Table of Contents
The People Behind the Fuchsias: James Lye’s Named Cultivars
Introduction
Between 1869 and 1901 James Lye, Gardener at Clyffe Hall, Market Lavington, introduced over one hundred fuchsia cultivars. Many were named after real people associated to either his family, his employer, patrons, friends or visitors to the gardens where he worked.
Some cultivars survive today while others have vanished from cultivation, surviving only in documented records. The names themselves are vital clues, revealing the social networks, patrons and personal inspirations behind Lye’s work.
This page lists all known fuchsias named after people, whether still grown or presumed lost. The notes are suggestive guidance only, based on current research and are likely to evolve as more information is found.
How You Can Help
We welcome input from anyone interested in local history, genealogy, or heritage gardening to help us discover more about the people behind James Lye’s Fuchsias.
- Do you recognise any of the names below?
- Were your ancestors connected to Market Lavington, Devizes, Wiltshire or Somerset?
- Do you have family garden records, catalogues, diaries or photos that mention these fuchsias?
Even the smallest clue may fill in a missing link. Please get in touch via our contact form.
James Lye’s Fuchsias Honouring Individuals
The following list brings together the fuchsia cultivars introduced by James Lye that bear the names of individuals. Little is known about the individuals and we are actively seeking any historical information, biographical details, or local knowledge that might shed light on who they were and why Lye chose to honour them by naming a fuchsia after them.
(Status key: “In Cultivation”, “Presumed Lost”, “Uncertain / Possible Duplicate”)
All notes are for guidance only and represent current research suggestions.
| Cultivar | Year | Status | Notes (suggestive only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ada Bright | 1889 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bright family. |
| Alice (Mary) Pearson | 1887 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Benjamin Pearson. |
| Amy Lye | 1901 | In Cultivation | Part of the Lye family. |
| Annie Earle | 1887 | In Cultivation | Married to James Welch; Market Lavington resident. |
| Benjamin Pearson | 1887 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Alice (Mary) Pearson. |
| C. N. May | 1888 | Presumed Lost | Possibly a patron or acquaintance. |
| Cecil Glass | 1887 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Winifred Glass, Mr F. Glass, Mrs F. Glass. Family may be from Urchfont. |
| Duchess of Albany | 1885 | In Cultivation | Associated with Earls of Radnor of Longford Estate and via Hon. Mrs Hay, and the Duke and Duchess of Albany network; Royal Family connection. |
| Duchess of Fife | 1892 | Presumed Lost | Associated with Earls of Radnor of Longford Estate and via Hon. Mrs Hay, and the Duke and Duchess of Albany network; Royal Family connection. |
| Duke of Albany | 1885 | Presumed Lost | Associated with Earls of Radnor of Longford Estate and via Hon. Mrs Hay, and the Duke and Duchess of Albany network; Royal Family connection. |
| Ellen Lye | 1882 | Presumed Lost | Part of the Lye family. |
| Emily Bright | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bright family. |
| Emily Doel | 1882 | Presumed Lost | Could she be related to Eleanor P. Doel, lady’s maid at Clyffe Hall in the 1891 Census. |
| Emily Lye | 1878 | Presumed Lost | Part of the Lye family. |
| Harriet Lye | 1883 | In Cultivation | Part of the Lye family. |
| Henry Brooke | 1885 | Presumed Lost | Possibly a patron or acquaintance. |
| Hon. Mrs Hay | 1878 | Presumed Lost | Employer at Clyffe Hall; connected to Earls of Radnor. |
| J. T. Bright | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bright family. |
| James Huntley | 1877 | Presumed Lost | Possibly a patron or acquaintance. |
| James Lye | 1873 | In Cultivation | Self-named, after James Lye. |
| James Welch | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Husband of Annie Earle; Market Lavington resident. Secretary of the Wiltshire Agricultural Association |
| Jane Lye | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Part of the Lye family. |
| Lady Doreen Long | 1888 | Presumed Lost | Wiltshire Aristocracy; Rood Ashton House, Long Family. |
| Letty Lye | 1877 | In Cultivation | Part of the Lye family.. |
| Louisa Balfour | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Visitor at Clyffe Hall during 1891 census; born in India. Associated with Hon. Mrs Hay. |
| Mary Anderson | 1890 | Presumed Lost | Possibly a patron or acquaintance. |
| Mary Reid | 1892 | Presumed Lost | Possibly a patron or acquaintance. |
| Miss Lye | 1877 | In Cultivation | Part of the Lye family. |
| Miss Welch | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Possibly related to James Welch and Annie Earle. |
| Mr F. Bright | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Part of the Bright family. |
| Mr F. Glass | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Cecil Glass, Winifred Glass, Mrs F. Glass. Family may be from Urchfont. |
| Mr Hooper Taylor | 1880 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Mrs Hooper Taylor. |
| Mr J. Huntley | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to James Huntley. |
| Mr J. Lye | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Member of the Lye family. |
| Mrs Bright | 1883 | Presumed Lost | Member of Bright family. |
| Mrs F. Glass | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Cecil Glass, Winifred Glass, Mr F. Glass. Family may be from Urchfont. |
| Mrs Grant | Unknown | In Cultivation | Untraced; possible horticultural patron. |
| Mrs Hobhouse | 1897 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bath/Somerset horticultural/social network. |
| Mrs Hooper Taylor | 1880 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bath/Somerset network; likely wife of Mr Hooper Taylor. |
| Mrs Huntley | 1877 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to James Huntley. |
| Mrs J. Bright | Unknown | Presumed Lost | Part of the Bright family.. |
| Mrs J. Lye | 1875 | Presumed Lost | Part of the Lye family.. |
| Mrs King | 1883 | Presumed Lost | Possibly related to Thomas King. |
| Nellie | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Untraced |
| Rosalind | 1888 | Presumed Lost | Untraced |
| Thomas King | 1883 | Presumed Lost | Market Lavington or local family connection. |
| Virginia | 1888 | Presumed Lost | Untraced |
| W. H. Mould | 1887 | Uncertain / Possible Duplicate | May be same as W. R. Mould; historic catalogue variations. |
| W. R. Mould | Unknown | Uncertain / Possible Duplicate | See note above. |
| Walter Long | 1888 | Presumed Lost | Wiltshire Aristocracy; Rood Ashton House, Long Family. |
| William Iggulden | 1894 | Presumed Lost | Part of Bath/Somerset horticultural/social network; possible Bath Horticultural link. |
| Winifred Glass | 1886 | Presumed Lost | Possibly linked to Cecil Glass, Mr F. Glass, Mrs F. Glass. Family may be from Urchfont. |
Interpreting the Names
- Family ties – Lye and Bright families are closely linked; Frederick Bright married Emily Lye, uniting two families active in fuchsia hybridisation and horticulture.
- Employers and patrons – Hon. Mrs Hay, Lady Doreen Long, Duke and Duchess of Albany, Duchess of Fife indicate aristocratic and royal connections.
- Community and social networks – James Welch (Wiltshire Agricultural Association), William Iggulden, Mrs Hobhouse and Mrs Hooper Taylor highlight local and Bath or Somerset horticultural connections.
- Historical uncertainty – W. H. / W. R. Mould could illustrate discrepancies in historical records.
Why Every Name Matters
Living cultivars preserve Lye’s horticultural legacy; lost names illuminate his human and social world. Understanding these networks could reveal where plants were first distributed, uncover descendants with family records, or even locate surviving cultivars in private gardens.
How You Can Get Involved
- Research names — parish registers, newspapers, estate accounts, or genealogical databases.
- Inspect historic gardens — some cultivars may survive under altered names.
- Share information and details of labels, catalogues, or photographs.
- Collaborate — We welcome working with historians, genealogists and horticulturalists.
Contact us or share discoveries on social media using #harperdebbage.
Research Leads & Sources
Key Families & Links
- Lye & Bright – United by marriage (Frederick Bright and Emily Lye); both families active in horticulture and fuchsia hybridisation and distribution.
- Hon. Mrs Hay & Earls of Radnor – Are likely to have connections with Duke and Duchess of Albany, Duchess of Fife; Royal Family network.
- Welch and Earle – Annie Earle married James Welch, Market Lavington, James as Secretary of the Wiltshire Agricultural Association.
- The Long family of Rood Ashton – Lady Doreen Long and Walter Long, Wiltshire patrons.
- Moulds (W. H./W. R.) – Possibly same cultivar; Bath/Devizes connections.
- William Iggulden, Mrs Hobhouse & Mrs Hooper Taylor – Bath/Somerset horticultural/social network; Iggulden may have links to Bath Horticultural Society.
Recommended Sources
- Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre (parish records, archives).
- The National Archives (estate correspondence, horticultural society records).
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Lindley Library (catalogues, horticultural journals).
- Newspaper archives: Devizes & Wiltshire Gazette, Salisbury Journal, Bath Chronicle.
- Genealogical databases (Ancestry, FindMyPast) for family and marriage records.
- Private estate records (Clyffe Hall, Longford Castle).
Conclusion
This is a living project combining horticulture, social history and genealogy. Each name, from Lye and Bright marriages to Wiltshire or Somerset patrons, reveals how James Lye’s fuchsias spread and were appreciated. By retracing these networks, we may rediscover lost cultivars, discover more historical context and preserve a unique chapter of Victorian gardening.