lubbock

The Lubbock family have been closely associated with Farnborough since the banker John William Lubbock bought the farm, High Elms, adjacent to Farnborough Village in 1808. He developed the estate, built a large house and landscaped the park. He became a baronet in 1816.

In 1840 his son, also John William, succeeded him. He was a noted astronomer and mathematician and also a close friend of his neighbour Charles Darwin. He enlarged the house and set out a racecourse – once attended by 40,000 people.

His son, yet another John William, continued to develop the estate. He was greatly influenced by Darwin, collected species of trees from around the world and created the notable arboretum which still exists.

In 1870 he became Liberal MP for Maidstone and is most famous for introducing the bill to create bank holidays – to give all workers some holiday. The idea is supposedly inspired by Farnborough’s annual St Giles’ Fair. The first August bank holiday was popularly known as ‘St Lubbock Day’. He became the 1st Lord Avebury in 1900 and died in 1913.