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Female. Farmer's wife. b. 23.09.1923 SIDE A (00 mins)Born on a farmer in Sandy. Father was a market gardener (100 acres). Horse & cart. Mother from St. Neots. Older brother who farms. Remembers paternal grandmother who was good cook. (05 mins)Moved to live in centre of Sandy in 1945, after grandmother died. Loved grandmother's Yorkshire puddings. Maternal grandmother in St. Neots. (10 mins)Afternoon tea.. Jordan's mill, Sandy. Friday market. (15 mins)Local shopping. Bedford shopping on Saturday. "Farmers table" at Doodney & Johnson's, High St.(high class grocers downstairs; ballroom & restaurant upstairs). Dancing to Johnny Valentine and his band. Young Farmers clubs (9 in County). Other halls in Bedford. (20 mins)Bus service from Sandy to Bedford. Attended Beddford Convent of the Holy Ghost. Several school friends went on to be nuns. (25 mins)Churchgoing and religious instruction. (30 mins)Left school at 16 Took some shorthand & typing classes but hated it. (32 mins)End of Side A SIDE B (00 mins)Wartime (1939-45) life. Rationing taught values of thinking of others and sharing and caring. Worked on the farm and helped in the house. Got engaged at 18 and married at 19 ½ yrs. Moved to Wootton. Village lads helped at harvest time. Bought Hill Farm in Wootton Green in 1968 and changed it to Berry Farm. (05 mins)Sold farm land for house building site, 18 months' later. Dairy farmed for 33 years. Then pigs and arable - corn. Milk distribution. (10 mins)100 cows (30 milking; 70 beef). Arable crops. Increasing acreage through removing hedges & ditches. (15 mins)Talk of a new Bedford cemetery at Wootton but didn't happen. Left area in 1973. County Council bought their farm. Moved to St. Neots. Bought a small boating marina 7 moored 25 boats. (20 mins)Little effect from brick chimney pollution. Concerns about long-term effects of land tipping in Marston Vale. Reflections on changing morality over her lifetime & other social changes. (25 mins)End of Side B END OF INTERVIEW Original Interview 55 mins.

10 May 2002

From: 1920 To: 2002

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farmer, market gardener, William & Son Limited Jordan, markets, cook, Dudeney & Johnston Limited, restaurant, grocer, Young Farmers Club, Convent of the Holy Ghost Roman Catholic School for Girls, SHORTHAND, World War Two, rationing, harvesting, Wootton Green Hill Farm, Wootton Berry Farm, dairy, arable, boats, pollution, SANDY, WOOTTON, St Neots