19th Century Lock Keeper's Garden

[Hugh]

A group of locals around Ironville and Codnor Park have had the idea to re-create a 19th century lock-keeper's garden alongside one of the surviving of 6 locks of the Ironville flight of the Cromford Canal. The question is: what would he be growing at that time. I don't think I have ever seen anything about the subject (probably he would grow what anyone else with a small garden would grow at the time), and then Monty Don did some research on this some time ago (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Canalside+garden's+television+makeover%3B+LOCK-KEEPER'S+GARDEN+BLOOMS...-a069042502)

 

But if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I will be happy to pass them on.

 

Hugh

[AMModels]

Its not 19th century but I think Veg would be the most likely, this pic is from the 50's and is top of Rushall locks.

 

[BEngo]

A group of locals around Ironville and Codnor Park have had the idea to re-create a 19th century lock-keeper's garden alongside one of the surviving of 6 locks of the Ironville flight of the Cromford Canal. The question is: what would he be growing at that time. I don't think I have ever seen anything about the subject (probably he would grow what anyone else with a small garden would grow at the time), and then Monty Don did some research on this some time ago (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Canalside+garden's+television+makeover%3B+LOCK-KEEPER'S+GARDEN+BLOOMS...-a069042502)

 

But if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I will be happy to pass them on.

 

Hugh

I would have thought that this was an ideal opportunity to grow some 'heritage/heirloom ' vegetables. Old varieties of peas, beans, carrots, turnips etc.

 

Suttons seeds (and lots of others) have a catalogue of them and there is some information on the RHS website. The RHS would probably be worth talking to in any event.

 

N

[Jerra]

Its not 19th century but I think Veg would be the most likely,

I would tend to agree and make what I think is an obvious point - heritage varieties will need to be found if it is to be authentic.

 

Googling for Victorian Garden turns up quite a lot of potential information but care might need taken to weed out what the gentry could afford to get their gardeners to grow and what the ordinary man could do. Pineapples being an example.

[Taslim]

Peas and beans 'cause you can dry them to last untill the first early crop and roots. Parsnips, 'neeps and such since they can be left in the ground or stored in the cellar and spuds. For winter 'greens' there would be brocolly, 'sprouts and cale.

[Athy]

I would have thought that this was an ideal opportunity to grow some 'heritage/heirloom ' vegetables. Old varieties of peas, beans, carrots, turnips etc.

 

 

Fruit trees also, perhaps?

Have spuds really changed much over the years?

[tree monkey]

A group of locals around Ironville and Codnor Park have had the idea to re-create a 19th century lock-keeper's garden alongside one of the surviving of 6 locks of the Ironville flight of the Cromford Canal. The question is: what would he be growing at that time. I don't think I have ever seen anything about the subject (probably he would grow what anyone else with a small garden would grow at the time), and then Monty Don did some research on this some time ago (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Canalside+garden's+television+makeover%3B+LOCK-KEEPER'S+GARDEN+BLOOMS...-a069042502)

 

But if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I will be happy to pass them on.

 

Hugh

Contact these people for the varieties around at the time

 

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl

 

And as suggested the RHS would be worth an email

[Jerra]

 

Have spuds really changed much over the years?

Yes! I remember as a kid peeling spuds and having to dig quite deep to remove the eyes. Most modern varieties the eyes come off in the depth of the peel.

[Taslim]

Fruit trees also, perhaps?

Have spuds really changed much over the years?

Yes. Fruit trees. My railway house had an apple tree shown on the planning consent. (circa 1884) It's a 'keeper'. not that good when fallen but wonderfull when stored 'till Christmass

 

Spuds have changed a bit so go for Desare. It's related to King Edward but bucks spot,

[Jerra]

Spuds have changed a bit so go for Desare. It's related to King Edward but bucks spot,

I can't find Desare in the Potato Variety Database. The nearest I can get it Desiree but it isn't heritage having been developed in (I think Holland in the early 60s).

 

Can you give me more details on the variety?

[tree monkey]

I can't find Desare in the Potato Variety Database. The nearest I can get it Desiree but it isn't heritage having been developed in (I think Holland in the early 60s).

 

Can you give me more details on the variety?

It was a spelling mistake, you have the correct spelling

[Jerra]

It was a spelling mistake, you have the correct spelling

I didn't want to assume that I thought there may be a very old variety with such a name.

[tree monkey]

I didn't want to assume that I thought there may be a very old variety with such a name.

Try this website

http://heritagepotato.co.uk/

[Jerra]

Try this website

http://heritagepotato.co.uk/

Thank you!

[Athy]

There does seem to be a web site for just about any esoteric interest nowadays. I found one a little while ago called "Rate the Sausage" which tested and compared various sausages from around the country and published tasting notes for them. I imagine it being run by a bunch of 22-stone blokes. I hazard a guess that some lock keepers would keep a pig which would obligingly hoover up food scraps, peelings etc., and in the fullness of time would become chops, sausages etc. to feed the lockie and his family.

Edited November 29, 2015 by Athy

[Pluto]

This is how they used pigs in the Douglas Valley, near Wigan. Mmmm, think of all those pies…….

[Barry]

Is the chap at the head end a potential Tory PM?

[tree monkey]

Is the chap at the head end a potential Tory PM?

the naughty step is in the corner

[Capt Ahab]

A group of locals around Ironville and Codnor Park have had the idea to re-create a 19th century lock-keeper's garden alongside one of the surviving of 6 locks of the Ironville flight of the Cromford Canal. The question is: what would he be growing at that time. I don't think I have ever seen anything about the subject (probably he would grow what anyone else with a small garden would grow at the time), and then Monty Don did some research on this some time ago (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Canalside+garden's+television+makeover%3B+LOCK-KEEPER'S+GARDEN+BLOOMS...-a069042502)

 

But if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I will be happy to pass them on.

 

Hugh

For fruit it would be Pears, Apples, Plums and Damsons.

 

For local apples look here:

http://www.middlewoodtrust.co.uk/fruit-trees.html

 

And for other local fruit look here:

http://www.salamandersoft.co.uk/ebwildlife/localFruit.html

 

Its a start...

 

Andy

[Athy]

Is the chap at the head end a potential Tory PM?

?

I can see no resemblance. Which one does he remind you of?

[AMModels]

I would imagine its the one who stuck his dangler in a dead pigs mouth.

[jeannette smith harrison]

The main things i can remember my Grandparents trading with the lockies for where potatoes cabbage ,carrots ,swede onion

 

The wife would often be in charge of the fruit side ie apples ,pear's , ruburb, ,damson ,gooseberry, she would often have a stock of home made jam & chutneys

some had chickens & goats so eggs & milk was also available.

I never remember money ever changing hands as Grandad would trade with fish, rabbit, pheasant coal or a little of what they where carrying

[Hugh]

Fantastic responses - thanks so much! I will pass them all on. May be I will be able to post a photo of the completed garden in a year of so . . .

 

Cheers

 

Hugh