John Lucas

[lindsay farr]

I'm conducting some research to gain some insight into the life of Victorian bonsai pioneer John Lucas.

By the mid 1950's, Lucas had assembled a bonsai collection which was impressive in both scale and quality.

Lucas was not only an intuitive bonsai creator but also one of the most successful commercial nurserymen of his time.

John Lucas was manager at the historic Williams Nursery in Sassafras, Vic. It was here that he befriended The Myer Family who were clients. The Myers offered him the Nursery concession at their new Chadstone shopping centre which he accepted. He also founded the Rosemont Nursery at Montrose.

Lucas advised me that he was a participant in bonsai club activities but had been shunned for his serial womanising

I'm currently restyling a 75 year old pine attributed to him and seek photos or other info.

John Lucas passed away around a quarter of a century ago.

Any help would be appreciated. Particulary info about the extraordinary radiata pine that he collected in the early sixties

Cheers

Lindsay

[craigw60]

Hi Lindsay, John Lucas and Nel Saffin were for a while partners in a small bonsai nursery based at Nels home in croydon. They also had a field in I think mooralbark for field growing. My Nothofagus group which I posted some months ago was started by John. I never met him but Nel who was a bit of a talker chatted about him often but that was some time ago and the detail of her chatter has long gone.
Craig

[lindsay farr]

Thanks Craig.
I fear that all those who remember John Lucas are getting older and that he will soon be forgotten.

I recall Nel's bonsai garden at the top of Kent Ave. I did not know that Nel partnered in bonsai business with John.

Perhaps Johns field was in Mooroolbark. I know that Max Leversha had a field at N. Croydon.

When I consulted John Lucas about location for my fields in the late 70's, he directed me to the heavy clays ( grey on top yellow beneath) that are dominant in the area.

I'm most interested in the natural collected pine that he sold for 1000 pounds in the early sixties. I've been attending to this tree for the past decade and would love to know some of the secrets of this aussie icon.

If you had purchased a 1000 pounds worth of westfield shares and let them acrue, they would have been worth $160 millon the day before the GFC meltdown. The bonsai is, of course priceless.

Any of the old folks remember????

Cheers
Lindsay

[SteveT]

Hi Lindsay,
Are there any photos of the old Radiata?



Steve

[lindsay farr]

I've documented video of the tree as I've put my hands to it.The elusive John Hopgood serviced the tree prior to my time.
John may have some pics???
Cheers
Lindsay