Allotments at Corkerhill, probably during the interwar period.
Under the terms of the Allotments (Scotland) Act 1892, local authorities had a duty to provide land for allotments. Prior to that date, however, many poor people in industrial areas had sought out land on which to grow vegetables to supplement their diets. Shop-bought food was often expensive and poor in quality, so home-grown fruit and vegetables made a great difference to a family's health. Allotments came to have a standard size of around 300 square yards, which was sufficient to feed a family of four throughout the year.
Allotments were particularly popular during the First and Second World Wars when there were restrictions on what people could buy in the shops. Their popularity declined from the end of the 1950s, but in recent years there has been an upsurge in interest, fuelled by various food scares and the rise in popularity of organic food.
Reference: 355.79.172
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
allotment holders, allotments, children, diets, First World War, food prices, food shortages, fruit, gardeners, gardening, houses, railway signals, rationing, Second World War, spades, vegetables, wheelbarrows
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