Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

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Olivesnephew
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Location: London, UK

Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Olivesnephew »

Bit of a long shot this, but my late Aunt, Olive Banks was a member of some cactus societies when she was younger. I don't know how active she was in them, but I thought it was worth asking if maybe anyone had any contact with her - this would be several decades ago. She lived in the UK, near Liverpool, near Leicester, & finally in Buxton.

It was her & her wonderful 12 sided cactus greenhouse that really got me interested in growing cacti for myself, with the help of several lovely plants she gave me over the years.
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Brunãozinho
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Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Brunãozinho »

That's really cool. Of course I couldn't have known her, but what happened to her greenhouse?
Bruno
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Olivesnephew
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Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Olivesnephew »

I have no idea. Her & my uncle moved to a smaller house for the last 10 or so years of their lives - they couldn't have coped with that big old house & big old garden in their 80s. Hopefully whoever bought the house off them kept the greenhouse.
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Brunãozinho
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Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Brunãozinho »

I see. Maybe someone from de BCSS forum could have known her.
Bruno
Onzuka
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Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Onzuka »

Abbey Brook Cactus Nursery is owned by Mr. Brian Fern and is located at Matlock in Derbyshire. Brian is now well into his 70s and has been trading from there for ever. Now Buxton is located very close to Matlock and there is a good chance that Brian may know of your Aunt Olive, or have her on his mailing database.

Contact Brian and let us know how you get on.

Steve
DaveW
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Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by DaveW »

Try emailing the appropriate BCSS branch secretaries where she lived in the list below and ask if they could ask their members at their meetings. If you click on the branch name in the left column their website will usually come up if the email address is not given in the list below:-

http://www.bcss.org.uk/brlist.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have been a member of Nottingham Branch for 54 years and we have had a few members over from Leicester Branch in that time, but I cannot recall her name. It's also possible she was a member of the old Cactus & Succulent Society of Great Britain, but their branches were mainly in the London area. The National Cactus & Succulent Society had branches all around the country and later merged with the CSSGB to form the British Cactus & Succulent Society some years ago.

It is also possible she was a member of one of the societies but did not attend meetings.

Abbey Brook Cactus Nursery originally started at Abbey Brook in Sheffield (hence the name), then moved to Greenhill, Sheffield where I first visited it, but later moved to Matlock where it has been most of it's trading life. You can always email Brian Fearn and ask:-

brian@abbeybrookcacti.com

Or as Bruno says try asking on the BCSS "Cactus World" Forum:-

http://www.bcss.org.uk/foruma/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Olivesnephew
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Location: London, UK

Re: Did anyone know my Aunt, Olive Banks?

Post by Olivesnephew »

OK, thanks for all that. It's not really important, I don't need any important information about her, or anything like that. Just mildly curious, that's all.
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