Page 48 - ALG Issue 3 2021

East Midlands
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland
Strong personalities and courageous women in 100 years at the allotments
Melbourne Allotment Holders Association (Derbyshire) celebrates 100 years since it was founded in 1921, with a centenary pamphlet. The author, Paul Sturges, says that the history of allotments in Melbourne is surprising and fascinating:
“When I volunteered to write something for our centenary, I thought it would just be a page or two to be made available via the Internet. I soon discovered that
it was possible to draw out a great deal more of the history of the Association than a few dates and basic facts. It revealed more about Melbourne’s special contribution to 20th century social change than might be expected. Since the 17th century, Britain has had a profusion of societies, clubs
and associations on everything from archaeology, archery, and apprehending felons right through to zoology at the end of the alphabet. This has been
one of the country’s greatest, but
least recognised, contributions to the structure of modern life. Over the years Melbourne has played a part in this phenomenon, producing a wonderful richness of organisations. Melbourne Allotment Holders Association turns out to be a surprisingly interesting example.
“What makes the Association distinctive is that it was one of the very few associations throughout the country which bought its own site, rather
than renting it. The £16/10- that each gardener had to raise for their share
of this was enormous in relation
to average earnings in 1921. The Association’s history is a tale of bold commitment by the founding group
of gardeners, inspired by the strong personalities who led them. There is also the contribution of courageous women to be celebrated. By offering plots on a gardener-owned site, the Association has been able to provide for the security and continuity of allotment gardening in Melbourne for all this time.
What’s more, it can continue to do so as long as Melbourne people want to keep on growing their own fruit and vegetables. Someone in 2121 might well find themselves writing the Bi- Centennial history.”
Paul Sturges is a Professor Emeritus of Loughborough University, who
has lived in the area for 45 years. He and his wife Claire have cultivated an allotment for nearly 10 of those. His research and publications have largely dealt with professional and academic themes relating to information and
its role in society. However, he has
also written on more diverse topics including Derby local history, African peasant agriculture, the propaganda activities of the Church of Scientology, and how stand-up comedians create their jokes. He says nothing he has investigated before was quite like the history of Melbourne Allotment Holders Association. The closest probably came with his research in rural Malawi, interviewing Chichewa-speaking peasant farmers (with an interpreter of course). Absolutely everything about the poverty-stricken villages that he visited was different from Melbourne, except the topics people talked about: soils, seeds, fertiliser, crop yields, and, most of all, the weather.
The pamphlet was launched at a pop- up stall in Melbourne Market on 25th March 2021, the exact day 100 years on from the day when the gardeners took up their plots. Copies are available at Melbourne Post Office at £5.00 per copy. Orders direct to Melbourne Allotment Holders Association can be made to
the Treasurer (daryl.garner@sky.com). These will be delivered by hand in the immediate area of Melbourne and by post to buyers from further afield (£6.75 inc. £1.75 postage and packaging).
48 Allotment and Leisure Gardener
Compost Awareness Week
To celebrate International Compost Awareness Week at Stokes Wood Allotment from 2-8th May, the composting site has released its first 2021 batch of community compost to plotholders.
The site has also introduced its new Compost Boat, a sieve and temporary storage container which can be slid in front of the bin being emptied. This purpose-designed piece of equipment may bear a resemblance to the bottom of an intermediate bulk container (IBC) found abandoned on a plot but it is in the best tradition of allotment engineering. The container, when fitted with its decking supports, will take a sieve at a convenient working height and two buckets, one for material not completely broken down which is added to an active bin and a second for plastics etc. that have passed through the composting process.
Once full, the boat is left for members to help themselves and then moved to the next finished bin to be refilled. Society members are advised via the Facebook page that free compost is available and are encouraged to help themselves. We should have five or six boats
of compost available this year plus finished compost from the range of domestic bins which form part of the demonstration site.
The site is now open to visitors from other societies which can include talks, practical composting sessions, and refreshments. The site café is also open on Wednesday mornings when a full breakfast is available.
Rod Weston