Worcestershire - Badsey

Badsey is a village in Worcestershire, some two miles to the east of Evesham.  The Sladden family moved to Badsey in 1879; members of the family continued to live in the village until 1985.  At the time of the 1881 census, soon after the Sladdens moved to Badsey, the population was 443; by 1911 it had more than doubled to 1,127; by 1981 it had almost doubled again to 2,310.

From the 1870s through to the Second World War, market gardening was the main occupation in the village.  Whilst Julius Sladden, the patriarch of the family, was a brewer in Evesham, he also had nearly 3 acres of orchards.

The opening of the railway station in 1884 opened up the markets and the Littleton & Badsey Growers' co-operative was founded in 1908 to assist market gardeners.  Badsey and the Vale of Evesham became famous, particularly for the asparagus which was grown there.  The decline in market gardening began after the Second World War.

Today there is a school, church, two pubs, a shop, post office, village hall, community club, recreation ground and a Scout hut.