Victorian farming and the beginning of fruit growing

c. 1850

The mid-nineteenth century brought changes to farming practice in the Locks Heath area, as improved drainage, better crop varieties and the proximity of growing urban markets encouraged specialisation. The well-drained, south-facing soils of the area proved suitable for fruit growing, and by the later Victorian period, market gardens and smallholdings dedicated to soft fruit cultivation were becoming established. The mild climate, influenced by the proximity of the Solent, extended the growing season and reduced the risk of frost damage. The railway at Swanwick, opened in 1889, provided a means of transporting perishable fruit to the markets of London and Southampton, encouraging further investment in fruit production. The foundations of the strawberry industry that would define Locks Heath for the next century were being laid.