Mr George W. Briggs was a designer active in the UK in the late-19th century. He was born at Norwood, London, England in 1857, the son of a landscape gardener at the Crystal Palace.
At a young age Briggs moved with his family to the North of England where he first served as an apprentice to a stonemason. He later turned his attention to gardening, starting a rock and fernery design business for himself.
Briggs was particularly noted for his rock and fernery designs. He designed and laid out the rockery work on numerous large estates and public parks including that for the rockery at Stamford Park, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England, for which he is perhaps best known.
Briggs died at his residence, 3 Gower-street, Ashton, in November 1903. He was buried at the Cemetery in Dukinfield and was survived by his widow, two sons, and five daughters.
Sources:
Rhodes Family History, Yesterdays, 'Death of Mr George Briggs, of Ashton, Designer of the Stamford Park Rockery'<http://www.rhodesfamily.org.uk/yesterdays/1903/21nov03.htm> [accessed 17 February 2008]