Christchurch's Permanent Commemoration of the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II
James Druitt (1816 - 1904)
Much of the land which now forms Druitt Gardens was accumulated piecemeal by James Druitt during the late C19th century and then by Herbert and Charlotte Druitt in the 1930s. James was an avid collector and many of his acquisitions can be viewed at the Red House Museum in Quay Road, Christchurch.
Herbert Druitt (1876 – 1943)
Herbert Druitt was a keen antiquarian with a passion for collecting local things, particularly archaeological finds, costume and bygones from the Victorian era. From 1919 until his death in 1943, Herbert opened the ‘museum’ in his home to the public on an occasional basis, only admitting those persons he felt worthy of viewing his collections.
Following his death the Red House and its vast contents, including 2500 boxes of archaeological finds alone, were inherited by his sister, Charlotte.
Charlotte Druitt (1878 – 1947)
Charlotte Druitt gave the Red House to the town of Christchurch and, after responsibility for it had been transferred to the Trustees and Managers of the Museum, it was officially opened to the public on 30 May 1951.
Druitt Gardens were once part of the Druitt family home (now the Druitt Library). The house and gardens were gifted to the people of Christchurch by Charlotte in 1946.
The family intention was that the house should be used for the community as a library and reading room and the grounds as a “garden of rest and bird sanctuary”. Christchurch previously has a reading room on the ground floor of the Old Town Hall but it was removed as part of the Saxon Square development.
Dorset CC took over responsibility for the gardens from Hampshire CC in 1974 and then sold them to Christchurch Borough Council in 2006.