History

History of Guilthwaite Nurseries

Ann Genner and family,1936

After been made redundant from his job as Groundsman and Gardener at Whiston Grange for Ben Bennett, James Genner and the family had been forced to take lodgings on Mangham Road, Parkgate where they shared a house with three families which upset Mrs. Genner very much.

Fred, aged 14, was working at Kimbers Lemonade Factory on Mansfield Road, Rotherham for 15 shillings a week.

Mrs Genner found out that Kimbers' owned a house at Guilthwaite and decided to speak to them about the possibility of the family moving to live there.

Guilthwaite Cottage, 1969 On October 30th, 1941 the Genner family moved to Guilthwaite Cottages. Ann Genner worked as a cook at a school near Whiston Grange. At this time Vera was in the WAFFS stationed at Hull. Tom was in the RAF stationed in Africa.

In the summer of 1944, the side of the house collapsed blocking the outside lavatory. Mr. Genner wrote to Mr Dennis at Kimbers who sent builders to repair the house.

September, 1946 saw James working at Doncaster Race Course with his friend Mr Staniforth a Baker from Parkgate. February, 1947 and he spends a week working with Sleights who had a Nursery.

During this time James and the boys had been making improvements at the cottage, they built two greenhouses and were sucessful growing tomatoes from seed. James announced they would start their own nursery to run as a business.

It was around 1950 that they purchased the property from Merryweathers for £300 and began the nursery in earnest.

More greenhouses were built and a shop with a counter-zinc top. There was still no electricity at the nursery, so some T-steel ordered from Smith's was delivered to Vera and her husband Ted's house (Edward Roddis) on Saville Road to be cut.

It was then carried by bicycle from Saville Road up Guilthwaite Hill to the nursery - a mammoth job!

Letter heads were printed, electricity was installed, an advertisement placed in the Rotherham Advertiser, 'Sturdy cool grown Tomato Plants 5/6 a dozen guaranteed plants, JW Genner and Sons, The Nurseries, Guilthwaite, Whiston' .

1950 proved a busy year and in June, a decision was made to expand and with this in mind, Mr.W. A. Foers, the local Farmer was approached about buying three quarters of an acre from their field adjoining the land they already had.

It was several months before Mr. Foers reached a decision and he agreed, and made a start by fencing off the land for the Genner's. The cost of this land was 1s a yard - a total of £242 was paid to Mr. Foers.

Mushrooms were bedded down, melons were being grown, they started making wreaths and flowers for weddings etc. and were pleased to be able to supply the flowers for the wedding of Mr. Foers daughter, Margery

A diary entry shows in the October of 1950 selling Wallflowers to the Foers 17s for 200!

Guilthwaite Nursery was at its height during the 1950s and 1960s and was a joint concern for James William Genner, his sons John and Samuel (known as Freddie).

After his marriage to Margaret Haslam, John eventually moved on to be Groundsman at Rotherwood Lodge, Orgreave.

James and Freddie carried on and the nurseries continued as a business. James died in 1968 and by the 1990s the greenhouses were begining to disintegrate

The site was neglected after the death of Freddy and in 2004, was described as ' ... a disused nursery garden and has dilapidated greenhouses and outbuildings on the site. There is an existing cottage which is built sideways on to the main Pleasley Road at the brow of Guilthwaite Hill. It is a small cottage which is whitewashed with a floor area of approximately 65 square metres' ...