This plaque adorns a gate into the Brooklyn Botanical Garden from Washington Avenue. I've never seen the cast-iron gate actually used.
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The first mention of who is likely to be our Sidney Maddock that I found can be seen here. Assuming it is the same Sidney Maddock, that mentions more about his time in Florida than what he did in Brooklyn. It also goes off into some political commentary at the weirdest moments. I suppose that is the early 20th century for you ...
The above article mentions a love of golf, and this Brooklyn Daily Eagle article seems to indicate he might have had some skill (for his day).
According to the Floridian article linked above, pottery was the family business, and expanding that business is what brought his father, Henry, to America in 1830, and provided most of their original wealth. However, a lawsuit between Sidney's mother and his father's busines partner seems to indicate that Sidney did not follow in his father's and uncle's footsteps, and declined to join the pottery business. Apparently the American pottery import business was not doing well, though no details no this are given. The document does mention that Sidney 'came of age' on January 26th, 1893. I'm not terribly sure what age that would be, but making a guess of 18, that puts his birthday on January 26th, 1875. Apparently Sidney was something of a 'gentleman-farmer' in Florda, as well as a Hotel owner and real-estate speculator.
Here is Sidney himself:
Is that a polaroid?
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