 |
Food production from allotments and rabbits - WW1
The two newspaper cuttings below reflect the efforts being made in Quorn during WW1, to increase local food production.
Loughborough Herald - 5th September 1918
Quorn News - Food Production
The Food Production Committee have presented their report on the allotments in the village, of which there are 23 acres. The committee have again undertaken the work of spraying the growing crops, and have awarded prizes for the best cultivated gardens. The report states that this year the committee arranged for a general survey of all the gardens and awarded prizes to the best cultivated plots, taking into consideration the quantity of food produced. The judging took place on Aug 10th, the judges being: Mr A Houghton (Mountsorrel), Mr E Russ (Quorn), and Mr J Whittle (Woodhouse), and they gave their awards as follows:
Plots, 500 square yards and over, 1 - Thos. Turlington, Wood Lane. 2 - John Burton, Wood Lane. 3 - J Dawsing, Mansfield Street. 4 - G H Smith, Wood Lane.
Plots under 500 yards, 1 - F Brown, Wood Lane. 2 - William Brambley, Wood Lane. 3 - A Smith, Loughborough Road. 4 - E Bowler, Wood Lane.
New gardens or war plots, 1 - Wm Armston, 2 - Thos Cope, 3 - M Smith, 4 - A Wykes.
Prizes were also awarded for the best plots cultivated by school boys of the Church of England Schools, who worked under the supervision of their head master, Mr C Adams. A piece of land was broken up in the new gardens, and two boys were allotted to each piece. There were eleven plots, and the following have been awarded prizes: 1 - Sidney Gamble and R J Bentley, 2 - Ed Russ and Jos. Boyer, 3 - B Heathcote and Syd Burton, 4 - A Dockery and R Hampson.
Taking into consideration that the land was freshly broken turf, the report says that the plots were clean and well-stocked with vegetables, and very creditable alike to schoolmaster and boys. The report adds that the allotments in the village gave evidence that the cottagers are alive to the importance of producing as much as possible of the food required. Potatoes show good promise, although a heavy yield, such as last year, is not to be expected, and the tubers grown from fresh seed obtained through the committee can be easily extinguished by their healthy and vigorous appearance, showing the importance of an entire change of seed. Onions, parsnips, carrots, peas and runner beans all appear to be well grown, and winter greens, although affected by the dry season are planted extensively. The committee are indebted to the following gentlemen as donors of the prizes: Mr J D Cradock, M Wright and Sons, and Mr E H Warner.
Loughborough Herald - 31st October 1918
Rabbit Club
A meeting of those interested in rabbit-keeping was held on Friday, with the object of forming a rabbit club, under the scheme arranged by the Food Production department. The Area Representative, Mr S Hallam, explained the details of the scheme, and advised the formation of a club in the village, stating that it would probably increase the number of those keeping rabbits, and also help to improve the strain of the animals. The meeting unanimously decided to form a club, and elected the following officers: President: Mr Wm Turner; treasurer: Mr Dockray; secretary: Mr W Swinfield; committee: Messrs W Orton, C Lovett, J Smith, T Pilkington, C Marden, C Reeve, Wm Jones, J Tuckwood, and S Hallam.
It was agreed that the subscription be 2s and to arrange for a show at an early date.
| |
|
|
 |
Submitted on: |
2015-01-03 |
|
Submitted by: |
Kathryn Paterson |
|
Artefact ID: |
1875 |
|
Artefact URL: |
www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=1875 |
|
|
|
