Last updated at 09:49, Monday, 21 May 2012

THE landscape architect, designer, town planner and author Thomas Mawson deserves to be better known.

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His achievements can be seen all over the world – from Barrow Park and the grounds of many grand mansions in Lakeland to Copenhagen and Banff National Park in Canada.

Yet when his Lancaster office closed in 1982 his company’s records were destined for the skip.

The story of their saving and the remarkable life of Thomas Mason was told by Barrow local historian Walter Johnston at a meeting of the North Lonsdale Society in Ulverston.

Cumbria County Council stepped in to save the Mawson archive which is now in record offices at Carlisle and Kendal.

There were more than 14,000 plans, drawings and paintings and 6,500 plate glass negatives and photographs.

He was born at Scorton, Lancaster, in May 1861 and despite many moves his family firm had a long association with Windermere.

Mr Johnston said: “By the 1920s he was being looked upon as one of the great designers of civic buildings and gardens in England.”

That was a major step from his early years when he worked in the drawing office of his uncle’s building firm in Lancaster.

As a 19-year-old he set off to London to train with a pound in his pocket.

He worked in the nursery of a floral artist at 18 shillings a week (90p) and was later in charge of a 120-acre nursery at Tottenham.

His family moved to a house with a one acre plot in Windermere and brought Mawson to the attention of local landowners - resulting in work at Briars Wood and Graythwaite Hall.

The tiny office at Windermere was eventually supplemented by those at Lancaster, London from 1901 and even at New York and Ottawa.

His design ideas were spread much more widely by books, including The Art and Craft of Garden Making.

He lectured at Liverpool University and even toured Italy on a donkey.

Among his many projects was the designs for Barrow Park – delivered in 1908 for a payment of £100.

Head gardener William Harold Christian, who retired in 1941, put the plans into effect.

Mr Johnston said: “It was recognised as one of the finest small parks.”

It is just one of more than 100 parks designed by Thomas Mawson.

They include Stanley Park at Blackpool.

First published at 10:37, Saturday, 19 May 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk