Heinrich Friedrick Conrad Sander 1847-1920

He is noted for his monthly publication on orchids, Reichenbachia, named in honour ofHeinrich Gustav Reichenburg of Hamburg the great orchidologist.

RHKM Ancestry tree- he is Richard's gggrandfather_ he descended from Eliza Sander/Moon 1873-1942. Now, late November 2018, in touch with Richard Marsh

Arthur Swinson - Frederick Sander, The Orchid King

Susan Orlean- The Orchid Thief: https://books.google.es/books?id=IEqqdRRoNOIC&pg=PA72&dq=%22The+Orchid+thief%22+sander&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwju

2I3v9t7eAhXq4IUKHff7DIYQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=%22The%20Orchid%20thief%22%20sander&f=false

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1847. Heinrich Friedrick Conrad Sander was born 4/3/1847 to Ernst Freidrich Sander & Anna Johanna Kropp in Molkenstrasse 17 Bremen, Schleswig Holstein ,

His mother ran a horticultural establishment. He was affected by the Schleswig Holstein v. Denmark wars there when he was aged 17 and  told his family that these wars were the reason he emigrated to England the next year, 1865, aged 18. His father had died when he was very young, 1859, and his ‘father figure’ was his uncle, Diedrich Kropp, his mother’s brother.  Kropp was a sculptor who travelled abroad and probably introduced Sander to travel with the stories of his adventures

He had two brothers. Johann Friedrich Conrad Sander 1845 & Diederich Salomon Sander 1849 and 3 sisters 1842, 1851 & 1853
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From 1859 he was bought up by his mother, a Kropp, and her brother, his uncle Frederick Kropp, a sculptor whose work can still be seen in Bremen on the facade of the railway station and in the grounds of a grand house, now an hotel. It survived all the bombing of WW11.And there is a statue of him there
There is also exoplanet work in the the cellar- a still used function room- of Bremen town hall.

1862-1863, A Nurseryman with Franz Schubert, Weimar, Germany - RHKM from Swinson's book . He was given the following reference "During his stay Mr Sander worked not only among plants but shrubs; he showed himself very industrious and intelligent, and above all his polished and outstanding behaviour, reliability,honesty and application have won my special approbation. I wish him great opportunity and joy with his further work."

1865 . In Erfurt - RHKM
Aged 18, in 1865, probably as a result of Bismark's  1864 Schleswig Holstein expansionist war with Denmark in 1864, Frederick emigrated to England.
His brothers emigrated to the USA , one stayed the other returned to Bremen after a few years.
*Paintings of this war are on permanent display in Aros, the art gallery in Aarhus

~1865-1867 he arrives in England . He emigrated to England in 1865 to work for the nursery of James Carter & Co. of Forest Hill. There he met Benedict Roezl and struck a deal to sell Roezl’s collections to their mutual profit. He set up in business in St Albans, Hertfordshire, a little to the north of London and by 1873 had built his first greenhouse for tropical plants. So successful was he that, in 1881, he purchased four acres of land in St Albans and built his nursery. He also began to employ more orchid collectors, at one time he had 23 active

In 1867, first working at Mssrs Ball nursery, London - RHKM , - Sander entered the employ of James Carter & Co., a nursery at Forest Hill, meeting the Czech explorer and plant collector Benedict Roezl: Roezl had been shipping plants to England for some time, but needed a reliable agent there to manage sales, leaving him free to collect and explore. Their business association was to prove a profitable one.

Sander resigned from Carter & Co., and set up business as a seedsman in St Albans. Roezl shipped enormous consignments of orchids and tropical plants, filling a vast warehouse near the seed shop. Sander's marketing of the plants was so successful that Roezl retired in comfort to his native city of Prague

Sander, on the other hand, got rid of the seed business and concentrated on orchids

1871C. Cannot find him on Ancestry or FMP

 

1872 Heinrich Friedrick Conrad Sander married Eliza Fearnley on 3/7/1872 Lewisham Sep 1872.

In Swinson's 'The Orchid King' she is described as the daughter of a prosperous manufacturer, this marriage enabling him to set up his own nursery in St Albans in 1876: her father was indeed prosperous by the time of the marriage, his father having left ~£30000 in 1863, so just the term 'manufacturer' that seems suspect! - he was a coal merchant, then a landed proprietor

Frederick and  Eliza Fearnley were married by Eliza Fearnley's uncle , Matthew Fearnley, 1823, on 03/07/1872.-

Eliza Diederike Sander born 26/4/1873
Conrad Fearnley Sander born 24/12/1874  in    Howard Park, Forest Hill
Frederick Kropp Sander born  17/02/1876 in     George St. St. Albans
Louis Lohmann Sander     born  10/4/1878  in        ".        ".   ".         "

3 of their children were all baptised in St Albans ,on 29/3/1876

Their children were: Eliza Diederich 1873; Conrad Fearnley Sander 1874; Friedrich Kropp 1876 and Louis Lohmann 1878 . Have not found where the name Lohmann comes from!

Richard Marsh -RHKM Ancestry tree- is descended from Eliza 1873 : I am in email contact with him

His premises soon proved to be too small to house his enormous collections, and in 1881 he acquired 4 acres (16,000 m2) of ground in St Albans on which to build a new nursery and home. The greatly enlarged quarters and Sander's business acumen led to a thriving concern, so that up to twenty three collectors were employed to search forests and mountainous areas in Asia and South America for new species. Some sixty greenhouses accommodated the vast stock of the finest orchids to be found. Large conservatories were given over to the production of seed, and new hybrids were constantly evaluated. Sander's of St Albans handled about two million plants in the 1880s and 1890s, becoming the focus of orchid culture in Europe, where crowned heads were familiar visitors. Sander published various addenda to his Book of Hybrids, properly titled Sander's Complete List of Orchid Hybrids (St Albans 1906).

In the 1880’s he established an orchid nursery in Summit, New Jersey, USA but sold it to J. Lager & H. Hurrell in 1896. In 1894 he purchased land in St Andre, Bruges, Belgium and established an even larger nursery there to cater for the growing demand on the Continent for his plants. Sander employed many famous collectors. Foerstermann sent back Paphiopedilum sanderianum from Borneo, and Carl Roebelin sent back the stupendous Vanda sanderiana and the graceful Phalaenopsis sanderiana from the Philippines. Wilhelm Micholitz was his most indefatigable collector and still worked for him into the 20th century when the flow of novelties and the demand for species was in severe decline. He discovered many beautiful orchids including Cymbidium sanderae C. insigne, Paphiopedilum gratrixianum and Dendrobium schroederianum. . He was a great friend of H.G. Reichenbach and regularly sent him novelties to describe, the finest always to be named after Sander himself. In tribute Sander published the magnificent Reichenbachia,volumes illustrated by his son-in-law Henry Moon. John Day considered Sander’s operation something of an up-start compared to the venerable orchid nurseries of Loddiges, Low and Veitch and did not know him in his prime. However, by the end of the 19th century Sander had outshone them all, partly because of the amazing discoveries introduced by his nursery but also because of his mastery of public relations, after all he was the self-proclaimed “Orchid King”

He built a splendid house, Camp House, on the Nursery site, Transfer details of this from Conrad's Memoirs .

1881C. Frederick Sander,35, is living George Street, St Albans. Children Eliza and Friedrich are with their grandfather, James Fearnley, in Welling

1885 Sander envisioned the monumental publication Reichenbachia which would depict orchids life-sized, with text in English, French and German. The folio edition measured a gigantic 678 mm x 510 mm (21.5 inches by 16 inches), and was bound in leather. The work appeared in two series of two volumes each. Volume one of series one was published in 1888 and had 108 pages and 48 plates. Volume two of series one appeared in 1890 with 106 pages and 48 plates. Volume one of the second series appeared in 1892 with 52 plates in a 104-page volume. Volume two of the second series, the final volume published, consisted of 114 pages with 55 plates. He also dedicated each volume to one of the reigning female monarchs of Europe, all of whom were his patrons

He commissioned his future son-in-law, Henry Moon, to do the illustrations for the monthly publication of what was to be called Reichenbachia, a work which would require their collaboration for the next few years. Work started in 1886 and went on until 1890, with turbulent disputes between pragmatic businessman and strong-willed artist. Moon married Sander's only daughter, Eliza, in January 1894, and spent another ten years painting orchids before his untimely death in 1905.

1888. He is in court to claim £1730 from the Duchess of Montrose for non payment of orchids & in furnishing a conservatory in Newmarket. Wins the case - FMP Newspapers

Sander - Kew??

1889. He applies for naturalisation . Describes himself, plain Friedrich Sander, as an Orchid Importer So he has dropped the Heinrich by 1889

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Frederick & Eliza . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . L to R; Frederick K , Conrad, H F Sander,Louis, & Mr Watson. Kew Curator,/ Mellstrom ??

With his commercial success, Sander planned American outlets in the 1880s, establishing a nursery in Summit, new jersey, and appointing one of his collectors, Forsterman, to manage the branch. The management logistics proved to be extremely complex, so that it was sold to John Lager and Henry Hurrell in 1896. This firm continued to operate until the 1970s, briefly moving from Summit to Georgia before being dissolved. Sander also started a nursery at St Andre, Bruges in 1894.

There were four main nurseries. New Jersey closed many years before the 2 WW. St Albans was the original home base. Watford persisted till the liquidation. Bruges was outstandingly the biggest (once the biggest horticultural establishment in Europe). I believe they were all separate corporate entities.Sally and I spent some time in Bruges after the War in the 1945/57 period. My second cousin "Dicky" married to Edouard the family solicitor was one of three - Michael, Stephen and Dicky (Daughters of Louis and Nellie)  Edouard's family ended up with most of the assets. My father rather than litigating (international and complicated) let them take his share. Roger got the priceless orchid stock and some property, but managed to go bankrupt during his lifetime. My father who was the world orchid species expert set up his own Nursery at Selsfield (Near Turners Hill, Sussex)  with difficulty and without capital and the business survived for 12 years. It was by Appointment to the Queen, he had a very affectionate relationship with the Queen mother who loved Orchids and they spoke extensively at the Chelsea Flower Show! He was on the RHS Orchid Committee, kept the "orchid stud book" - "The sanders Orchid Hybrid Book", and edited the Orchid Review. The voluntary liquidation was in 1957 not 1968. My father explained to me at the time that through his own work he was supporting 40 + sleeping partners (mostly in Belgium)! He closed his own nursery in 1970.

1891C. Camp Road, St Peter, St Albans.. Children aged 14-18 all missing . Photo shows the names as transcribed on FMP!

Frederick	Sanden	Head	Married	Male	44	1847	Nursery Man	Germany
Eliza	Sanden	Wife	Married	Female	43	1848	Living On Under Means	Lewisham, Kent, England
Mary	Fearnely	Sister In Law	Single	Female	46	1845	Living On Under Means	Lewisham, Kent, England
Patty	Fearnely	Sister In Law	Single	Female	42	1849	Living On Under Means	Lewisham, Kent, England
James	Fearnely	Father In Law	Widower	Male	53	1838	Living On Under Means	Lewisham, Kent, England
Mary	Taylor	Servant	Widow	Female	38	1853	Domestic Servant General	Gravesend, Kent, England
Charlotte	Herbert	Servant	Single	Female	25	1866	Domestic Servant General	Hythe, Kent, England
Emma	Beer	Servant	Single	Female	20	1871	Domestic Servant General	Crediton, Devon, England

1893. A newspaper reporter interviews him - Cutting

Nursery Entrance- photo courtesy of RHKM, but maybe originally from Peter. Thanks

Philip Moon, dog, Dedie & Eliza ~ 1910

1901. The Nursery, Camp Road, St Albans

Frederick	Sander	Head	Married	Male	54	1847	Nurseryman	Germany
Eliza	Sander	Wife	Married	Female	53	1848	-	Lewisham, Kent, England
Fred	Sander	Son	Single	Male	24	1877	Nurseryman	St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
Samuel	Fearnley	Visitor	Married	Male	58	1843	Paper Maker	Lewisham, Kent, England
Rose	Mailing	Servant	Single	Female	31	1870	Cook (Domestic)	Sussex, England
Maria	Still	Servant	Single	Female	25	1876	Housemaid (Domestic)	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Lizzie	Mailing	Servant	Single	Female	19	1882	General Servant (Domestic)	Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England
Harry	Faulkner	Servant	Single	Male	39	1862	Hot Water Boiler Stoker	St Peters, Hertfordshire, England

He had a flat in Dover, as he commuted regularly to Bruges

1907. Ads in the Herts Advertiser for 'WANTED, strong, active BOYS work in orchid houses'. Sander & Sons St Albans -FMP Newspapers

The Camp

1911C. The Camp. Camp Road, St Albans. Married 38 years, 4 children, all living. 14 rooms. HFC( not G) described as German- this odd as he naturalised in 1889

H F G	Sander	Head	Married	Male	63	1848	Nurseryman	Germany
Eliza	Sander	Wife	Married	Female	64	1847	-	Lewisham Kent
Jeannette	Siencking	Companion	Single	Female	29	1882	Companion	Holland
Minnie	Freeman	Servant	Single	Female	27	1884	Cook Domestic	Herts Leverstock Green
Edith Mary	Woodward	Servant	Single	Female	20	1891	Parlour Maid Domestic	Harpenden Herts
Alice Rebecca	Knight	Servant	Single	Female	26	1885	House -Maid Domestic	Hoxton Cambs

Heinrich- courtesy of Walden-Slakttrad tree: Michael has doubts on this , but looks genuine to me!!

In 1913 he was awarded the Belgian Insignia of Chevalier of the Order of the Crown: his son Conrad, in his Memoirs, says he put this straight into a drawer and never looked at it again!!

1914-1918." Frederick was interned for a short time I believe, then released and worked for FCO on translation from German and Dutch/ Flemish." but Chris has been unable to corroborate this. In Conrad's memoirs he says that his father said he was likely ruined & that he, Conrad, must shift for himself, and Conrad got employed by the FCO in Nov 1914 as an examiner/translator. Conrad talks of going to St Albans at weekends to cheer the old folk up!

1920. Heinrich Friedrich Conrad Sander, 74, died 23/12/1920 in Bruges. Probate to Conrad Fearnley Sander, Frederick Kropp Sander & Louis Lohmann Sander, his 3 sons , £ 20126

He had gone to Bruges, for only his second visit post war, to have an operation . He was brought back to St Albans to be buried, by road to Ostend & then from Dover. Nellie- wife of his son Louis Lohmann Sander- told me she had to follow the cortege for many miles on foot!

Buried: "The HF Sander's grave is in Fleetville, St Albans, close to the site of his Nursery - now a Catholic Primary School site - you can still see where the trains stopped on the purpose build railway line to take and receive stock" . His house was demolished to build the primary school

Has anyone examined the cemetery records: these will give details of all those buried there- so also Conrad & Freda, & 2 maiden Fearnley aunts??

"the four memorials are to Henry Frederick Sander (HFCS 1847), Philip Edward Moon who was killed near Arras in 1916 with no known grave, Henry George Moon died in 1905 and finally one to James & Susannah Fearnley (and their eldest son James) Eliza Sander's mother and father. There is no sign of a grave for Eliza Sander despite the fact that she died in St Albans in 1922 which is a little odd"- Richard .

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Photos of what I think is his grave; if so, surely the family could get it repaired?

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Sander is commemorated by the Orchidaceae genus Sanderella O.Kuntze.

Obiituary

Peter Sander, 1947, his ggrandson, in an email to brother Michael ." Interestingly when I was  in Bremen 4 years ago with a local journalist she took pride in showing me the (rebuilt post RAF Visits) street where he lived and was, we believe, born. His dad died when he was 12. 
He visited Hamburg regularly from St Albans to meet Prof Reichenbach who, Europe's pre-eminent botanist, was a good friend and effectively his source of the vital information of what and where his competitors were up to. They corresponded regularly and although most of the letters are in classic German, I have copies of them all from the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Those few now translated together with those in English  confirm the above.
The error I do know about is about the death of Phillip Moon in WW1. He was not HFC's eldest grandchild, he was Moon's second son. The correction comes from Dr Marsh, Moon's great grandson.
I would ask you to search again for those two framed medals and decorations. They were about 12" X 8" with quite a wide dark oak frame and the medals mounted on royal blue velvet. Dad proudly showed me once - they included  a medal from Czar Nicholas, and another from Belgium's King Leopold and also dads first 'David Sander's Orchids' RHS Gold medal won for his 1960 Chelsea group. You only ever get one in solid gold, subsequent medals are cardboard versions! Having said that I have two due to RHS incompetence . I naturally offered the second one back but they told me to keep it! Dads RAF medals were there too. Also in the packing shed was the telegram when the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915 as Sanders had crates of orchids on board being exported ?? to the nursery at Summit, New Jersey".  Lusitania was inward bound, so maybe Sanders were expecting orchids from the Summit Nursery?

Thus the St Albans Nursery obviously continued to function to some extent 1914-1918 - the Local Archives/Newspapers would no doubt reveal more: any one live near St Albans?? Recheck FMP Newspapers

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/209769678_Reichenbachia_The_Story_of_a_Masterpiece_and_the_People

This a must read: describes his masterful 1886 tome on Orchids, with 192 plates, mainly painted by his future son in law H G Moon

Sander Index