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Edna Gunnell

1879 – 1963

British horticulturist

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About Edna Gunnell

Lived 1879 – 1963 (aged 83). Edna Gunnell was a British horticulturist.

Edna Mary Gunnell (1879–1963) was one of the first women gardeners trained at Kew Gardens in professional horticulture. Gunnell went on to become the first female county council horticultural superintendent in the United Kingdom when she was appointed superintendent in Devon County Council in 1920.

Biography Gunnell was born into a middle class family and completed her studies at Salt School in Shipley. Gunnell undertook a Certificate in Horticulture at the University College of Reading, which ran a women only horticulture course. She then applied to Kew and moved there in 1900 where she studied until 1901.

Back in England, she gave postal horticultural tuition in 1914, working as lecturer at Swanley College of Horticulture for a year. the first female to be appointed to this role by any council in the United Kingdom. While in Devon, she promoted horticultural knowledge including jam making, growing vegetables and preserving to the Devon Federation of Women Institutes.

Gunnell was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1945.

Gunnell died on February 16, 1963.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
University of Reading, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Employers
Devon County Council
Awards
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Edna Mary Gunnell, Edna M. Gunnell

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Edna Gunnell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Edna Gunnell?

British horticulturist

When was Edna Gunnell born?

Edna Gunnell was born on 28 February 1879 in Saltaire.

When did Edna Gunnell die?

Edna Gunnell died on 16 February 1963 in Exeter.

What was Edna Gunnell's occupation?

Edna Gunnell was a horticulturist.

What nationality was Edna Gunnell?

Edna Gunnell was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Edna Gunnell

· Wikidata: Q112944078

· DBpedia: Edna Mary Gunnell

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Edna Gunnell. https://biography.guide/edna-gunnell/

MLA: "Edna Gunnell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/edna-gunnell/.

Chicago: "Edna Gunnell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/edna-gunnell/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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