Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 28 October 1922
Pygott’s Recreation Ground
In 1911 Mrs Godfrey Walker very generously conveyed to the Conisbrough Parish Council three pieces of land in the village for the use of the inhabitants as Public Parks and Pleasure Grounds.
Two of the three pieces are still used in the way the donor intended, but in the early days of the war, when the question of food supply war no urgent, a very large portion of the Pygotts recreation ground was cut up into allotments by the Parish Council.
Mrs Walker, I understand, was consulted and approved of the measures proposed, in my estimation the scheme was in all respects justified by the necessities of the moment; that is, of course, as a purely war measure.
In a few days we shall celebrate the fourth anniversary of the cessation of hostilities, and as far as I’m able to ascertain there has, so far, been no thought of restoring the ground to its former state as a public recreation ground, which is the purpose for which the land was given.
No doubt the land is being put to excellent use in his growing food in quantity, but the writer, for one, cannot feel that this fact is sufficient justification for permanently departed than the standard between the donor and the trustees acting for the parishioners. I am not forgetting the point of view of the allotment holders; for I know quite well that many of these put in some very hard work in bringing the land into the right condition for produce.
If Mrs Walker’s contender the present arrangement should be continued for an indefinite period one would feel satisfied, but if a view is that it was purely a war measure I think it is up to the parish to respect her wishes. There may be other landowners who contemplate giving the parish piece of land, but who may be adversely influenced by seeing land which was left for one purpose been permanently put to other uses.