After World War I, central government passed a couple of Acts and issued several edicts requesting that local councils acquire land for new allotment sites. In response, Bromley Borough Council purchased land from Bromley Common’s main land owning family, the Normans. They now trade as Rookery Estates. In 1926, the Turpington Lane Allotment Site came into being. This land was previously known as Grub Meadow.

The proposed Bromley Garden City development together with the Turpington Lane Allotment Site in the foreground c.1924

Soon after the outbreak of World War II, Bromley Borough Council established a number of “war-time” allotment sites throughout the borough, including Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity may be the only war-time allotment site remaining to this day.

While all plot holders were tenants of Bromley Borough Council, the council delegated certain duties such as letting plots to the newly formed Bromley Allotments Association. By 1941, Turpington Lane plot holders had become profoundly dissatisfied with the management of the Bromley Allotments Association. An agreement was reached and Turpington Lane, along with Holy Trinity and a number of other war-time allotments, formed the Bromley Common Allotment Garden Association. The committee held its inaugural AGM on 7 March 1942 which has continued, uninterrupted to the present day.

In 1959, the decision was taken to build a combined committee room and trading store, and the building sub-committee met for the first time on 6 August that year. Plot holders not only paid for the entire project ­– apart from work to connect the toilets to the main sewage system, which was met by the council – they also did all the building work themselves. The total cost to the association was less than £1,000. It was formally opened by the Mayor, Alderman J.L. Hunt on 29 June 1963. We have put a set of videos in our gallery section, click here to view.

Ninety years on, the Turpington Lane site is smaller now and completely surrounded by housing, but it’s still an important part of the local community and remains a thriving allotment site. We hold regular competitions including the tallest sunflower and heaviest pumpkin.