Isaac Bunting of Japan

In the late 19th Century Bunting & Sons became one of the foremost importers in the UK of Japanese lilies, a rather exotic flower for its time and the pioneering way this side of the business was developed would be a daunting undertaking to most people even in the present day with modern, fast and regular air travel and containerised shipping. 

William Bunting's third son, Isaac (b1850) worked in the family business and became well known in Colchester, taking an active part for a short time in local party politics and municipal affairs. In 1880 Isaac married Sarah Ann (known as Annie) French, and took her to Japan, a long and hazardous sea journey. At this time there were virtually no other English people in Japan.

Having learned his trade in the family firm back in Colchester, Isaac set up a home and business in Yokohama growing and exporting Japanese lily bulbs and one of his largest customers was, of course, Bunting & Sons. His business prospered with the lily bulbs much in demand in the UK and it grew into a substantial undertaking.

His interests in the UK were looked after by his nephew Herbert (Alfred's son) although he made a number of trips back to Colchester, a journey which became somewhat easier with the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1905. To avoid confusion with his grandfather of the same name, this Isaac became affectionately known in the family as Isaac of Japan. 

Lilies became Bunting & Sons speciality crop for many years and the firm made numerous donations of lilies to Colchester Council for use at civic functions and donations of lily bulbs to the town's Castle Park, particularly in the 1890's when they were quite rare.

Isaac and Annie had four children, Ernest Isaac (b1881), Anne Harriett (b1883), Frank Ellis (b1885) and Edith (b1888) who were all raised in Japan. Frank died as a young man in 1917 and none of the remaining offspring married,  leading to the end of this line of the family.

Isaac's business continued to thrive until after the First World War when the wild lily bulbs started becoming scarce. However, by this time the bulbs were beginning to become successfully cultivated back in England and Isaac left Japan around this time and semi-retired to Vancouver, Canada; although he continued in the lily business until his death c1926.