Newspaper clipping taken from page 5 of Cardiff Times titled 'Cardiff Allotments', Cardiff, Saturday 12 September 1925

Description

An article from page five of the Cardiff Times, 12 September 1925, reporting tensions at the Cardiff Allotments and Small Holdings Committee. There was concern that "allotmenteers" were being evicted and unregulated building speculators were taking land suitable for allotments. Section 50 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1908 required that “Every county council shall establish a small holdings and allotments committee…” Source: cardiffallotments.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Smallholdings-Allotments-Act-1908.pdf, accessed 11/4/17

Now, the interests of allotment sites and tenants across the City and County of Cardiff are represented by Cardiff Allotment Holders Association Ltd, a voluntary group, independent from the council. Source: cardiffallotments.uk/, accessed 11/4/17

"The Cardiff Times was a weekly English language liberal newspaper established in 1857, and circulated throughout Glamorganshire, Monmouthshire, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire, Breconshire, Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire and the adjoining English counties. For the first forty years the newspaper's main content was Welsh Liberalism, but in 1886 its contents was completely re-modelled to include other features such as contributions by Welsh writers and eminent Welsh bards, serial stories and descriptions of Welsh social life. One of its contributors was William Abraham (Mabon, 1842-1922). From 1857 to 1928 it was owned by D. Duncan & Sons, and from 1930 onwards by the Western Mail. The newspaper was published between 1857-1928 and 1930-1955." Source: newspapers.library.wales/browse/3380665, accessed 10/4/17.

Transcription:

Cardiff Allotments.
COMMITTEE TO SEE DEPUTATION.

At a meeting of the Cardiff Allotments and Small Holdings Committee held on Monday it was reported that there had been very few replies from the associations circularised on the question of possible lectures during the winter.

Mr. D. J. Skelly remarked that the Allotments and Small Holdings Committee and the Corporation were very unpopular with allotment holders, and would remain so until they changed their procedures and guaranteed some security of tenure.

Sir Illtyd Thomas said that they would never get on if the allotment holders got huffed at the least things.

It was decided to form an agricultural sub-committee to submit a scheme of agricultural education, and attempt to obtain a grant from the finance committee.

Referring later to the case of 135 allotment holders at Splott and Cosmeston-road, Mr. D. J. Skelly said that he and Councillor Tom Williams had met the allotmenteers at a special meeting, where a resolution was passed calling upon the committee to resist the attempts of builders to snap up allotment land. Mr Skelly said that there was a good deal of feeling at Splott. The men had been given three months’ notice and found themselves defenceless. There was a lack of co-operation among the various corporation committees. Mr Pettigrew had 200 men in Splott on his books who wanted allotments. Now they were turning out 135 more. They had gone to Pengam Farm to get other allotments, but nearly all the land possible was let for sporting purposes. The most disastrous part of the whole affair was that the allotments near other houses were being snapped up by speculative builders. The allotment movement could only be saved by keeping the allotments near the home of the worker. This was rapidly becoming impossible in Cardiff.

Councillor T. Williams agreed with Mr Skelly. Something should be done to prevent builders from building except where the corporation wished.

It was decided to receive a deputation from the dispossessed allotment holders on Tuesday next.