During the Second World War the allotments and orchard would have come into their own, as rationing began to bite and the national campaign to ‘Dig For Victory’ was rolled out across the country. Those families fortunate enough to have space to grow fruit and vegetables would have been able to supplement their weekly rations, and even more fortunate were those who owned chickens or even a pig. Our display this year, ‘The Straws on the Homefront’, picks up this theme – come and see how the family embraced the self- sufficiency message of the war years.
If you buy one of our raffle tickets, you will be helping to bring the orchard back to its former glory. We know what types of fruit trees were planted from a plan drawn up by William junior, and our fundraising effort this year will help us to replace those that have been lost over the years. We are also planning to restore the cold frame, introducing some interpretation into the outdoor spaces so our visitors can get a sense of how the family used the garden and orchard.
There are many reasons for a visit to Mr Straw’s this summer – so why not come along and discover our outside spaces!