Strawberry trade in Hampshire in the 19th and 20th centuries

Thousands of acres east of the city and beyond were used to grow the much-loved fruit.

But how much do you know about it?

Here are seven fun facts about how we once grew and shipped the beautiful berries.

1. Much of Hampshire would smell of strawberries

Residents would take to the streets, watching on as all manner of transport snaked their way down Bridge Road from Oak Hill before turning into Station Road to gain access to the trains.

Porters would busily load up wagons with produce as the sweet aroma of fresh strawberries wafted across the platforms and lingered in the surrounding area.

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2. Busledon and Swanwick stations were used to transport strawberries

Until 1845, most strawberries were sold locally from horses and carts, but the arrival of the railway brought a major trade boost.

Initially, Fareham was the loading station, but when Swanwick was opened in 1888, it took over as the major distribution centre, together with Bursledon station.

In fact, it was the demand for Strawberries that lead to the building of Swanwick Station in the first place.

Although the sleepy stations of Bursledon and Swanwick seemed abandoned for the majority of the year - the coming of the strawberry season turned them into some of the busiest in the country. 

They became buzzing hives of activity as the little red fruits were transported into London and distributed to the rest of the country. 

By the early part of the last century more than 3,000 tons of strawberries were loaded at Swanwick, and in season as many as 20 “strawberry specials” left every day.

3. Much of Hampshire was used for growing

The relatively mild weather of Hampshire benefited the growth and often gave a second harvest.

At one time the areas surrounding Hedge End, Swanwick, Bursledon, Wickham, Titchfield and Sarisbury were Great Britain’s primary growing areas for the fruit, 

The locals and itinerant workers would work the fields from mid-May and were known as “Joe Pickers” after the Sir Joseph Paxton strawberry, the best-known variety. 

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4. There was even a factory for packaging

There was even a factory which specialised in the production of baskets for packing strawberries.

Despite the factory being popular and well supported by local growers, it closed down after 40 years because of the dwindling size of growing areas.

These days strawberries are less of a seasonal treat, being flown in and shipped from overseas and available from supermarkets all year round. 

Because of this, the importance of locally grown strawberries has substantially lessened to almost the point of extinction, despite people still claim to this day that the Hampshire version can’t be beaten for taste.

5. It was a big part of the local economy

The picking of the fruit had such importance to the livelihoods of so many people in the area, the quality and quantity of the yields were printed yearly in the Daily Echo.

The newspaper reported on the start of “Operation Strawberry” in 1950, when the first fruits grown under glass cloches were ready to be picked, providing the first yield of the harvest.

It was the same year when the largest swarm of pickers since before the Second World War descended on the county, all looking for casual work in the strawberry fields.

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6. Important dates were governed by the growing season

It is said that the strawberry harvest was of paramount importance, so much so that the celebration of the coronations of both Edward VII and George V were postponed until the harvest was completed

The schools changed the holiday dates – children were a large part of the labour force – to coincide with the strawberry harvest.

7. Some years didn't yield good results

There was however much worry among the growers that, in 1950, despite an increase of more than 200 acres given to strawberry production, the drought of the previous autumn may reduce the size of the fruit.

In despite of that, the market gardeners were confident the following year should see Hampshire strawberries reach the quality and popularity they enjoyed in 1939.

Although it played an enormous part in the history of Hampshire, time proved The Beatles song to be wrong - strawberry fields, evidently, aren’t forever!