‘A good reliable little family firm’

In Copford, Frank Folkard followed in his father William’s footsteps by becoming a farmer, not of livestock but of seeds. He started the seed business from Copford Green, supplying grass mixtures, and a range of roots including mangolds (sometimes known as mangelwurzul), kohl rabi and kale. When the business needed more warehouse space, it took over a disused maltings building in Station Road, Marks Tey, along with two cottages and the use of a nearby railway siding. In the late 1960s the seed warehouse was demolished as part of the A12 road scheme and the business closed.

Growers and merchants traded their seeds at local corn exchanges. They took samples of their products wrapped in brown paper bags, linen bags or canvas sacks, whichever was most suitable for the type of seed. Seed buyers, who might be other farmers or merchants could inspect the seed and decide a price directly with the grower. The nearest corn exchange to Marks Tey was in Colchester and was a glass-roofed building next to the Cups Hotel on the High Street. In its day, the Colchester Corn Exchange opened and closed to the ring of a heavy brass bell and could be attended by 1000 buyers and sellers in a day. It closed in 1967.

Bypass Nurseries was founded in 1937 by David Fenwick and took its name from its original location near the Ipswich Road roundabout in Colchester. From one site in Colchester, the business expanded to take over the Dobbie’s site in Marks Tey in 1956, two sites near Ipswich, one in Bury St Edmunds, and at its height it also had two shops in London.

The emphasis in Marks Tey was on growing primroses and polyanthus. In 1971 Bypass Nurseries employed eight full-time staff, three part-timers and twenty bee hives. The plants were grown in large greenhouses and to prevent contamination the primroses were pollinated by hand using a delicate touch and an artist’s paintbrush.

Poplar Nursery has been part of the Marks Tey community for 80 years. Its story started back before the Second World War when Eric Cowan started growing flowers and fruits for seed production in Great Tey Lane. In 1947 the operation expanded onto the current site in Coggeshall Road where Eric was well known for growing sweet peas. His son Martin came into the business with a love for growing chrysanthemums and an eye for hanging baskets and cut flower displays. In 1983 Poplar produced 50 hanging baskets but by 1985 they were supplying 1000s of baskets to customers such as Trust House Forte, Greene King and Chef and Brewer as well as supplying local councils. Today, alongside plant growing and production, Poplar has diversified with retail spaces, café, food hall and events.