National allotment survey

[Holly]

Hello all,

Allotment sites hold the key to some really revealing local history across the country...

Whether your site was formed last month as part of the GYO revival, or if you know that gardeners hundreds of years ago were working the same earth - allotments reflect so much about national trends and traditions!

So, this month, we'd like to know how old your plot is in our GYO poll. Crucially, however, we'd also like to know how it was created, how it's changed and how people feel towards the plots as a result.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes up !

Thanks,
Holly



your comments may be edited and printed in the August edition of GYO magazine

[chris]

I tell you what is amazing. Google earth have added the ability that lets you see how things were "back in the day" during the WWII era (you can even see ruins from bombing runs). You can slide across the screen revealing more or less of how it was, and is now. Going over some places around the country you can see what once was fields and allotments/farms are now huge towns.

Being a newbie on both my plots, I can't answer that - but I know my first plot is old, as years ago the area was just 1 house which a large amount of land and a few rows of houses. The house land was split up and sold off (which now forms part of the allotments). I'll have to ask the old chap again as he did go around the houses a bit when explaining it to me

Edit: Seems you need to download the application - Google Earth

But here's what I mean - the part that's marked with the petrol station icon is actually the house (and my mother in laws!) before all the land was split up making the allotments and the nearby housing.



Sorry to go off track - but I find that sort of things really interesting (and it's vaguely related ).

The tool bar icon for it is along the top, looks like a clock with an arrow going backwards.

[VirginVegGrower]

The local parish formed these allotments during the wartime era and as I understand it they have grown smaller over the years owing to the church graveyard needing an overspill area!
I would say that there are about 25 plots now compared to what looked a very substantial site on old photos kept by the village historical society.
I can see that with the creep back towards GYO there are set to be a whole lot more sites being created to cope with demand. When my mum had her allotment - an allotment association of sixty full size plots - she was one of only two women! Most were held and tended by older gentlemen. There is a definite change towards family plots now - I see families, young men and women getting allotments. The latest on ours is a fifteen year old who intends to go into farming as a career. Educated at a private school with a farm attached has given him the bug apparently!
I think part of the demand for allotments is also fuelled by people living in bigger houses on smaller plots which leaves no garden for growing in. Years ago my grandfather had a front rear and side garden, the front having a square lawn and rose borders, but the double garden to the rear was where he grew veg and the side for fruits. We are lucky to have a substantial garden but have the allotment owing to my penchant for growing too much. The church isn't the only one needing an overspill area!

[rustylady]

I tell you what is amazing. Google earth have added the ability that lets you see how things were "back in the day" during the WWII era (you can even see ruins from bombing runs). You can slide across the screen revealing more or less of how it was, and is now. Going over some places around the country you can see what once was fields and allotments/farms are now huge towns.

Being a newbie on both my plots, I can't answer that - but I know my first plot is old, as years ago the area was just 1 house which a large amount of land and a few rows of houses. The house land was split up and sold off (which now forms part of the allotments). I'll have to ask the old chap again as he did go around the houses a bit when explaining it to me

Edit: Seems you need to download the application - Google Earth

But here's what I mean - the part that's marked with the petrol station icon is actually the house (and my mother in laws!) before all the land was split up making the allotments and the nearby housing.



Sorry to go off track - but I find that sort of things really interesting (and it's vaguely related ).

The tool bar icon for it is along the top, looks like a clock with an arrow going backwards.

Just tried Google Earth for where I live, Chris. Fascinating.

[Maccabee]

I tell you what is amazing. Google earth have added the ability that lets you see how things were "back in the day" during the WWII era (you can even see ruins from bombing runs). You can slide across the screen revealing more or less of how it was, and is now

????? Cool! I knew you could go back a few years, didn't think you could go that far back. *goes off to have a look*

eta

Only goes as far back as 2000 where i live. With all the run down buildings and haggered roads it probably hasn't changed much since then anyway

[Suky]

Sadly Google only go back to 1999 for my site but it was how I found my plot. I 'flew' over the village and there they were!
They were formed in 1919 when land was given by a local landowner for men who had come back from the Great War. It's a lovely site and mostly very friendly but some of the older men seem to resent any new methods. But I love it there anyway

[chris]

Sadly Google only go back to 1999 for my site but it was how I found my plot. I 'flew' over the village and there they were!
They were formed in 1919 when land was given by a local landowner for men who had come back from the Great War. It's a lovely site and mostly very friendly but some of the older men seem to resent any new methods. But I love it there anyway

Same here, on the new plot I've just taken on - people are very nice but the moment you do anything out of the ordinary there are a lot of huffs and whispering - you can see them gathering and tutting.

[VirginVegGrower]

The old chap next to me until he saw the quality of my plants coming in and how we have relandscaped the allotment. Now he's like our new best friend. Think he's hoping for some gifts...over my dead body!

[Snadger]

I just wonder whether they stole the 1945 arial maps off the Germans?

[susieq100]

Snadger - yes, I saw a TV programme about it - Britain from the Air little while ago, that's where the Imperial War Museum and British Museum got lots of their aerial photos!

[Snadger]

I used to be Allotment Secretary and part of the Secretaries package were the deeds for the plot.
Ours were originally set up in 1939 at the outbreak of WW2. They were set up for members of the armed forces to grow there own veg when they returned from active service and also for the unemployed.
I don't think we have any servicemen with a plot at the mo but I would guess that about 30 of the 40 plots are utilised by the unemployed or retired at the moment.

[Holly]

Hello all,

Would be great to see some more allotment-histories on here..... keep 'em coming please!

Thanks!
Holly

[SarzWix]

I had a look at the Google Earth thing, but ours only goes back to 2002

Our site goes back to the Second World War too. I believe the land was gifted to the Allotment Association, and the site was twice the size it is now. About 25 years ago, the Association sold the land to the council, who built sheltered housing on half of it, and then leased the rest of the land back to the Association. Unfortunately, this means we are a bit precarious in legal terms, as our site doesn't have Statutory protection.
I took one of my plots on from an 82 year old, who had gardened there for over 30 years. Another lady has a plot which has been 'in her family' for nearly half a century. It's good to feel such a connection with history, and with land that has fed local families for decades.

[Nicos]

I've had allotments on two different sites over the years.
This is what I can recall.....

The first Council owned site was built on the outskirts of the town on top of the rubble dumped there after the building of the local houses post war.
Hence the top layer of solid clay was in fact compacted subsoil, with no natural drainage.
In a extremely exposed position it was not an ideal site for an allotment to say the least!!!.

Our second site was privately owned and created about 35 years ago by a retired farmer on his land.Nice light peat based soil- a delight to dig and weed!!!

[Incy]

having not had our plot for long this prompted me to do a bit of research about it. Whilst I haven't found much out through the internet I did come across this interesting document relating to the road it is on and named after and the surrounding roads.
Judging from this information and other information around feeding Britain post war, I would suspect that it was created around the WWII period when most of the city was flattened and people moved out to the newly created Wythenshawe. Rusholme would at the time have become one of the remaining residential areas closest to the city centre.
Although we have only had our plot a short while, we have been involved with this site for a few years through a friend so have met a number of the people there. It is a really lovely open plot with all sorts of interesting, friendly people. There does seem to be quite a number of teachers and university lecturers there but as we are so close to the university that is not really that surprising. Anyway, we are thrilled to have finally got our plot and are enjoying the lovely atmosphere there.