🌿 A Short History of Spondon Horticultural Society
The story of Spondon’s allotments stretches back more than 370 years, to 1649.
William Gilbert Esquire, born at Locko Park in the parish of Spondon, left £1,000 in his will to provide land for the poor of the village. More than three centuries later, some of that historic land continues to serve the local community. Three areas in particular became the allotment sites we know today: Louise Greaves, Wastefields and Borrowfields.
The Spondon Horticultural Society proudly manages the Louise Greaves and Wastefields sites.
🌸 The Society and the First Shows
The Society itself first appears in print on 10 September 1862, when the Derby Mercury reported on the second Flower and Vegetable Show organised by the newly formed society.
In those days, exhibitors competed in separate categories for Gentry, Farmers and Cottagers. We can only imagine how many hardworking gardeners did the growing while someone else collected the prize certificate!
Many of the winning names recorded in those early reports are still familiar in Spondon today, with gardening traditions and family names being passed down through generations.
By 1869, the annual event was already being described as the Horticultural Fête—and it was far more than simply a garden show.
🎪 A Village Fête
A large marquee was filled with displays of fruit, flowers and vegetables, including impressive exhibits loaned by Locko Hall and Spondon Hall. Visitors came from Spondon, Derby and surrounding villages to admire the produce, with the vegetables and flowers grown by local cottagers receiving particular praise.
The event included plenty of entertainment alongside the horticulture, with amusements, races, music and performances from the Spondon Brass Band.
One local resident, Josiah Hackman, even became known for decorating his house with flowers and lanterns for the occasion. His spectacular display included a rose-covered fountain illuminated by Chinese lanterns.
As the years passed, the show became an increasingly important part of village life. Football matches, funfair attractions and evening dances joined the horticultural exhibits, firmly establishing the Spondon Show as both a gardening and social event.
🌱 The Allotments
Allotments in their modern form arrived in Spondon in 1886.
The land used for the allotments was originally made up of smallholdings, and in a rather nice piece of history repeating itself, part of Wastefields is once again used as a smallholding today.
Between the Louise Greaves and Wastefields sites, there are around 150 allotment plots, with the land overseen by the Spondon Relief in Need Charity.
The annual rents help support local good causes, continuing the principle behind William Gilbert’s original bequest: that the land should benefit the people of Spondon and the wider community.
🌻 A Tradition That Continues
Today, allotments are perhaps more popular than ever. They provide somewhere to grow fresh fruit and vegetables, but they also offer opportunities for exercise, fresh air, friendship and simply getting away from the pressures of everyday life.
And what about that Flower and Vegetable Show?
It’s still going strong.
While today’s show may not quite match the scale of a Victorian Horticultural Fête, it remains a much-loved local tradition and an important part of Spondon’s community life.
From William Gilbert’s charitable gift in 1649, through the first recorded Society show in 1862, to the allotments and annual show we enjoy today, the connection between Spondon, its land and its gardeners has continued for generations.
Long may it continue to grow and bloom. 🌱