who admire yearly the Japanese iris in Alexandra gardens will regret to hear that Sydney now possesses the finest bed of iris in the Commonwealth. We have to take second place, apparently. Among Mr Cooper's Plants in Sydney is the only yellow Japanese iris outside Japan, entrusted to him by the Japanese nobleman who raised it.  

By the use of a 750 candle power electric light in the centre of the iris bed, Mr Cooper had his plants in bloom in the late winter and early spring, while the plants on the outside of the bed were just beginning to grow. The effect of the light was really that the iris flowered 12 weeks before its normal time. 

The Labassa Lives article on the George, Senior, I referred to before,  said that when he  took over his son's role at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 this allowed him to pursue his love of  flowers, particularly his specialty in breeding new strains of Japanese Iris. In 1919, George planted 2000 of these Irises in a single bed.  Which begs the question, was the Cooper's love of the Japanese Iris inspired by Carlo or did they inspire him to import the 50 varieties in 1911?

George, had in common with Carlo, a high public profile - from around 1927 to 1930 Mr Cooper broadcast interesting talks on gardening from station 2BL, and in the first year he answered 2000 letters. (Sydney Morning Herald, March 6 1930) 

How George would spend some of a million pounds, if he was given it.

Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/27082240

In 1927, the Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial asked George the following question -  What would I do with a million? Firstly, George said he would provide for his parents for the rest of their days; secondly that he  would provide the Blind Institute with a new building well outside the hurly burly of the City.  But to business. My late chief in Melbourne, the late Signor Catani, Chief Engineer of the Victorian Works Department, should have a monument erected to him. And I would pay for it out of the million, for all the hopes and ideals I have for the beautification of Sydney were really inspired by his splendid work for Melbourne. 

The immense influence of landscape gardening on the civic conscience is — I say this frankly — not realised in New South Wales as it is in Victoria. That is why I would spend another piece of my million in awarding prizes for teachers in Public schools and technical colleges who would devote some of their energy to teaching landscape gardening and the care and welfare of trees and gardens. Then a generation would soon arrive who would have a clear idea of the importance of the subject.

The rest of my million I would spend on making a beautiful drive, tree-bordered every inch of the way from Sydney to La Perouse. By that time my donor would realise that I wanted more millions. With my next million I would buy up all the foreshores of Sydney Harbor, and make a fine drive for the thousands of people who only know the beauty of their harbor from ferry-boats. With my next million I would beautify Bondi and Coogee Beaches in such a way that they outdo the St. Kilda Beach, in Mel-

bourne. All these things, of course, should have been done long ago - but it's never too late, provided the "Sunday Pictorial's" mad millionaire turns up with the cash. (Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927). 

In 1930, at the age of 49, George retired from the Sydney City Council to go into 'private business'. His media career continued as for a few years from 1932 he had a regular column in Smith's Weekly - the paper announced their new columnist The news that Mr. G. W. Cooper was to contribute weekly articles on gardening has been received with enthusiasm, and already his offer to help solve individual gardening problems has been accepted by a large number of readers. (Smith's Weekly, May 28 1932)

In the 1930s, George was also giving talks, exhibiting dahlias at flower shows and also acting as a judge at flower shows. In the 1940s he had a regular gardening show on Radio 2FC at 8.45 on Sunday mornings, in fact a report in the Singleton Argus of February 18, 1942 said that Mr. Cooper holds the record for continuous broadcasting for the Commission, having served at the microphone for 15 years and four months.

Up to the mid 1950s there are articles in the paper about his involvement with the Town Planning Association of New South Wales. George was quoted at length in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 20, 1952 on the subject of the proposed memorial to King George VI -
A former council parks superintendent, Mr. G. W. Cooper, said the council was building the sunken gardens as a monument to King George VI. Addressing the association, Mr. Cooper said: "The idea is a complete farce, and people from other States will laugh their heads off at it."
"Our late King deserves a better monument than that useless monstrosity," he said. "Men building the garden have struck solid shale, and the cost of the garden has jumped from £5,000 to £10,000. A rose pagoda is supposed to grow in the shale, but it will be a complete failure. Roses won't grow in that kind of setting."
"The amateur gardeners among the council aldermen are trying to run the gardens against the advice of council experts. The whole sunken garden scheme is a tragic waste of public money."

Clearly, he was unhappy with the proposal on both practical and aesthetic grounds.

We have looked at George's professional life - this is what I know about his personal life. He was married to Ellen Tirtschke on December 19, 1908. They had a son Lindsay George, born in 1911, but I don't know of any other children.  George died on September 28, 1967. I know two things about Lindsay - according to a newspaper report, he broke his leg in 1925, when he fell off his bicycle and the same report said he was employed in the Librarian's Department, City Council. The second thing I know about his was this -  Before Mr. Atkinson, S.M., at the Kogarah Police Court yesterday, George Lindsay Cooper, 25, librarian, was fined £15, in default 30 days imprisonment, for taking bets in his library shop in The Arcade, Arncliffe. An application for time to pay the fine was refused. (Illawarra Mercury, February 7, 1936) I have to say, that as a Librarian, I find that pretty funny - perhaps other Librarians could diversify into a bookmaker activities as a sideline.

Marriage announcement of  George Cooper and Ellen Tirtscheke, 

which took place December 19, 1908.
The Argus January 2, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10697965

Sources:

I have created a list of articles on Trove on G.W. Cooper and his career and the Alexandra Gardens. Access the list here. All the articles I have quoted here, are on the list. 

Labassa Lives, v.3, issue 2 2015. Cooper and son: Ontario's gardeners  National Trust of Victoria.

I believe I have the correct death  date for Mr Cooper - I  got it from - Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Baptism, Burial, Confirmation, Marriage and composite registers in the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Archives on Ancestry.