Joseph Paxton is best known as the designer of the Crystal Palace, built to house the Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851. But he had many achievements to his credit in the course of a varied career. Born in humble circumstances, he became head gardener to the Duke of Devonshire at the age of 23 and rapidly became leading horticulturist of the day. He was MP for Coventry for eleven years, organised a civilian works corps to help the army in the Crimea and concerned himself with the sewage and traffic problems of London.