Z1205/092

Male. Farmer. b. 24.12.1922 The Informant and his wife were born in Oxfordshire and farmed there before and during the Second World War, but they moved to Marston Vale in 1945 and farmed land rented from the brickworks from then until the early 1990's. They were chiefly involved in dairy farming, and their account includes the development of mechanisation in the industry over the years, and the impact of the various epidemics they experienced.The Informant was involved with the Oakley Hunt for many years and describes his experience of hunting and the wider organisation of the Hunt, including the roles of the various Hunt officials and the other events which raised money for the Hunt. The Informant was a keen puppy walker for several years and describes the process of rearing and training in some detail. This interview should be read / listened to in conjunction with the one recorded by the Informant's wife (ST098C). Side A Subject's origins on Oxfordshire dairy farm. Early experience on farm. His family structure. First work on cattle farm and brief ownership of fruit farm. 5 mins)Sixty-one years of milking. Wages, working conditions and daily routine on the dairy farm. His sisters' lives. 10-mins)The farm water supply. The introduction of mechanisation. Milking machines. Feeding the cattle. 15-mins)Cattle feed contd.; mangles and maize. Mother's work teaching and help. Influence of maternal grandfather who was army schoolmaster. Occupations of paternal family. Father's start in farming. 20-mins)Mother's teacher training. His strict upbringing and the effects for his own children. Pre-war brucellosis outbreak, foot and mouth in 1942, and compensation. 25-mins)Foot and mouth continued. Killing the herd and disposing of the carcasses. Sadness at loss of cows. 30 mins)Assistance of Pioneers and Land Girls. End of Side A Side B 1967 Foot and mouth outbreak; insurance, emotional impact, effect on mother. Brucellosis vaccination scheme. TB. Governmental attitudes to farming. 5- mins)Governmental attitudes contd. His love of animals and missing farming. Reasons for not going into army. Dad's Army, make-up and duties. 10 mins)Dad's Army duties contd. Failure to bomb Oxford. Bombing at Harwell. Marriage, meeting wife. Wife's early life and work at the Food Office. 15-mins)Wife's reasons for working on the farm, the nature of the work and her enjoyment of it. Move to Marston Vale in 1945, farm owners over the years. 20-mins)Move to new farm contd., moving the cattle. Changes in land over the years. Feed growing. Differences in the land. 25-mins)Expansion of the brickworks. Differences in land and climate between here and Oxfordshire. Process of fitting in, friends, social life. Rearing calves. 30 mins.)Rearing calves. End of Side B 09C2 Side A 00-mins)Starting hunting. Going 'on point'. Organisation of the hunting field. 5-mins)Hounds; size, organisation, and care of the pack. Length and timing of the season. Cub-hunting. 10-mins)Size of the field. Rearing and training of hound puppies. 15- mins)Training puppies continued. Puppy shows. Hunt Supporters Club and fund raising. Point-to-point and hunt ball. 20-mins.)Subject and wife's lack of evening clothes. Dreams of glamorous dresses. How the hounds hunt. 25-mins0Organisation of the hunt. Skittles nights and other fund raising. Roles of the Master, Huntsman, Whipper-in and Kennelman. 30 mins )Feeding the hounds and controlling where they run. End of Side A Side B. 00-mins)Problems of hunting through villages. Dangerous incident on the motorway. 5- mins)Good scents and bad. Hounds misbehaving. Good hunting after Christmas. 10-minsNumber of foxes killed. Running foxes to earth, and the work of the terrier man. Hounds killing foxes. Foxes' cunning. 15-mins)Enjoyment of hunting. Hunt buttons. Traditional hunt costume. Reasons for stopping riding and hunting. 20 mins )Work of wife whilst subject was hunting. End of Interview Original Interview 120 mins

22 January 2002

From: 1920 To: 2002

item

Oakley Hunt,
Marston Valley Brickworks,
London Brick Company

farmer, World War Two, brickworks, dairy farming, epidemics, hunting, cattle, fruit farming, milkman, water, cattle disease, mangelwurzels, teacher, general children, Land Army, vaccination, TB, Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, Home Guard, air raids over UK, Ministry of Food, agricultural land, dogs, skittles, foxes, motorways, injury, Christmas, farms, Oxfordshire, Marston Moreteyne, STEWARTBY, WOOTTON, CRANFIELD, LIDLINGTON