Our History

Fred Golby

J Golby & Son was originated by John, (Jack) Golby after the First World War. He came back from the war and started a small nursery selling produce from his front room in Alma Street, St. James, Northampton. He married Emily, and their only child known as Fred, started working with him when he left school at the age of 14. Fred helped with every aspect of the nursery life, from building greenhouses to selling and delivering produce around local streets.

The Nursery expanded with Fred's help. The heated greenhouses helped to grow early tomatoes and pot plants. They could grow a bigger variety of flowers for their burgeoning florist trade, selling all the produce through the newly acquired shop in St. James.

The second world war came along, and all production had to be turned over to growing fruit and vegetables.

After the war, Fred with newly married wife, Joan expanded the nursery, purchasing land on Millway, Duston, Northampton. Fred started attending the local Northampton Market. This helped enormously with sales of what was quite a mix of produce ranging from vegetables, vegetable plants, bedding and perennial plants, cut flowers, tomatoes in the summer and holly wreathes for Christmas.

Fred's specialty was the Dahlia. In the 1940s and 1950s, Fred became a Dahlia expert. Fred raised many new varieties and exhibited at many shows around the country - winning many prizes, also becoming a national judge of Dahlias.

The Dahlia went out of fashion in the 1970s but with the help of Fred's children, Rosemary, Robert and John, they expanded the growing of bedding plants, whilst still growing salad and summer flowers for the local market. Rosemary ran the Florist business at the St. James shop.

Duston Garden Centre was opened in 1982. This was a great success and our own- grown plants were always produced to supply it.

The Centre was rebuilt in the late 90s. Although currently the main building is leased to a homeware store, our ever-expanding range of plants and shrubs are retailed through their store.

Today we have a nursery at Spratton, Northamptonshire where we grow most of our plants that are offered here on our website. Matthew and Joanna the fourth generation are now feeding their skill and knowledge into our 100 year old growing business.

We are proud of our heritage and here are just a few photographs to help illustrate it. Thank you.