We didn\u2019t know what to expect when we invited Mike Petty to talk to us. After all he is the eminent historian, founder of the Cambridgeshire Collection and we are members of a Gardening Club! We need not have worried – Mike had taken a scholarly approach to his subject and scoured the records for mentions of historical events with a local flavour as well as local personalities of the 1800\u2019s to bring to life for us that period of history when Mr Pickwick walked this land! The result was that we were fascinated and intrigued by the many and varied stories emerging from Mike Petty\u2019s \u201c Pickwick\u2019s Gardening Scrapbook.\u201d<\/p>\n
We were reminded of the after effects of the Napoleonic Wars in this area. When peace returned with no war, and no army, the young men were encouraged to take up agricultural work or \u2018spade-husbandry\u2019 as it was termed. Lord Braybrooke attended a general meeting in Saffron Walden in 1829 and along with other wealthy citizens made over some of his land to be used as allotments for the growth of potatoes, pulse etc. Strict rules were drawn up for instance no potatoes were to be planted unless the ground was properly manured. The poorest men were given priority and all were paid for their work. The Walden Horticultural Society even gave prizes for the best cultivated allotments. Similar projects were carried in Waterbeach where John Benson successfully made the case for villagers to be given land to cultivate. Then there was the story of the threshing machines. Did you know that when farmers introduced them in Thriplow and Harston in 1840 several barns full of corn were lost through arson? Labourers were fearing for their jobs. At around the same time farm labourers in Fowlmere went on strike against landowners resulting in the local vicar sending for mounted police from Royston to round them up! Who would have thought it?<\/p>\n
On and on went the fascinating stories:-<\/p>\n
Did you know<\/p>\n
Another result of the peace was the opportunity for the young to resume or commence
\ntheir higher education. Colleges sprang up in Cambridge with large gardens resulting
\nin may townsfolk losing their homes because of the pressure on the existing town
\ncentre land. Surely here starts the town and gown great divide – no wonder the
\ncolleges have such almost fortified gate-houses!<\/p>\n
As usual this short article cannot do justice to Mike Petty\u2019s talk. I do urge you to go
\nand listen to Mike when he next gives a talk in this area. He uses his extensive
\nknowledge to inform and entertain his audience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We didn\u2019t know what to expect when we invited Mike Petty to talk to us. After all he is the eminent historian, founder of the Cambridgeshire Collection and we are members of a Gardening Club! We need not have worried … Continue reading