Arboretum History
Arboretum History
A field of small saplings is bordered by a wooden fence on the left. The University of Guelph's brick buildings can be seen in the background.

The First Staff

Header image: Arboretum West Lawn, 1977-78

After The Arboretum was established in 1970, a small group of employees were hired. This small group of employees left an ever-lasting impact on The Arboretum because they paved the way for its future. Their hard work to begin and develop The Arboretum’s grounds, infrastructure, plant collections and organization secured the future of The Arboretum for years to come.

R.J. Hilton stands in a suit in front of a building. He is looking away from the camera and is holding a wooden cane in his hand.

R. J. Hilton

R. J. Hilton was the first Director of The Arboretum and a prominent figure in the University of Guelph. He developed the Landscape Architecture program, was the Chair of the Department of Horticulture and a professor. As the first Arboretum Director, he oversaw the development of the original Master Plan and the planning and preparation of plant collections.

A white man smiles at the camera. He has short hair and a moustache. The man is wearing a plaid button up shirt and large wide frame glasses.

John Curtis

John Curtis worked as The Arboretum’s first Collections Technician. His knowledge of plant collections made him the go-to employee for The Arboretum in its infancy. He was responsible for following the original Master Plan plantings, labelling and initial propagation duties.

A white middle-aged woman with short hair smiles at the camera. She wears a button up shirt with a large collar, a vest, and large glasses.

Dorothy Blacklock

Dorothy Blacklock was The Arboretum’s Administration Assistant. As activities grew in The Arboretum, someone was needed to take care of the increased paperwork from personnel records, meeting records, phone calls and general office responsibilities. Computers were a long ways in the future, and copies were made by carbon paper or Gestetner. Dorothy handled these tasks with expertise.

A middle-aged white man looks at the camera. He has short hair and stubble around his mouth. He is wearing a white button up shirt with a striped tie.

Ross Bradshaw

Ross Bradshaw was the Lead Hand at The Arboretum. As activities at The Arboretum grew, more assistance was needed. This led to Ross being transferred from the Horticultural Research Station in Cambridge to The Arboretum. While working at The Arboretum, he was responsible for equipment handling, repairs, supervising the grounds crew and other odd tasks.

A white man with short, curly hair looks at the camera. He wears a plaid shirt and wide frame glasses.

Bill Garner

Bill Garner worked as The Arboretum’s Equipment Operator. As more land was incorporated into The Arboretum, more ground work was occurring. This included increased plantings and maintenance in preparation for the building of the OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre. Bill completed much of this maintenance and work using a variety of equipment.

A young white woman smiles at the camera. She has shoulder length wavy hair. She is wearing a dark shirt.

Ruth (Harris) Robinson

Ruth (Harris) Robinson worked as a Propagator at The Arboretum after graduating from the Ontario Agricultural College in 1974. Ruth was brought on board to take over John Curtis’s propagation responsibilities and to manage the two greenhouses, the lathhouse and the expanding nursery. She, along with R. J. Hilton and John Curtis, did many of the original field trips in search of native plant material, both plants and seeds.

Thank you to Ric Jordan for providing insight into The Arboretum’s first staff and their duties. This page would not have been possible without his assistance.

The land where The Arboretum now grows has been home to plants and animals for thousands of years. It was home to Indigenous peoples before settlers arrived. We recognize the Dish with One Spoon territory, the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Between the Lakes Treaty 3 lands on which the University of Guelph and The Arboretum now sit. We are honoured to work on and care for this land.