Welcome toThe Rothschild Archive'swebsite

Sources for business history: plans of New Court

Sources for art history: Catalogue of the pictures of Alfred de Rothschild 1901

Sources for yachting history: Plans for Nathaniel von Rothschild's yacht Veglia 1905

Sources for natural history: Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild and his zebra carriage: c.1910

Sources for global financial history: Map of lines of the Brazil Railway Company: c.1920

Sources for business history: index cards to bank files

Sources for social history: Rothschild Hospital Paris: 1920s

Sources for business history: detail of a Rothschild bond coupon

Sources for architectural history: Halton House: 1890s

Sources for the history of travel: Lionel de Rothschild's tours of Spain: 1909

Sources for local history: Tring Park: c.1900

Sources for Royal history: shooting party with Edward Prince of Wales: 1893

Sources for political history: Lionel de Rothschild: first Jewish MP: 1858

Sources for sporting history: St Amant winner of the Derby: 1904

Sources for local history: gardeners at Aston Clinton: 1899

Sources for Rothschild family history: Lionel de Rothschild's yacht Rhodora: 1927

Sources for London history: entrance to New Court: 1965

Sources for design history: plans for Lionel de Rothschild's Rolls-Royce: 1930

Sources for business history: Rothschild gold bars produced by the Royal Mint Refinery: 1930s

Sources for business history: letters of August Belmont Rothschild Agent in New York: 1860s

Exhibition - Rothschild Gardens

4: English gardens: Gunnersbury Park

The first Rothschild garden in England

Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777-1836), the founder of the London bank N M Rothschild & Sons, acquired the Gunnersbury estate, to the west of London, in 1835, but died before renovations were complete.

Gunnersbury Park was the first major Rothschild garden in England; the huge trees, notably the famous cedars, rose arches on the lawn, the Temple overlooking the lily ponds and astonishing variety of fruit, made it one of the most famous of its day.

It was under the subsequent generations of Nathan’s son, Lionel (1808-1879) and his grandson, Leopold (1845-1917) that the house was altered and the gardens transformed. Leopold was responsible for the development of the wide range of gardens at Gunnersbury including a heath garden, a bamboo garden and an Italian garden. The Japanese garden was inspired by the beautiful gardens at Lake Como in Italy, and was the most formal part of the landscape at Gunnersbury, including a bamboo avenue, using thirty different species and varieties, and a bamboo bridge. Complete with an elegant tea house, it caused a sensation when it was planted in 1901. 

Today, the house is a museum, and the surviving park is owned by the London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow, and the house and gardens are in the process of renovation. 

Extract from the Notebook of Thomas Hobbs, Gardener to Leopold de Rothschild

An entry for November 1894 gives an indication of the daily tasks a Head Gardener would have undertaken.

November 1894

15 Cleaned and rearranged Orange House
16 Passiflora princeps and Grevillea robusta elegantissima brought in
20 Rose House pruned
23 12 Carnations Countess of Eve brought in also 6 carna[tions] Queen Charlotte
25 Carnations cuttings put in, 100 Mrs L de R 14, Countess of Erne & 20 Sir H Calcraft
27 Cutbush had 160 plant of Carnation Mrs L de R. Cleaned cool Orchid House
29 Calla Elliottiana bought in
30 Begonia Gloire de Sceaux put in Cattleya House, Finish tying Rose House

RAL 000/297

Map of the Gunnersbury estate 1847

Map of the Gunnersbury estate 1847