The Way Things Were

[roatavator]

Some time ago I prepared this what should have been brief history of my early days witnessing the one of last of the market gardens in operation, more for my kids than anything. Thought members might be interested, especially those who being younger might never have seen market gardens or realised how many there were about.

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1. Draft-way-things-were.docx

[andyfrost]

Peter , very interesting , my Father was a Market gardener , and attended that very market with “Harry” Fisk , along with countless others in our area. It was a hard way to earn a crust , but somehow they all managed.
Father attended both markets , firstly the one where the Castle Mall is now built , he started off going with Grandfather , which involved a 3am start with the horse and cart , the Horse would be tied up at the Old Lamb Yard , along with many others.
Eventually , after Grandfathers passing , he got more mechanised , and purchased a Morris Commercial lorry(and you reckon your Commer is slow) , even with that , it still meant getting to Market at around 4am.
On the closing of the old market , they all moved To Harford bridges , there always appeared great comradeship amongst the all.
Happy , but VERY hard days.

Andy.

[roatavator]

Andy.
Thanks, small world!
There were 3 Fisk brothers, my father worked for Jack, whose real name was Arthur. His brothers also had market gardens, one was George, who had a market garden in the same village; in the neighbouring village there was Henry (who I think might also have been known as Harry).
Yes, of course, in the very old days it was the cattlemarket site in the middle of the city (as a young girl my wife Fiona loved going to Norwich on a Saturday to see the cattle at the auction). The site now of Castle Mall shopping mall. By the time the markets moved to Harford Bridges this way of living was already in decline (as Jack says in the newspaper article).
Do you have any machines in your collection that belonged to your father (or even the Morris?)
What was your father’s name, there’s a (very) slim chance I might remember it, and where was his market garden?
Peter

[andyfrost]

Peter , my Fathers name was Jack from Ashby-St-Mary , sadly his machines have long gone. His main machine was an AutoCulto (Model L) that he bought brand new in , I believe 1945 , from local agents , Cushions of Surlingham having seen it at the Royal Norfolk show , which that year was at the Crown Point estate at Whitlingham , it was held at various venues back in the day.
The Morris got cut up to make a trailer to go behind his Grey Fergie , which in latter years replaced the AutoCulto , he had a whole load of other machinery which went at his disposal sale.
We’ll have to meet up for a chat at some point.

Andy.

[dave]

Lets have a meeting on the field at Weeley or in the tent at the barby and drinkies
on the Saturday night. Also this would make a good item for the Cultivator.

[andyfrost]

Good call Dave , I only need the slightest excuse for a yarn , and fill my belly.

Andy.

[roatavator]

Hope to see you both there!
Andy, Jack Frost, Ashby definitely rings a bell, perhaps I’ve seen it on the truck. Wouldn’t be surprising as I lived at the time in Framingham Pigot, Jack had his market garden there as did Henry, George had his in Bramerton so we were very local to you. (got it wrong in the previous post).
I’m going to Little Ellingham in August, if you’re there look me up (you’ve only got to listen out for a SIMAR which shouldn’t be too difficult!)

[hortiman]

Hi there.
Could these members of the Fisk family be related to Peter Fisk who has a smallholding in Thurston, Suffolk. he shows Chrysanths and grows a lot of veg. But i guess it is a pretty common name in that area. There is a clematis nursery owned by a Fisk. And I used to know a Derek Fisk who was a top man in the world of Stock car racing.

[roatavator]

Chris, they’re not related so far as I know, as you say it is a common name in these parts. Derek Fiske I think was Fiske with an “e”. He was a great local racer from Diss, one of my favourites in the 60’s.

[roatavator]

Yes, he had an “e”. I’ve found a clip on that well known video chammel under the heading
Stock car racing 1968 Derek Fiske

[charlie]

Sounds like some good material for The Cultivator.

[Author]

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