Here we pay tribute to Wilf Marshall.

It is with great sadness that we heard of the death of Wilf Marshall.

Our thoughts our with his family.

John Mills kindly put these words together.

 

 

Wilf

 

Wilfred Marshall, our highly respected and much loved President , died suddenly at his home on November 2nd. Aged 93.

Unlike many people, for whom the office of president is a sinecure, Wilf was without doubt , the longest serving  and hardest working servant any society could possibly have .

Wilf as he was always known was born in a small village in the Forest of Dean where his father was a miner. He was educated in the local school and then by scholarship to the Grammar school.

Like so many allotment holders Wilf learnt or inherited much of his gardening skills and Knowledge from his father cultivating the large garden attached to their home. Right to the end he still practiced many of the same methods and adhered to the same dates as his father did. When I asked him recently if he had sown his Broad Beans he said that it was too early. November 5th was the correct day according to his father so November 5th was right for him.

After serving in the Royal Artillery during the War as an A.A. Gunner in the dock area of London and coming through unscathed, he was accepted for training as a teacher and attended training college at Bognor Regis.

Upon completing his training he obtained a job at South Rd School in the Old Town area of Poole where he eventually became the Deputy Headmaster.

Coming to live in he Strouden area he applied for and was given an allotment on the newly developed site in Throop Rd known as Longbarrow Allotments and was an original owner.

Wilf is first mentioned in the original minute book of the association as being a member of the first committee formed to explore the possibility of forming an association. It was decided to do this and he was a committee member of that first association and has remained an active and hard working member ever since. He became Treasurer in 1967 and was already helping in the hut and thereupon became responsible for ordering for all seeds, fertilizers etc. When he retired as treasurer in December 1990 the turnover was £4480 and the profit £371.47. Although he was no longer treasurer he still continued to do most of the day to day work in the shop including the weighing out of all the potatoes which in those days were supplied in 1 Cwt sacks.

Wilf became President in 1993 following the death of Mr Carne in his hundredth year and many of us thought Wilf would also reach that age but alas it was not to be.

John Miles

 

Click Here to apply online

Judging

1. To be carried out twice by an adjoining association, during the week of 18th to 23rd May and again during the week of 20th to 25th July.
2. In 2009 Longbarrow will Judge Brook Road, North Bournemouth will judge Bournemouth East , Bournemouth East will judge Longbarrow and Brook Road will judge North Bournemouth.
3. At each judging 200 points are available, The total points awarded at each judging are then divided by two e.g. 1st judging 150 points, 2nd judging 140 points, total 290 points divided by two = 145 points.
4. The judging association must then inform the officials at the site judged the positions and the points awarded for all entries.
5. The top four plots must then, as quickly as possible, be notified to the Council by the “owning” association, without points awarded.
6. As soon as possible after all results declared and advised council officials will judge the first place plot on each site in order to decide the best plot in the area.

RULES AND CONDITIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY COMPETITORS

1. All entries must be on the approved forms and must reach the secretary of the Allotment Association before the commencement of judging.

2. Plots will be judged twice. The first judging will take place during late May and the final judging during late July.

3. Competitors must clearly display the number of each plot entered to be eligible for judging.

4. The decision of the judges shall be final. The interpretation of any rules governing the competition, and any matter not covered by these rules, shall rest finally with the Director of Leisure and Tourism.

5. Points will be awarded in accordance with the attached schedule and judges will take into account ingenuity, skill or enterprise shown by competitors in overcoming local difficulties.

6. The size of the area under cultivation will not be allowed to prejudice the result, but the bulk of the produce, especially the amount of food produced from each square metre of the area under cultivation, will be considered. In this way a 125 sq.m. plot can win as many points as one twice that size.

AMENITY ALLOTMENT COMPETITION 2008

Section 1 : MANAGEMENT OF PLOTS

Condition of plot maximum points  25

Workmanship maximum points      25

                                    Total Points    50

Section 2 : CULTIVATION

Potatoes Cabbage Asparagus   Brussels Sprouts Onions Runner Beans
Carrots Peas Spinach/Chard Tomatoes Broad Beans Parsnips
Leeks Dwarf/French/Kenya Beans Peppers
Beetroot Turnips/Swedes CucumberGarlic Herbs Fruit
Shallots Flowers Celery/Celariac
Rhubarb Radish/Lettuce/S.Onions Sweet Corn
Pumpkins/Squashes Cauliflower/Broccoli/kale Marrows/Courgettes
Miscellaneous

10 points each but only highest 15 to count. Maximum points 150

Total Points 200

Guidance notes for competitors and judges

1. Condition of Plot : The plot should be well stocked and weed free. Crops should be free from excessive damage from pests, disease and weather.
2. Any unplanted areas or where crops have been harvested, or about to be planted, should be clean, weed free and the soil in good condition.
3. Workmanship : Soil between crops should be weed free. Paths and leisure areas, where included, should be neat and well maintained
4. Credit should be given for pest control methods. Plant supports etc should be properly constructed and positioned and sturdy enough to withstand bad weather.
   There should be evidence of crop rotation.
5. Credit will be given for correct labelling of crops making judging more accurate.

During our on-going plot inspections the lack of activity has concerned us on some of the plots. Through out the year, there are plenty of jobs we should all be doing in preparation for the growing season ahead, even during quiet times it is essential that plots are maintained so as to keep an overall tidyness of the site as whole, but also to stop the inevitable infestation of unwanted weeds, desease and pests.

With the recent rise in popularity in allotments and home grown produce, our waiting list is steadily getting longer. Though we do not wish to evict current plot holders, we are actively looking for plots where there is no activity, so please make the effort if you wish to continue with your plot.

If however you are having problems in maintaining a tidy plot, for whatever reason, please get in contact with a committe member, as there may be ways in which we can help.

Vice Chairman

Free Associate Memberships Available Now. 

Come along to Longbarrow Allotments in Throop Road Bournemouth  and sign up as an associate member.

It cost’s nothing to join and you have the benefit of purchasing goods from our shop. So pop in and see Wilf any Sunday between 10.00 and 12.00.  Many of the items we sell are competitively priced, many cheaper than garden centres and local DIY stores.

Longbarrow Clubhouse and Shop.

On Friday 18th April there will be a Gardeners World special shown on BBC2.

The programme is about one of the presenters, Joe Swift, taking on an overgrown allotment in North London and will follow the early stages of bringing the plot into production.

On 28th January our chairman was invited, as a result of winning the allotment of the year competition, to go along to a days filming and lend a hand. Joe is a garden designer and co presenter of Gardeners World but knows very little about vegetable growing and needed advice. (more…)