Links to Allotment Site Histories

If there is an obvious gap in the history of allotments it is the relative lack of local site histories which might help to give us a greater understanding of the movement as a whole. This page is an attempt to provide a repository of links to existing histories which are available on the web or simply in paper form, and to encourage people to write a history of their own site.

Wandering slightly aimlessly around the web looking for new histories which can be added is a somewhat slow and painful task for me. If you know of a link, possibly to a history of your own site, I would be extremely grateful if you could let me have the details. You can email me here.

The latest links were added on February 12th, 2013. Moorside Allotments is a detailed history. Wilstone Village Allotments is a nicely written piece. Hungerhill Allotment Gardens comes from a local history society meeting while there is a brief item on Cripley Meadow Allotments Association. Scarcroft & District Allotments Association has a very good set of pictures and maps. Finally, I have also added a link for a brief piece on digging for victory in wartime London.

The complete list follows. I have split the entries into two categories: detailed histories and potted histories. Each list is in alphabetic order of place name.

Detailed Histories

When Plotters Meet (Edinburgh Allotments 1921-2001)

Great Somerford (only available in book form - The Poor Man's Best Friend by Jill Shearer)

The landscape and culture of allotments: a study in Hornchurch, Essex

Lincoln's Allotments: A History (only available in book form - written by Geoff Tann)

Survey of Lincoln
Merrylee (Glasgow)
Moorside Allotments (Newcastle)
Newcastle Allotments
Reading Allotments
Sunningdale Allotments
Urban Allotment Gardens in Sheffield
York's Allotment Heritage
Potted Histories

Ashley Vale Allotment Association
Beechwood Allotment Association (Glasgow)
Bensham Manor
Billesley Lane Allotments
Blandford Forum
Brighton & Hove
Child's Hill (Hendon Way)
Cottenham Park Allotments (SW20)
Countesthorpe Gardens and Allotments Society (Leicestershire)
Cripley Meadow Allotments Association
Diggle Lane Allotment Association
Edgbaston Guinea Gardens
Firs Estate Allotments (Derby)
Framfield Allotments Association
Fulham Palace Meadows
Girton Allotment Society
Green Lane Allotments (in pictures)
Royal Paddocks Hampton Wick
Henley-on-Thames
Joel Street Allotments (Hillingdon)
Hill Rise Allotment Association (St. Ives)
Hook Norton - waiting list in 1889
Horfield & District Allotment Association
Horsell (Woking)
Hoxton Manor Allotments
Hungerhill Allotment Gardens
Imberhorne Allotments
Kelvinside histories (Glasgow)
Litcham Allotments
London Allotments
Digging for victory in wartime London
London Road Allotments (Coventry)
Longbarrow Allotments
Lynwood Road Allotment Association
Mansewood (Glasgow)
Rippingale
Roehampton Allotments
Romford Smallholders Society
St. Ann's, Nottingham
Sale Horticultural & Allotment Society
Scarcroft & District Allotments Association
Stoke Lane (Gedling)
Todmorden
Trumpington Allotments
Upper Beeding Allotment Gardens
Victoria Park (Glasgow)
Walsham-le-Willows
Wester Hailes (Edinburgh)
Wilstone Village Allotments
Wivenhoe Allotments & Gardens Association

All links were last checked on February 10th, 2013. Broken links were mended where it was possible to find the replacement address for a page.

Write your own history

Why not consider writing a history of your own site? The majority of sites usually have at least one or two individuals who are interested in local history. It can make for a useful and interesting winter project when there is not much to do on the plot.

It does not have to be "War and Peace". One or two pages of A4 paper can be enough to usefully describe the formation of your site and the major subsequent events.

Possible sources of material in the UK include:

Council Records
Council Minutes
Church Records
Access to Archives
- this is an electronic archive to selected historical material.

Older Council or Church material may be held in the Local County Record Office. The location of diocesan records, which may also be helpful, varies. Check on the web where they may be found for your area.