Ruhleben Horticultural Society
The Ruhleben Internment Camp was established in Nov 1914 on the site of a racetrack near Berlin, Germany. Following the outbreak of the First World War, all male British citizens between the ages of 17 and 65 living, working or holidaying in Germany were apprehended and about 4000 of them were brought to Ruhleben. At its peak there were 5,500 men in the camp, and about 2,000 men spent the entire four years of the war there. Camp internees were permitted to administer their own affairs and many sporting and interest societies were formed.
In the beginning horticulture at the camp was limited to a few enthusiasts, but interest grew and in 1916 a gift of seeds from the Crown Princess of Sweden prompted the formation of a horticultural society. The first meeting was held on 25 Sep 1916, at which L.P. Warner was elected president and chairman, L.P. Roberts vice chair, and a committee of ten was appointed to take charge of the affairs of the society. The committee drew up a constitution which was adopted at a meeting on 13 Nov 1916. 50 members attended the inaugural meeting, and by the end of 1916 there were 454 members on the society's books, and 943 in Sep 1917. The aim of the society was to further the knowledge of horticulture and permit study of the subject by practical work in the gardens. Membership was open to all with a 1 Mark subscription payable. Members could attend lectures (held fortnightly during the winter months) and have access to horticultural reading matter. On 12 Dec 1916 the society became affiliated with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
600 square yards of land were procured behind barrack 10 and the wash house for use as a nursery. Frames were made in the camp joinery shop using packing cases and glazing was carried out by members of the society. The first frames were used to bring on bulbs sent from England (gifts from the RHS and a number of firms and individuals) which were sold to raise funds. In the first nine months of 1917, 20,000 seedling annuals were raised in the nursery for use as bedding plants in the various gardens around the camp. The financial report reveals the expenses of the nursery and flower department were defrayed out of subscriptions, donations and sale of cut flowers and plants.
In Jan 1917 permission was obtained to rent part of the land inside the race course to use as a vegetable garden. Initial expenses of the vegetable garden were met by a grant of 3517.85 Marks from the Captains' Committee (a captain was appointed in each barrack), to cover the purchase of necessities such as tools and manure until the crops could be gathered. The sum was repaid within the year. Around 23,000 vegetable seedlings were raised in the nursery for the market garden in 1917, and when the early seedlings were planted out, the frames were used to grow melons and cucumbers. In spring 1917 a greenhouse was constructed and used for tomatoes. In the particularly harsh winter of 1916-1917 work was done out of doors, but in Sep 1917 permission was obtained to construct a potting shed. Labour in the vegetable garden was provided by 18 members of staff paid by the society and 10 volunteers. Produce was sold to the camp canteen and the financial report records handsome profits.
Problems encountered included harsh winter weather and hot, dry spells, delay in delivery of watering cans, sand storms that wiped out rows of seedlings, poor soil and difficulties procuring manure, as well as insect pests including cabbage white caterpillars, cabbage aphis, cabbage moth, diamond-backed moth and turnip flea beetle.
The society organised two flower shows in its first year, which proved popular in the camp. The first, held on 7 Apr 1917 in the YMCA hall, was of bulbs grown by the society, and the committee reported that 'the flowers were eagerly sought after by the public'. The show held on 3-4 Aug 1917 included competitive exhibits by individuals (102 entries in 11 classes) and an exhibition of flowers and pot plants from the nursery and of vegetables from the market garden. 1400 plants were staged at the summer show, and the sweet pea section was a special feature. The show was well attended and members of the Netherlands Legation visited. The subsequent sale of plants raised 487.55 Marks, and expenses of the show amounted to 129.85 Marks.
The committee met 23 times during the first year and attendances are recorded in appendix 6 of the annual report. On 12 Jan 1917 the society was granted the status of a sub-committee of the Captain's Committee. A subcommittee of the Ruhleben Horticultural Society managed the nursery and vegetable gardens, and another arranged the two shows. The committee was convinced the formation of the Ruhleben Horticultural Society was one of the most successful ventures in the camp in 1916-1917: 'In the early days of the camp the pioneers of gardening were met with compassion and derision; but thanks to the society's efforts the public is now convinced that it is worthwhile to spend money and trouble in order to relieve, even in a small measure, the drab and dismal surroundings of a concentration camp.'
The committee's report of Apr 1918 records that in the society's second year the greenhouse had been extended, a pit house constructed and heating introduced thanks to the purchase of a second-hand boiler in Berlin which was installed by members of the society. This enabled the camp to enjoy cut flowers 'through the dismal months of winter'. A spring flower show was held on Easter Saturday, with 600 pots staged. 2000 pots and many cut flowers were sold, the profits from which amply covered the cost of the heating installation. Gifts of bulbs and seeds continued to be received at the camp, and in addition bulbs were purchased from a company in Haarlem.
The committee reported there were 83 varieties of sweet peas in the nursery, including 14 'novelties'. They expected 15,000 bedding plants to be ready for planting out in May 1918. They had encountered difficulty buying flower pots locally, and the problem was overcome with the help of the Prisoners' Aid Committee in Berlin which broadcast an appeal and received donations of 1600 pots for the society. Bulbs were flowering around the camp which, according to the report, had been 'widely admired' and 'the early yellow crocuses and the scarlet Duc van Thols have been particularly beautiful'. 'There is every prospect of many new spots of colour amid the wilderness of ashes and sand. The rock garden by the general wash house deserves particular mention for having redeemed one of the most melancholy views in camp.'
The 1918 report states that in Apr 1918 8000 lettuce seedlings had been raised in the nursery, of which 4000 were already planted out. Accommodation had been provided on the field for 2000 tomato plants, 250 marrows, and 16,000 leeks.
The report concludes that 'though the novelty of the enterprise has by now worn off, interest in the society's work still continues to grow.'
The internees were released in Nov 1918.
David Tulloch
David McKay Tulloch (1875-1968) was born in Speyside, Scotland, the sixth of 15 children born to Alexander Tulloch and Jane Gow. In 1881 the family moved to Milton of Dalvey, Cromdale, in the Spey valley. Tulloch left fulltime education at the age of 12 and worked on various farms, before training as a marine engineer at Alexander Hall and Company, Aberdeen. In Aug 1902 he married Margaret Gray, daughter of the manager of the engineering workshop at Alexander Hall. They had four children, Margaret (born 1903), David (born 1904), Eveline (born 1908) and Douglas (born 1911). Tulloch obtained his 1st class Engineer's Certificate in 1902, and sailed with The China Mutual Company before joining the ship Glengelder and later the SS Rubislaw as Chief Engineer. In Aug 1914, just after the outbreak of the Frist World War, the Rubislaw was impounded on the Elbe. Following pressure from the Red Cross to improve the conditions in which the men were held, in Nov 1914 the crew, including David Tulloch, were interned at Ruhleben Internment Camp. Tulloch was one of several thousand men detained at the camp until 1918. The archive includes electronic images of a small notebook he kept while at the camp. He became a member of Ruhleben Horticultural Society, and it was there he learned horticultural skills that he put to use throughout his life as a keen amateur gardener.
Tulloch rejoined the SS Rubislaw in 1919 until the early 1920s, when he started work for the United Insurance Company, surveying boilers on fishing vessels. He worked for the company for 25 years, moving to Glenogle Gardens, Anstruther, in 1924, and in 1925 to a Victorian villa, 'Rathmore', with a large garden, also in Anstruther. He retired in the late 1940s and shortly afterwards the couple moved to 78 Cairncry Road, Aberdeen. The house had a large garden where Tulloch continued to grow flowers (dahlias and sweet peas were among his favourites), fruit and vegetables until his death in 1968.
Percy Merryweather Shaw
Percy Merryweather Shaw (1881-1956), son of John Shaw and Mary Elizabeth Merryweather, was born in South Shields, Durham, on 26 Mar 1881. John Shaw was the Methodist New Commission minister of the Zion Chapel, South Shields. After leaving school Shaw became an apprentice marine engineer in Newcastle, before joining the Elders & Fyffes Shipping Line, working on the banana boats traveling from Liverpool and Avonmouth to the West Indies. The 1911 census shows Percy, his widowed mother and siblings, living at 69 Wellington St West, Higher Broughton, Newcastle, his occupation chief marine engineer.
Shaw was chief marine engineer on the SS Nicoya (Elders & Fyffes), one of the ships detained in German waters in August 1914. All of the officers and crew of SS Nicoya were interned in Ruhleben Civilian Prisoner of War Camp on 4 Nov 1914. P.M. Shaw was interned in Ruhleben for four and a half years. He was a contributing artist to the Ruhleben camp magazine and a member of the Ruhleben Lancastrian Society.
Shaw married Ellen Grace Caroline Rowley in Avonmouth, Bristol, on 18 Oct 1919. They had two sons, Clifford Granville Shaw (1921-1940) and Ernest Merryweather Shaw (1924-1944). Both sons died whilst serving in the Second World War. In 1934 the family lived in Brentree Lane, Thornbury, Bristol.
Percy Merryweather Shaw of Combe Gate, Tower House Lane, Wraxall, Somerset, died on 1 Mar 1956 at Severncliffe Nursing Home, Walton St Mary, Somerset.
Albert Godden
Albert Godden (1885-1969), son of farm labourer Daniel Godden and Fanny Holmes, was born in Kennington, Kent, on 14 Jun 1885. The 1901 census shows the family living at Malt House Cottage, Boughton Aluph, Kent, Albert's occupation: gardener. In 1911 Albert was one of nine gardeners working at Hopedene House, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, owned by Walter John Raphael. Albert lived in the gardeners' bothy with two other gardeners.
During the First World War Albert Godden was interned at Ruhleben Civilian Prisoner of War Camp near Berlin, Germany. He married Lina Baumann in 1919 and they had one son, Gerald, who was born in Watford on 10 Aug 1926. Electoral Registers show Albert and Lina Godden living at Moor Park Nursery, Rickmansworth, from 1925 to 1930.
In 1939 the family lived at Smith's Farm, Theberton, Sussex, and Albert was head gardener at Theberton House, owned by Louis E. Meinertzhagen. Albert Godden of 50-54 Aylesbury Street, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, died on 18 Jan 1969.
