A WORLD-RENOWNED horticulturalist with roots in Worcester has been honoured with a new plaque to commemorate his life and work.

Worcester Civic Society unveiled the blue plaque in honour of John Williams (1773-1853) at Pitmaston House in Malvern Road, St John's, today (Friday).

The ceremony was carried out at 2.15pm on Friday, July 3 by Elizabeth Banks, a distinguished landscape architect, past president of the Royal Horticultural Society and multi gold medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show.

The plaque was sponsored by Jim Jenner the present owner of Pitmaston House.

John Williams was the eldest of eight children, inheriting the family distillery in Tybridge Street. He probably moved into Pitmaston House in 1804 and lived there for the rest of his life.

Nevill Swanson, publicity officer for Worcester Civic Society, said: "His many interests included meteorology and he combined this with his passion for horticulture by experimenting with the micro-climate in his conservatory and with electric currents.

"He contributed papers to the Horticultural Society of London (forerunner of the RHS) and his contacts with it and Thomas Andrew Knight, its second President, led him to work on breeding new varieties of cultivated plants including the "Pitmaston Duchess" pear and the "Pitmaston Russet Nonpareil" apple.

There were also the "Pitmaston Pine Apple" and the "Pitmaston Golden Pippin" apple as well as new varieties of grape, redcurrant, peach and nectarine.

His knowledge spread to Mr Hale of Swanpool in St John's who bred the world famous "Worcester Pearmain" apple.

As well as all this, John Williams was a leading participant in the scientific life of his time being active in civic, academic and medical fields."