Page 20 - ALG Issue 3 2018

Centenary Celebrations
100 Years of Allotment Gardening in Calverley, Leeds, West Yorkshire
“On 1 June 1917, there was a very successful meeting in Calverley Mechanics Institute where the following motion was enthusiastically passed: “We, inhabitants of Calverley in public meeting assembled, do pledge ourselves on our honour to respond to the appeal made by his Majesty the King in his proclamation of 2 May 1917 and to promote the Economy Campaign, especially in respect of food, by all and every means in our power.”*
And so, after much deliberation about the best site, Mr Thornton’s Gatescroft field became Calverley Allotments, as we know them today; right in the middle of the village. When Sydney Steel began ‘digging for victory’ in 1918 he proudly cultivated 250kgs of potatoes, 45kgs of peas and 130 cabbages and cauliflowers!
100 years on and the allotments remain an important part of village life in Calverley. There are now 50 plots, and they are as enthusiastically and proudly cultivated by plotholders and their families as they were in Mr Steel’s day... the potato yield has diminished somewhat!
Calverley Allotments and Cottage Gardens Association met for the first time in December 1917 and has managed the allotments since then, becoming Calverley Horticultural Society in 1974. The Society today has around 250 members and they, along with many more
in the village, support the events organised by the Society, which promote the allotments and horticulture in general.
Our Centenary has been the perfect opportunity to spread the magic of gardening through involving other Calverley Groups and Societies in events and activities; we have worked with Calverley In Bloom to plant up a celebratory veg bed in the Park, and worked with the local nurseries and schools to decorate hundreds of plant pots and ‘pot bomb’ our allotment wall. We even tried to emulate Mr Steel with a potato growing competition, and our local amateur dramatics group – the Calverley Players – performed a number of allotment and growing themed plays at our Allotment Open Day and Annual Show.
Our first Annual Horticultural Show took place in 1919, and we are now looking forward to celebrating our 100th Show. Calverley Allotments have endured and remain as popular as ever. They continue to produce food, provide pleasure and exercise to young and old and provide a valuable resource in the centre of our village.
Pot bombing
Beverley Smith, Secretary CHS
*Extract from Edward Garnett’s 1991 Pamphlet ‘A History of the Village Allotments Movement’
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The Centenary Veg Bed
Prize winning potatoes in the Annual Show