Manor Garden Allotments
Encyclopedia
Manor Garden Allotments were allotment gardens
occupying 4.5 acres (18,210.9 m²) between the River Lea and the Channelsea River
in Hackney Wick
, London
, England. They are also sometimes referred to as Eastway Allotments, particularly in the 2012 Summer Olympics
planning application documents. They have been temporarily demolished to make way for the Olympic site
.
The gardens were established in 1900 by Major Arthur Villiers, director of Barings Bank
and philanthropist
, to provide small parcels of land for local people in that deprived area to grow vegetables. In keeping with conditions of Villiers' bequeathal that the allotments be maintained in perpetuity, the 80 individual plots were tended for over a century by a tight-knit community. Many members belong to long-standing East End
families, with some individuals present since the 1920s. However, in keeping with the area's increasing diversity, numerous more recent joiners represented a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.
The Manor Garden Allotments were demolished in October 2007 to make way for landscaping for the London Olympics Park
and the plotholders moved to a temporary site. The proposal was fought by the plotholders and a support group named Lifeisland presented an electronic petition to the Prime Minister
.
It has however been agreed that the allotments will be reinstated on the original site once the Games are over.
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
occupying 4.5 acres (18,210.9 m²) between the River Lea and the Channelsea River
Channelsea River
Channelsea River is a tidal river in London, one of the Bow Back Rivers that flow into the Bow Creek part of the River Lea, which in turn flows into the River Thames....
in Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick is an area straddling the boundary between the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in east London. It is an inner-city development situated 5 miles northeast of Charing Cross...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. They are also sometimes referred to as Eastway Allotments, particularly in the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
planning application documents. They have been temporarily demolished to make way for the Olympic site
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
.
The gardens were established in 1900 by Major Arthur Villiers, director of Barings Bank
Barings Bank
Barings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, to provide small parcels of land for local people in that deprived area to grow vegetables. In keeping with conditions of Villiers' bequeathal that the allotments be maintained in perpetuity, the 80 individual plots were tended for over a century by a tight-knit community. Many members belong to long-standing East End
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
families, with some individuals present since the 1920s. However, in keeping with the area's increasing diversity, numerous more recent joiners represented a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds.
The Manor Garden Allotments were demolished in October 2007 to make way for landscaping for the London Olympics Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
and the plotholders moved to a temporary site. The proposal was fought by the plotholders and a support group named Lifeisland presented an electronic petition to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
.
It has however been agreed that the allotments will be reinstated on the original site once the Games are over.
External links
- Lifeisland homepage
- A series of photographs of Manor Garden sheds and plots
- Jan Stradtmann's Night Shed photographs
- Mimi Mollica's Manor Garden Allotments photographs
- These Humble Sheds are Symbols of a Fading World - Grayson Perry on Julian Perry's Manor Garden shed paintings, The Times
- An alphabet of the allotments on the Common GroundCommon Ground (charity)Common Ground is a United Kingdom charity and lobby group. Founded in 1982 by Susan Clifford and Angela King , Common Ground aims to promote "local distinctiveness" .-Organisation and structure:...
site - Manor from Heaven - Simon Garfield, The Observer
- Government E-petition response
- Let's Not Lose the Plots - Clare Foster, Sunday Times
- Before London 2012 - Plotholder Tom by Allan Williams