There are more topics linked to market gardening than could be covered here! One that didn’t fit elsewhere is Asum Grammar – a strong local dialect that was spoken in the Vale. You can hear Asum being spoken by a local poet below.
Click on the boxes to find out about Asum Grammar and discover starting points for exploring further.
A strong accent used to be heard in the Vale of Evesham. ‘Asum Grammar’ as it was called (Asum being a local name for Evesham), was the way most local people spoke until the mid-20th century. Since then, its use has faded. The dialect (way of speaking) contained many local names for market gardening tools and tasks, and growers were some of the last people to speak in this way.
If you’ve not heard Asum Grammar before, it can be hard to understand. Words are often run together and ‘ea’ or ‘ai’ sounds replaced with a ‘y’.
yer – hear
byuns – beans
Ow bist? – How are you?
Werst bin? – Where have you been?
Oi spec usullbee pullin unyuns this marnin – I expect we’ll be pulling onions this morning
By kind permission of Will Dallimore, The Badsey Society – see Asum Grammar – an Introduction in full.
Listen to local voices
Local poet Bob Woodroofe has preserved this way of speaking in some of his poems. Words have been written down phonetically (spelt as they sound), so that you can have a go at speaking Asum Grammar yourself. The poems can be a challenge to read, so there are also recordings of Bob reading his poems aloud.
A few instructions on the art of plum picking in the Vale of Evesham – read Plum Pickin‘
Caribbean – this poem was written for a competition on the theme of ‘Caribbean’. In Asum Grammar, carry beans (carry bayuns) sounds the same as the sunny tropical islands. Read the poem – Caribbean
The lists below don’t include everything, but are good places to start if you’re looking to explore further.
Sources from the time (primary sources)
- Ask your own relatives, friends or neighbours! You might already know someone who worked in or knows about market gardening.
- Worcestershire Archives – original copies of many historic records at held at The Hive in Worcester, as well as the oral history interviews, photos and research collected by the Market Gardening Heritage project. The archive is open to the public and part of the collection can be searched online: e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/CalmView
Websites (mix of primary and secondary sources)
- Badsey Society website – photos, local memories and research of market gardening.
- Historic maps – digital copies of old maps have been shared by the National Library of Scotland. Start your search by heading to ‘Find by Place’ and entering a location.
Videos (mix of primary and secondary sources)
- Hidden Home Front – videos created by the University of Worcester on a variety of topics related to World War I, including: Childhood Interrupted, Prisoners of War and How Kitchens Became Battlefields.
Books (secondary sources)
- Digging for a Living, by T. C. Sparrow (2011) – a useful introduction to market gardening, with a focus on the Badsey area. It is available from several local libraries, or can be bought from the Badsey Society.
- How the Pershore Plum Won the Great War, edited by Maggie Andrews & Jenni Waugh (2016) – available from local libraries or to buy.
Geography & Science resources
- Soilscape – an interactive map showing different soil types and key information.
- British Geology Viewer – find out what geology, types of rock, are found in places through this interactive map.
- Apples & Orchards Project website – spotter guides and lots of information about the plants and animals that live in orchards.