Our Heritage

Looking back over the heritage of our allotment association shows that in 1900 the land which comprised Seeds Lane Gardens was bought by The Kirkdale Burial Board as a possible future extension of Kirkdale Cemetery. Now 108 years later we have the distinction of being the oldest allotment association in Liverpool. Over the last century or more City Authorities have taken approx two thirds of the land which originally comprised the allotments and put the land to other use, examples of which can be seen in the maps below.

Our allotment site is bounded by Long Moor Lane to the south, Seeds Lane to the west (formerly Walton & Sandy Lane c1900) and to the east Barlows lane (formerly Destitution Road c1900) named after a Mr Barlow who had a house and a business on Barlows Lane possibly a Market Garden (farm). The pub on the corner of Barlows Lane and Long Moor Lane was formally the Tram Station (1905/5) were trams terminated as was Greenwich Road (formerly Rouges Road c1845) further to the west.

 Walton Allotment Gardens Association (WAGA) was made up from different sections within the site. It is thought these sections included the flower, recreational and the vegetable sections. On the 6/7/1950 the AGM meeting set out and passed the allotments will be called Walton Allotment Gardens Association and together with rules of the association came into being 1/1/1951.

 In 1955 it was agreed to let the first ladies be elected on to the committee.

Memorable Dates

25/3/05       The duties and property of the Kirkdale Burial Board was transferred to Liverpool City Council Burial Board.

The Burials Committee told to sell part of the land for Barlows Lane School. Local Residents did not approve as they wanted the whole land for recreational use. However the school opened in 1911 – Since demolished and rebuilt.

22/10/19     The remaining land was sold to the Parks & Gardens Committee.

1937           There were 136 members of the association who held up to three shows a year which were held in the Pavilion. They

 Included Vegetables, Flowers and Chrysanthemum shows.

1938           The AGM elected Councilors Gregson, Wagstaff and Meredith as Vice Presidents.

1939           The AGM Patron was Vernon Sangster (Vernons Pools).

1939            Britain is at war.

1940           Councilor Gregson gave a speech on the need to “Dig for Victory”.

The ditch which ran along the back of A section was cleared in the hope it would help with flooding in the area.

1943           It was decided to suspend all shows due to the lack of involvement from members.

1967           Shows ceased.

                   At some point after this date it was decided to pass the Pavilion on to other bodies. The most likely being the Scout Movement.

1986           Part of the external fence was erected.

1988           Drainage was put in across 8 plots on B section.

1993           Was the last year in which meeting of the association were held in the evening.

1998           Waines Homes develops a new housing estate to the north of A section.

Present       Walton Allotment Gardens Association now comprises of 80+ members.

                   Work continues on raising funding for the drainage works across A & B sections.