No-one seems to know for certain when Newton-le-Willows Gardeners' Association first started and the oldest minute book we have is for 1923. Some say it all started during the First World War as a "Dig for Victory" campaign which is quite a reasonable assumption as that was when the original Rob Lane allotment site was created. This site, formerly a football field, was situated behind the houses in Rob Lane (where the Parchments Estate is now) towards the Pied Bull Hotel, in fact it used
The earliest known "Sales Hut" was on the old Birley Street allotment site, and this was moved to Rob lane in 1964 when the Birley Street site had to make way for the new St. Peter's School playing fields. The Hut at Birley Street was just a fairly small shed, and the first Hut on the old Rob Lane site was an old caravan which had previously belonged to the Highways Department. As the Association prospered at Rob Lane another caravan was acquired together with two sheds, and with the help of the former Newton-le-Willows Urban District Council, this untidy collection of buildings was completely replaced in 1974 by the present building. Apologies for the poor quality of some of the images. These have been scanned from some old rather dark slides.
A view of the old Rob Lane allotments taken about 1972 looking towards the gate. The Pied Bull Hotel can just be seen in the background.
The "Hut" was just inside the gate and pictured here is the first caravan with one of the sheds. The other caravan and shed were to the rear.
A working party outside the Hut in October 1972. From left to right Eddie Poole (Half off the picture and one of our best ever Show exhibitors), John Townsend, Harry Bottomley (a former Chairman), Harry Brownbill, Mrs. Jeacock (the then President of the Association - providing the refreshments), and Timothy Bower. The top of the Pied Bull is seen behind. Apologies for the poor quality of the image.
The second (yellow) caravan and second shed (an old hen house donated by Miss Joan Hayes of Redclyffe, Mere Road). The working party are laying flagstones. From left to right - Harry Bottomley, Eddie Poole, and John Townsend (standing up).
In 1986 the old Rob Lane allotment site was taken for building and the Hut moved to the new site
This is our present Hut when it was on the old site. Picture taken January 1979. Houses in Rob Lane are in the background
The Hut just arrived and reconstructed on the new site in October 1986. The main entrance door was moved to the centre a few years later when we had the security grill fitted
The Hut being dismantled ready for removal to the new site.
Harry Smith ( Hut Manager from 1987 to 1995) and Tom Nicholls (Treasurer from 1980 to 1990)
Picture taken in summer 1986 of the field which became the new allotment site. The Parchments Estate was built behind the hedge which was then replaced by a fence.
Brian Brady, a former Chairman of the Association in the early 1970s surveys the site of his new plot (No. 10).
.Newton-le-Willows Gardeners' Association
LOOKING BACK OVER THE YEARS
The new site for the Hut being prepared
Picture taken in April 1987 - looks like it was a cold one that year! Ernie Watson is seen leaving with his dog. Our older members will remember Ernie giving his impromptu gardening lectures whilst working the till, completely oblivious to the ever-growing queue waiting impatiently to be served!
Pictures taken at our Flower & Vegetable Show at the old Civic Hall in Newton probably in the late 1970s
Sid Adamson
Chairman 1974 to 1980
From 1976 to 1991 the Gardeners' Association organised the Flower Show at Newton Town Show in addition to its own Shows. These pictures were taken in 1982 when the Show was staged in a large marquee on the Newton Grammar School playing fields. The Show was extremely successful in the 80s attracting exhibitors from all over the North West. When the Grammar School site was taken for building, the venue was changed to the Cricket Club for a couple of years, and finally to St. Aelred's College playing fields, but the Show was never as successful at these locations.
Picture taken in 1974 of Eddie Scholes, our Show Secretary that year working on the score sheet assisted by his wife Barbara, with Joy Burman, Assistant General Secretary looking on.
to be known as the "Pied Bull Allotments" and the football pitch was known as the "Pied Bull Field." Some of our older members had allotments on this site and they recall finding coins dating from the early part of the last century and also many fragments of the old clay tobaco pipes, presumably dropped by football spectators. There is however a reference in John Lane's History of Newton to the establishment in 1886 of a Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown & District Horticultural Society, which used to hold its "Yearly Exhibition" in the grounds of the former nursery which became John Randall & Son. So it is quite possible that the Association albeit under different names has been around for well over a hundred years.
If more old pictures are found they may be added to the collection from time to time. If anybody has pictures of the shows or the allotments or any information about the Gardeners' Association that they would like to share then please let us know.
This is a picture taken at one of our shows at Newton Civic Hall probably late 1950s. The gentleman on the right is Mr. H.K. Jeacock, our Chairman at the time, seen presenting a trophy to the Rev.J.J. Broadhurst, vicar of St. Peter's Church who was a keen exhibitor at our shows, his speciality being gladioli. We have been unable to identify the gentleman on the left, so if one of our older members could help us this would be very much appreciated. Photograph donated by Mr. Tom Tyrrell who was a reporter for the Newton News at that time.
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This is Ray Weekes from St. Helens, a popular and successful exhibitor of dahlias at our shows in the early 1980s. Ray went on to win prizes at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show
