Blackpool Tomatoes

**Alison** · 20-05-2009, 12:02 PM

Asked round here and even the older members of the office have no recollection of this one!

**SarzWix** · 20-05-2009, 12:34 PM

I don't think that "Blackpool Tomatoes" were necassarily a specific variey, more where thay had come from;

Marton moss used to be one of the main UK centres of glasshouse tomato production, Tomatoes, together with crops of lettuce and Chrysanthemums that fitted in on either side of the main tomato crop, formed the livelihood of most moss families. When the Dutch Government subsidised the cost of greenhouse heating oil in the 1960's the British Government did not respond, and home grown tomatoes became uneconomic. Consequently, the Marton glasshouse industry collapsed, the old cottages and ways of life are disappearing, and much of the market gardening land is now built, or being built, on.

And also;

Although part of, and within the boundary of Blackpool, Marton is a different world. It is probably the oldest part of the area, and its importance lies in the highly productive peat moss soil overlying sand producing excellent growing conditions and where a market garden industry flourished until the 1960's.

**21again** · 20-05-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by SarzWix View Post

I don't think that "Blackpool Tomatoes" were necassarily a specific variey, more where thay had come from;

And also;

Thanks Sarah.

The thing I always remember about them was they smelled of cat pee!

I know now it wasn't cat pee, it was that old tomato smell that you don't seem to get as much these days.

Is it any wonder I wasn't keen on toms as a kid when they smelled like that!

I know they were ok once washed as it was the greenery that smelled but you know what kids are like.

**abby** · 20-05-2009, 01:59 PM

I don't know about Blackpool tomatoes but My mum always raves on about Rufford Potatoes , and the chap we get em off at the farm shop says the are better than Sx . lol.

**COMPOST CORNER** · 20-05-2009, 06:01 PM

I remember my Grandad eulogising about Blackpool Toms when I was a kid in Manchester, but don't know what sort they were, sorry

**crichmond** · 21-05-2009, 07:27 AM

Quote from: Blackpool - Europe's largest seaside resort includes theTower, Pleasure Beach, and Illuminations

Although part of, and within the boundary of Blackpool, Marton is a different world. It is probably the oldest part of the area, and its importance lies in the highly productive peat moss soil overlying sand producing excellent growing conditions and where a market garden industry flourished until the 1960's. The older families of Marton refer to themselves as "Mossers" and have much in common with their more agricultural counterparts in "Over Wyre". Marton moss used to be one of the main UK centres of glasshouse tomato production, Tomatoes, together with crops of lettuce and Chrysanthemums that fitted in on either side of the main tomato crop, formed the livelihood of most moss families. When the Dutch Government subsidised the cost of greenhouse heating oil in the 1960's the British Government did not respond, and home grown tomatoes became uneconomic. Consequently, the Marton glasshouse industry collapsed, the old cottages and ways of life are disappearing, and much of the market gardening land is now built, or being built, on.

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