A journey back in time reveals that there were other uses for the land, which was an integral part of the development of Wilford Village during the 20thCentury.
From the 1920s to 1940s there were tennis courts on the site with the Pavilion being close up to the railway embankment. During the war years, it became a storage area for the Co-op bread and milk horse drawn delivery vans. This use was cut short by severe flooding in 1946/47 when the vans were destroyed and the pavilion was badly damaged.
During 1948/1949 the ground was rescued by the American and Canadian air force when they rented it to play baseball and softball. Local school children enjoyed being taught to play the game by the service men.
In the mid 1950s, the ground was prepared for allotments in compensation for land lost with the expansion of the Wilford Power Station. The original name for the site was ‘Wilford Coronation Avenue Allotments’ being changed to ‘Wilford Village Allotments’ in 2012.
Over the years a core number of plot holders have given their time and effort to manage the site on behalf of all the gardeners. Two people deserve a special mention; Barry Withers, who was Chair of the Committee for 17 years (1995 – 2012); and Pete Meakin, our Equipment Officer, who has for many years maintained and continues to maintain the common pathways and buildings on the site.