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Olive Edmundson

1881 – 1972

British horticulturalist

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About Olive Edmundson

Lived 1881 – 1972 (aged 90–91). Olive Edmundson was a British horticulturist.

Olive Mary Edmundson (née Harrisson) (1881 - 1972) was a British horticulturalist who was denied a scholarship at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden in 1898.

Her parents were Henry and Louis Ann Harrisson. Harrisson attended Swanley Horticultural College. She was awarded the highest number of marks in the Royal Horticultural Society Certificate in Practical Horticulture. The prize was to work in the Royal Horticultural Society garden in Chiswick, £5,000 and a scholarship. Her success was rejected by the Royal Horticultural Society, who only accepted men at the time. This was despite women making up half of the top candidates. She looked after her daughter's garden that was in the grounds of a Friends meeting house in Settle, West Riding of Yorkshire. Her story emerged after a researcher at the Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library discovered a document in the archives. The story was covered by the BBC, and listeners identified who the document was discussing.

Edmundson died in 1972 in Settle.

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Important facts

Born
1881
Birth century
Died
1972
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Royal Horticultural Society

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Olive Edmundson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Olive Edmundson?

British horticulturalist

When was Olive Edmundson born?

Olive Edmundson was born in 1881.

When did Olive Edmundson die?

Olive Edmundson died in 1972.

What was Olive Edmundson's occupation?

Olive Edmundson was a horticulturist.

What nationality was Olive Edmundson?

Olive Edmundson was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Olive Edmundson

· Wikidata: Q57316238

· DBpedia: Olive Edmundson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Olive Edmundson. https://biography.guide/olive-edmundson/

MLA: "Olive Edmundson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/olive-edmundson/.

Chicago: "Olive Edmundson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/olive-edmundson/.

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