JOHN ROTHEROE – Anna Hallett
Are you interested in ’The Grand Tour’? do you have a question about London railway stations or wonder about the uses of the census? A good place to start your research would be a Shire book on the subject. Amongst the many titles can be found answers to thorny questions relating to garden design, bee keeping and church furniture. The handy guides which can be found in museums and other places of interest (including, of course, the Internet) are the brainchild of John Rotheroe, who died at his Buckinghamshire home on 5 January this year.
John’s first publications, dating to 1962, were short guides on local areas, given away to coach operators, and tourist information points. Over time, the variety and range of subjects of the books published, highlight John’s eclectic interests, including pastimes and traditions, Egyptology, archaeology, architecture, geology, industries, and the many skills needed in the manufacture of furniture, pottery and household objects. He would seek out people engaged in unusual occupations and ask them for descriptions of the manufacturing processes. Very much a ‘hands-on’ publisher, he would send his authors pictures relating to the subjects he knew they were interested in or working on. Revealing his sense of humour, his own photographs were attributed to ‘Cadbury Lamb’.
His great interest in gardens is reflected in the many titles covering their history, including volumes on garden sculpture, fountains, mazes and labyrinths, old garden tools, Japanese gardens, Renaissance gardens, Regency gardens and English Rococo gardens, not to forget ‘A Glossary of Garden History’. Complementing his love of nature, he was a keen ‘twitcher’ who, when circumstances allowed, would ravel a distance to observe a rare bird, alerted to its presence by fellow enthusiasts.
John’s unique contribution to the dissemination of an eclectic number of subjects will continue to be of interest to many.
