Agricultural History Review, Volume 60 Part 1 (2012), p. 140

This informative study provides an almost encyclopaedic review of potato growing in Lincolnshire, a county which historically has been regarded as the premier site for the crop. Following a brief review of the history of the potato and the local dialect, the text explores the changes which have taken place in potato production since the mid-nineteenth century. These include alterations to the cultivation of the land, to harvesting and storage, as well as the more recent revolutionary changes in the processing and retailing of potatoes in their various forms. The text is complemented by an impressive collection of photographs, diagrams and illustrations.

Stewart Squires and Catherine Wilson, in addition to editing the book, have also contributed either individually or jointly to most of the chapters. Their input is accompanied by contributions from either leading figures in the historical development of this particular region, or acknowledged subject experts in aspects of potato production. I particularly enjoyed Dennis Mills’s short account of the ‘Great Potato Boom’, which resulted from the development of new, improved varieties in the first few years of the twentieth century. Of considerable merit is Peter Dewey’s longer, more detailed critique of ‘Mechanisation and Lincolnshire manufacturers’, which provides a wealth of factual details of the history of mechanization and the importance of Lincolnshire manufacturers. Abigail Hunt’s critique of the mobilization of additional sources of labour women, prisoners of war and children as ‘unseen labour’ in harvesting the crop is particularly impressive in enhancing our understanding of a crucially important activity in the farming calendar. Another interesting chapter is Stewart Squires’ account of the role that Lincolnshire played in the popularization of fish and chips. The final chapter contains an impressive collection of recipes compiled by the editors, illustrating various ways of cooking potatoes.

There is a considerable degree of variability between the different chapters not only in terms of their length, but also quality of the analysis. For example, chapter two concentrates on providing a family-history-style review of the leading families involved in the history of potato production in Lincolnshire. There is extensive background information on the role of these pioneers in the region, but the rationale for including these individual families is not completely persuasive. There are a number of dubious points in the text which merit clarification. For example, on page 22 it is suggested that all potato picking was undertaken as piecework, an assertion which is very difficult to substantiate. In a similar way, on page 27, Ralph Godfrey’s role in chairing one of the War Agricultural Executive Committees is left rather vague. On page 107, the figures for the average potato acreage in 1950 are incorrect. These relatively minor criticisms do not, however, undermine a text which provides a very useful account and an interesting insight into the historical importance of the crop in Lincolnshire.

In its defence, the book does not set out to conform to traditional academic conventions, where the analysis of the central theme is supported by an extensive array of endnotes referring to a wide range of sources. Instead, is better to judge it as a coffee-table book, which can be dipped into as light reading. In this respect the book has considerable merits in terms of explaining the different aspects of production, distribution and processing of the potato crop. It will be of interest not only to academics, but also to a general audience interested in the history of Britain’s most important source of food, as well as having considerable relevance for individuals focusing on the historical development of Lincolnshire.