About Gandy's Roses - Past and Present

The history of Gandy's Roses goes back to the period immediately after the First World War when Mr Douglas Gandy's family moved from Kent to South Kilworth in Leicestershire. Shortly after arriving in the county, Douglas Gandy started his horticultural career by growing roses on an allotment. After this humble start he quickly moved in 1925 to growing roses on a commercial scale and in 1925 Gandys Roses opened for business.

The business developed and prospered throughout the 1920's and 1930's, Douglas Gandy working on his own with just casual assistance from time to time. Even at this time many allotments were untended and he was asked to take them over and ultimately the whole allotment field. All business at this time was by mail order being despatched by post or from the local Welford & Kilworth railway station.

By the early 1930's he was growing 30/40,000 roses each year and also trading with other nurserymen. The catalogue for 1931/1932 was perhaps a little sparse by present day standards, but one has to remember this was in the immediate aftermath of the financial crash of 1929 and the ensuing depression. The market was severely limited by the high level of unemployment.

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Gandy's Roses.

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