The market garden

The story of Ilmer Nurseries, founded by Robert Douglas Goodchild and later run by Dudley Scales Leuw and Jim Lawrence.

In the centre of Ilmer, on the site now occupied by the Ilmer Meadows complex, stood a market garden known as Ilmer Nurseries. Sited on pasture formerly known as Home Close, it was founded by Robert Douglas Goodchild, the youngest son of Albert Goodchild of Ilmer House, and became a local source of employment and a place of horticultural production.

The water tower was a prominent feature, shown here in 2015 just before it was demolished. Employees recollect how they used to have to climb up the ladder and break the ice in the bitterly cold winter of 1962/3. When the steel downpipe from the tank froze, they used to have to thaw it using blowlamps and sometimes a small straw fire at the base of the pipe.

In 1955, residents complained that Ilmer was still not on mains water supply. The deep bore water supply feeding the nursery water tower was unreliable - sometimes supplying no water and at other times being muddy^[1]. It had a high alkaline content and sometimes he was able to pump 600 gallons an hour^[2].

The nursery from the air

These views of Ilmer Nurseries and its glasshouses were photographed by Aerofilms in 1948. The extensive glasshouses and water town can be seen at the top right of this photo.

Robert Douglas Goodchild's nursery

Construction of Ilmer Nurseries began in 1933. Goodchild expanded it in 1936 by building two further greenhouses, in total 18,750 square feet^[3]. He grew flowers, including gladioli, but the business struggled financially in the run up to WWII due to the Munich crisis. In 1939, he appeared at Aylesbury Bankruptcy Court over the nursery. The court heard that starting it had cost £3,100, and that he had been growing mostly gladioli. The 6 ¼ acre nursery, Brick Pits and Cottage were put up for sale the following year.^[4] In 1943, the Bankruptcy was discharged and Goodchild moved to Hertfordshire.

Leuw and Lawrence

Dudley Scales Leuw. Source: Leamington Spa Courier, 8 September 2000.

Dudley Scales Leuw began running Ilmer Nurseries in 1946. He remained there until 1969, when he sold the business and retired. Jim Lawrence then took over running the nursery. Leuw later moved to the West Midlands and lived to the age of 100.^[5]

Leuw made his home at the Old Vicarage. In 1946, he bought it, together with two other parcels of land in Ilmer, from Elizabeth Keene, the widow of Albert Goodchild.

Leuw's wife was Margaret. In 1968, he gave her a half share in his Ilmer properties. The couple sold the Old Vicarage in October 1969, the year he sold the nursery and left Ilmer. The house's ownership and its time as the Leuw's home are described in the history of the Old Vicarage.

From nurseries to Ilmer Meadows

In 1972, outline planning permission was granted for Ilmer Meadows on the nursery site. The application described an agricultural dwelling and garage on part of the land.

A clearance auction for Ilmer Nurseries was held in March 1984.

Goodchild had died in 1981, aged 68; the nursery he founded stood on the land now occupied by units next to Ilmer Meadows.