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 From
at least the eighteenth century the lower Lea Valley was noted
for its market gardens. Their continued growth during the nineteenth
century owed much to a plentiful supply of water from wells, the
access by rail for the delivery of the coal they used to heat
the greenhouses. By the 1930's the Lea Valley contained the largest
concentration of greenhouses in the world. Local historian Peter
Rooke takes a look back on the Nursery Industry, from its beginnings
in Cheshunt, to its peak in the 1950's, and the present state
of the industry today. The video contains a fascinating collection
of old photographs, as well as archive film footage of the Lea
Valley Nursery during the 1950's, which includes Rochfords, Stevens
and Pollards nurseries, the Queen Mother's visit in 1959, and
clay flower pot manufacturer Tuck's of Waltham Abbey, together
with aerial film-footage over the Lea Valley and London's Covent
Garden Market. We also visit two nurseries in the Lea Valley,
one that produces 5 million lettuces a year without the use of
soil, and a nursery that grows peppers and cucumbers.
We
regret that this video is no longer available
Running
time approximately 50 mins. Price £10.00
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