Robert Backhouse
British archer and horticulturist who developed new daffodil and lily varieties.
Robert Ormston Backhouse (10 March 1854 – 10 April 1940) was a British archer from Darlington, County Durham. He took part in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, placing 13th in the double York round with 516 points. Backhouse also shot a demonstration round in the Continental style, scoring 260 points—a tally that would have won him a silver medal if it had been an official event. For this effort, he received a Diploma of Merit.
Alongside his wife, Sarah Dodgson, Backhouse was known for breeding new daffodil and lily varieties. The couple lived at Sutton Court in Herefordshire, where they continued the botanical work of his grandfather, William Backhouse (1779–1844), and father, William Backhouse (1807–1869). His brothers Charles and Henry, as well as his son William Ormston Backhouse (1885–1962), also raised daffodils. One of their most notable creations was the daffodil variety Mrs. R. O. Backhouse, the first with a pink cup and white perianth. Registered in 1923, it was named for Sarah Backhouse by her husband after her death in 1921. Backhouse died in Sutton St Nicholas, Herefordshire, on 10 April 1940.
In 2025, the Royal Horticultural Society launched a public search across the UK for any surviving bulbs of the Mrs. R. O. Backhouse variety still flowering in private gardens.
- Born
- 10 March 1854, Darlington, County Durham
- Died
- 10 April 1940, Sutton St Nicholas, Herefordshire
- Olympic event
- 1908 Summer Olympics, London
- Double york round place
- 13th
- Double york round score
- 516 points
- Continental style demonstration score
- 260 points
- Award
- Diploma of Merit
Lore & Background
Backhouse and his wife, Sarah Dodgson, lived at Sutton Court in Herefordshire, where they continued the botanical interests of his grandfather, William Backhouse (1779–1844), and father, William Backhouse (1807–1869). The couple spent much time cultivating daffodils and lilies. His brothers, Charles and Henry, also raised daffodils, as did his son William Ormston Backhouse (1885–1962). Among the varieties they developed was the popular daffodil Mrs. R. O. Backhouse, the first daffodil with a pink cup and white perianth. It was registered in 1923 and named for Sarah Backhouse by her husband after her death in 1921.
Reader's Guide
Backhouse's legacy lies in his dual pursuits of Olympic archery and horticulture. At the 1908 London Olympics, his demonstration round in the Continental style—scoring 260 points—would have placed him second in the official competition, earning him a Diploma of Merit. More enduringly, his work with daffodils, alongside his wife Sarah, produced the variety Mrs. R. O. Backhouse, notable as the first daffodil with a pink cup and white perianth. This variety was registered in 1923 and named after Sarah following her death in 1921. The Backhouse family's horticultural tradition spanned three generations, with his brothers and son also raising daffodils. In 2025, the Royal Horticultural Society led a public search across the UK for any bulbs of Mrs. R. O. Backhouse still flowering in private gardens, underscoring the lasting interest in the variety he and his wife developed.
Did You Know?
- Robert Backhouse took 13th place in the double York round at the 1908 Olympics with 516 points.
- His demonstration round in the Continental style scored 260 points, which would have earned a silver medal if official.
- In 2025, the Royal Horticultural Society searched the UK for surviving bulbs of the Mrs. R. O. Backhouse daffodil.
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