Tag Archives: allotments

Jean Maitland, Phil Kelsey: Allotments 1930s

When we were living down the Square my Dad had an allotment up “Pigs Alley”
OOH I mustn’t say “Pigs Alley” because people these days get cross. “Pigs Alley” is the lane behind Victoria Road, that people now call Garage Alley. Yes, its proper name always was “Pigs Alley” because pigs were kept up there, but that was before my time. Jean Maitland nee Levey b 1928

Of course all that was allotments right through there.  Before the war they were all well cultivated too.  I remember like on a Good Friday there would be everybody up there if the weather was right, digging away. When they built the council houses there was a bit left where the flats are now. Dad had that until I took it over after him until they built the council houses.  Phil Kelsey b 1920

Pat Burt: Free Time and Leisure

Aerial showing Yarmouth 1923

Aerial showing Yarmouth 1923 with  tennis courts and green spaces

There were tennis courts where the 8 council houses are that were built in 1949.  Before they were built, it was allotments during the war.  I remember Mick’s aunt used to play.  We used to play tennis didn’t we, on Mrs Hamilton’s courts where the Glen is, next to the Sports Club? The tennis court was Tennyson Road end and opposite her place, ( The Wight House) so she had to cross the road. Annette Haynes and Pat Burt b 1929

Joan Cokes: Early Days

My father was employed as a gardener and worked in several different places.   He worked for The Pier Hotel (now the George Hotel), in the garden opposite the school.  In Ommanney Road, there was a garden owned by the Bugle where he also worked. That was next to a vegetable garden for The Towers. He grew the vegetables for his own family in an allotment at the top of Victoria Road.

The bridge was a toll bridge and regular users got a weekly ticket. Dad worked for the Tophams over in Norton as a gardener, and so had a weekly ticket.  We children used to sneak behind a charabanc to get over the bridge without paying.

I can remember getting winkles from Pier Shore and the Common up to Bouldnor as far as Stone Pier, and prawning off the Common – I remember seeing seahorses there.
Joan Cokes nee Cooper b1918