Town Drove Nursery
Cecil Robinson & Geest
"The biggest employer of farm-related activities in Quadring"
1876 - 1941
During the late 1920s to the 1940s, Cecil Robinson was the biggest employer of farm-related activities in Quadring, and was also the village postmaster - not common knowledge!
He came from a big family, with 4 brothers and 5 sisters, originating from the Leeds area, and settled here in the late 1800s, at the 'Chestnuts' and the Post Office.
Cecil started out by selling farm produce from a handcart in the village. This gradually expanded and, by around 1925, he built his first greenhouse, slowly building up the business to become the major village employer. He remained single, and in later life, became a J.P.
He commissioned the building of, and moved to 'Stonehaven' (now a care home) on the Main Road where he lived with two of his sisters. He died in 1941, aged 64. According to one of his former employees, he was a very strict employer, but the welfare of his employees always came first. He became the biggest potato producer in these parts and one of the main flower exporters.
c 1905 Siblings Jack, Kate, Cecil and Bernard Robinson
The Robinson Family with the Clergy
Quadring's new Vicar, the Rev F. C. W. Hudson with his wife (seated), Cecil Robinson J.P., Miss May Robinson (left) and Miss Millie Robinson (right)
1937 - This nostalgic picture of the pre-war flower trade, shows the entire nursery staff of Robinson's at the time and demonstrates how heavily bulb producers depended upon their female staff.
Flower packers
Robinson’s main greenhouses and sheds were situated just off Fen Road (now Town Drove) where the new Casswell Drive was developed. His potato business was just past the crossroads up Watergate, on the right towards Quadring Eaudyke.
Following Cecil's death in 1941, the business was sold to the Geest brothers, who became a household name world-wide. They constructed their banana-ripening sheds on Town Drove, and many of the people who worked there still live locally. The Robinson family, according to the stories and in some cases photographic evidence, were the biggest benefactors Quadring has known. They were not only Quadring's largest employer, but also the most charitable family.
The Gold Book. To those born and christened in Quadring, Cecil Robinson awarded a golden Post-Office Savings Book, with a £5 deposit, equivalent to £100 at today’s values!
After Cecil's death, his sisters carried on with various charity fund raising events, mainly for St Margaret’s church. It was two of his sisters who donated the Church Hall, which opened in November 1963.
1939 - A group of helpers and visitors photographed at "Stonehaven"
Stonehaven Gardens open to the public:
"To raise money for the Parish Church of St. Margaret of which he is the Vicar's warden, Mr. Cecil Robinson J.P. on Tuesday threw open his beautiful gardens at Stonehaven to the general public. In spite of threatened thunderstorms, many people took advantage of the opportunity to admire his beautifully laid out flower beds, lily pond and fountain, waterfall, woodland dell, and also the rose garden, all of which reflected great credit on the two gardeners, Messrs S Speed and H Green.
A programme of music was supplied by Robinson's Works Band (below), under the conductorship of Mr. A. Marlow , and for the more energetically inclined there were various competitions, the most amusing one in which the competitors stood in a row with fishing rods and attempted to catch bottles which had a hook in their corks. This was supervised by Mr H. Hunt and Mr C. Grassam. Other helpers included the following:
Gatekeepers: Messrs J. W. Bates and J. Cook. Minerals: Mrs J. Wright and Mrs W. Taylor. Darts: Mr C.H. Graves and Mr H. Stratford. Treasure Hunt: Miss V. Ashby. Chain of Pennies: Mrs W. Paulson. Bagatelle: Mr P. Smith. Bean Bags: Mrs W. Abbott and Mrs Gyton. Bicycle: Mr W. Abbott, Mrs W. H. Fovargue and Mrs W. Stanhope. Ping Pong Jars: Mrs S. Speed and Mrs C. Grassam. The Little Chocolate Girl: Terry lrene Mayman, dressed in a ground-length white silk frock and poke bonnet, both trimmed with pink satin ribbons, did a good trade, assisted by Audrey Robinson, who was cashier. The really strenuous competitions of skittles and bowling took place a short distance away at the "Chestnuts", where there was keen rivalry for the two pigs offered as prizes. The skittles were under the supervision of Messrs Houghton and B. Darley, and Messrs W. H. Fovargue and Hunt looked after the bowling.
Much needed heating apparatus is now being installed in the church at an estimated cost of £300. Of which £204 has already been raised, so that £100 Was still required prior to Mr C. Robinson's generous gesture. All the prizes and the expenses were defrayed by Mr. Cecil Robinson and the Misses Robinson of Stonehaven; therefore, the church heating fund will benefit by £55 2s 6d."
1920s Robinsons Works Band
1939 Newspaper item - Cecil Robinson donates £1000 to Spalding Hospital
1934 Film of the Town Drove nurseries, produced by Cecil Robinson and preserved in the Lincolnshire Film Archive
John van Geest comes to stay with Cecil
Leonard van Geest - 'Father of the British bulb industry'
1941 Newspaper Obituary - Cecil Robinson
St Margaret's Church, Quadring - stained-glass window
'Christ in Majesty and the seasons' Dedicated to Cecil Robinson.
1970 - Former Geest nursery where the Casswell Drive development is today. Also showing Stone Haven, former residence of Cecil Robinson.
1987 - Former Robinsons/Geest nursery where the Casswell Drive development is today
