gardeners world

[mickattwo]

Gardeners World last Fri showed gardening in the 20’s, all ladies gardening team complete with Simor rotovater and using a Planet seed drill, both items still used today by our members.
A comment on the program stated that ladies make better gardeners. Any views on this lol

[charlie]

Must watch that on i player. If it is the piece of film I think it is then it was filmed at Waterperry near Oxford, a gardening college for ladies set up by Miss Havergal.

[roatavator]

Yes Charlie, it was. No sound on film but good to see SIMAR as it would have been when nearly new. I’ve seen it before somewhere. Also a Farmers Boy(I think, only a small glimpse).
As for women making better gardeners, not sure, but my mother could handle a Hatz Gem with the best of them, sometimes working all day with it, so maybe a grain of truth to it!

[charlie]

That piece of film is included on the DVD ‘Dibbers & Dungarees’ by Mary Spiller.
Factory records show Rototiller model 56 serial number 560151 went to Miss B Havergal at Waterperry School of Horticulture on 21st March 1949.
About 47 years ago my parents attended a series of Saturday gardening classes at Waterperry and Miss Havergal was one of the teachers. My brother and I spent the time in the canteen at Waterperry while mum & dad where having instruction in gardening techniques. What I didn’t realise at the time was the significant role Miss Havergal played in horticultural education of women.
There is an interesting museum on site.

[roatavator]

Fairly close to mine 560115. Wonder what happened to the Waterperry one? Probably had a harder life than mine!

[Author]

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