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.

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.