Headstone Allotments and Gardens Association
HAGA was founded in 1920 as Headstone Allotment Association on a site controlled
by Pinner Parish Council. Even in 1927 there were complaints of damage to crops,
but from rabbits and horses. Membership rose from 31 in 1939 to over 800 in the
1970s, but was capped at 800 in 1979. Unfortunately we don’t have that number nowadays,
but welcome new members. Although allotments are popular again now, in 1974 the
borough-wide waiting list was 500 and 46 for the Headstone site. However, our views
on pesticides and the environment have changed; in 1957 we were grateful to Murphy
Chemicals Ltd for the donation of two half-pound tins of DDT as prizes for vegetable
classes in our show. Trading patterns have changed too: in spring 1965 each weekend
our Trading Hut sold around 12 cwt (about 544 kg) of peat, 15 cwt of JI compost,
and 8 cwt of fertiliser, and that year we sold 720 boxes of bedding plants and108
geraniums. A few years later we sold 1½ tons of seed potatoes in 6 hours of trading,
and 1100 tomato plants. Even though we can’t match those numbers nowadays, our trading
hut still offers excellent value and a wide range of goods at competitive prices.
The HAGA welcomes new members. We have a Trading Hut on the Headstone Allotment
Site, entrance on Pinner View close to the junction with Parkside Way (open Sunday
10 AM to 12 noon). We sell composts, mulches, fleece, fertilisers, seeds, potatoes,
onions, bird food, pots, pesticides, cans, canes, string, labels and much, much
more, all at competitive prices. Membership is £2.50 per annum, with concession for Senior Citizens.
You can save much more than that on your first visit!
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