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Posted by Editor on 8th February 2011 at 01:11 PM
Saving Salford's famous Fudge tree
By Tony Flynn

Situated in picturesque Light Oaks Park, Salford facing the tennis courts is a gnarled and wizened Prunus tree, known to the locals as the Fudge Tree, for reasons that I will explain in a minute.

Local resident Judith O'Leary was walking through the park when she was dismayed to see a white cross sprayed onto the Fudge tree, a sign of imminent felling.

Judith contacted Salford council's Arboricultural Officer, Paul Jones who told her that the tree had been identified in a 2007 survey as having serious decay, was in natural decline and posed a significant risk of tree failure.

A meeting was arranged in Light Oaks park with Judith and Paul where the matter was discussed, Judith explaing about the tree's significance to the area whilst Paul showed the damage to the tree and high lighted the possible dangers of branches coming down in high winds.

Hopefully a satisfactory compromise has been reached, instead of felling the tree, the weight bearing branches will be lopped, diseased areas treated and a six foot stump will be left complete with it's significant hollow in the tree.

Also new trees will be planted in the park for each tree felled including a Prunus tree near to the Fudge tree, so hopefully a happy and sensible ending.

The name Fudge tree which I mentioned earlier comes from the brilliant Salford artist, Ken Reid who lived in the Irlam O' The Heights area who was a frequent vistor to the park.

Ken was responsible for such comic strip characters as Roger the Doger, Jonah as seen in the Beano comic, however he came to prominence in 1938 when his comic strip Fudge and Speck, the adventures of two elves was shown in the Manchester Evening News and ran until 1963.

Looking at Reid's illustrations for Fudge and Speck you can see an uncanny resemblance to the Fudge tree in fact Fudge lived in a hollowed out tree, hence the name Fudge tree.

Personally I think it would be a marvellous gesture if some sort of permanent memorial to Ken Reid and the Fudge tree could be sited in the park.

So congratulations to Judith for contacting Salford council and informing them of the tree's cultural significance, thanks also to Salford council for listening to the locals and hopefully preserving as much as the Fudge tree as possible.

It would be a bit direspectful to disturb Fudge and Speck after all these years.




Related Links

Information on Ken Reid click here
Oh Fudge! Famous tree pruned but saved (26 April 2011) click here
Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Salfordian  9th March 2011
I played in 'oaky park' as a kid and never knew about the fudge tree, great story...

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by steve broadhurst  9th March 2011
how interesting i never heard of this character before but i am now determined to find out more - well done judith, i have photographed this tree before as it was such an interesting specimin!

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Judith  10th February 2011
Many thanks Tony and Salford online - delighted to see this item reported and that it has beought in such a positive response - our parks are precious for so many reasons I'm grateful for the opportunity to have highlighted this story and memories of Fudge and the late Ken Reid. Cheers

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Tree hugger  8th February 2011
Nice to see the council listening to the general public and not just chopping the tree down. Congratulations to Judith for querying their decision and saving the tree, also for alerting people to the late Ken Reid, a brilliant artist.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by fish4  8th February 2011
Great story, hope the tree is saved. I never realised 'Fudge' was a creation of a Salford Artist!, two of my sisters each owned, and prized, a rubber fudge doll, otherwise I would not have known about Mr fudge and the tree is a new bit of bit of info. So many interesting Salford people were not introduced to us via school lessons... real pity then and now, as we have many to be proud of.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Joe Bradaun  8th February 2011
Well done Judith!! great story and I hope it ends well! first time I've heard of Ken Reid too!

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Paul Kenny ( member )  8th February 2011
Im so glad there are people who are prepared to stick their neck out and stand up to arbitrary council decisions. Light Oaks was a huge part of my childhood and some of my earliest memories are of feeding the ducks there. My father taught me to read using Fudge cartoons in the MEN! Thanks again Tony for unlocking some distant memories.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by W.Clarke  8th February 2011
Ken is buried at Agecroft and there is a small Fudge on his gravestone

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by W. Clarke  8th February 2011
Ken was a fantastic bloke and very talented, lived next door to him for 19 years and have all the Fudge and speck books :)

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