216 SPALDING, LINCOLNSHIRE 



Origin of the Association. 



The formation of the Association was due to the 

 efforts of Mr. Winfrey, Chairman of the Small 

 Holdings Committee of the Holland County 

 Council. He began in 1887 with the formation 

 of allotment clubs, by means of which the labourers 

 were taught to combine and make their wants 

 known. The result of his work was that in nine- 

 teen parishes round Spalding the acreage under 

 allotment cultivation has risen from 130 acres, in 

 1887, to over 3,200 acres. Demands for small 

 holdings then began to come from the members of 

 the Spalding Common Allotment Club, to meet 

 which the County Council in 1894 bought a farm 

 of 88 acres from Lord Carrington, which was let 

 in 1 to 3 acre plots. This was quite insufficient to 

 meet all the demands, and the County Council was 

 not prepared to go any further. In 1895, therefore, 

 on getting a chance to lease 250 acres of land from 

 Lord Carrington, Mr. Winfrey formed a syndicate 

 for this purpose, and sublet the land to the members 

 of the Allotment Club. 



Progress of the Movement. 



As the demand for small holdings still continued, 

 three other fields were acquired in course of time 

 and cut up into 1 to 6 acre lots. 



In 1902 another farm of 265 acres was offered 

 on lease by Lord Carrington to the Association, 

 and was cut up into 2 to 40 acre holdings. 



