When did allotments start in the UK?

In 1887 the Allotments Act was introduced, which made it possible for local authorities to acquire land for allotments – by compulsory purchase if necessary. It also made it compulsory for local authorities to provide allotments where there was demand for them.

What is the purpose of allotments?

An allotment is a great way to ensure you get a regular supply of fresh fruit and vegetables! Allotments are plots of land given to local community members so they can grow their own fruit and vegetables. The tradition dates back hundreds of years, to when poorer people needed the land as their main source of food.

How did allotments start?

Allotments have been in existence for hundreds of years, with evidence pointing back to Anglo-Saxon times. But the system we recognise today has its roots in the Nineteenth Century, when land was given over to the labouring poor for the provision of food growing.

What are allotments in Britain?

An allotment is an area of land, leased either from a private or local authority landlord, for the use of growing fruit and vegetables. An allotment is traditionally measured in rods (perches or poles), an old measurement dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.

How did allotments start in England?

In the late 1500s under Elizabeth I common lands used by the poor for growing food and keeping animals began to be enclosed dispossessing the poor. In compensation allotments of land were attached to tenant cottages. This is the first mention of allotments.

When did allotments become popular?

The Explosion (1873-1945) This period saw the allotment movement peak with the number of allotments growing from 243,000 in 1873, to 445,000 in 1890, and on up to 600,000 in 1913 just prior to the First World War. They subsequently peaked at 1.5m during the First World War and 1.75m during the Second World War.

How do allotments work?

With an allotment, half of the allotted amount is deducted from your mid-month pay, and that amount remains in the system until the other half is deducted from your end-of-month pay. At that time, the entire amount is submitted to the designated recipient.

How do allotments help the environment?

The environmental benefits of allotments are furthered by the encouragement of composting and organic gardening in most community plots. Composting redirects food scraps and garden waste from landfill to instead become a valuable resource, returning nutrients to the soil to maintain soil quality and fertility.

When did allotment begin?

1887
When the allotment process began in 1887, the total land held by American Indian tribes on reservations equaled 138,000,000 acres.

Who created allotments?

The history of allotments can be said to go back over a thousand years to when the Saxons would clear a field from woodland which would be held in common. Following the Norman conquest, land ownership became more concentrated in the hands of the manorial lords, monasteries and church.

What is allotment process?

Allotment refers to the structured and systematic distribution of business resources. A company that offers its shares to the public uses the process of allotment to determine the amount of stock offered to different entities.

What countries have allotments?

The Danish tradition for allotment gardens later spread to the other Nordic countries: first Sweden, then Norway and Finland. Today, most allotment gardens are on land owned by the municipality which rents the land to an allotment association. The association in turn gives each member a plot of land.

Where does the history of allotments come from?

The history of allotments can be said to go back over a thousand years to when the Saxons would clear a field from woodland which would be held in common. Following the Norman conquest, land ownership became more concentrated in the hands of the manorial lords, monasteries and church.

What was the number of allotments during the Great Depression?

Emergency legislation, giving local authorities the power to confiscate land for growing food, pushed the number of allotments toward 1.5 million by 1920. When the Great Depression hit, plots were allocated to unemployed men to eke sustenance.

What was the impact of allotments during the war?

Allotment and home food production is highly productive in terms of land use and during the war allotments were estimated to contribute some 1.3 million tonnes from 1.4 million plots. Agricultural production generally is more efficient in terms of labour but not in terms of land usage.

Why was the allotment important to the Victorians?

To the Victorians allotments were a productive use of time keeping the poor away from the evils of drink and providing wholesome food for a workforce housed in tenements and high density terraced housing without gardens to speak of. During the First World War Germany’s blockade caused food shortages which increased the demand for allotments.