Reference
X962/R11
Title
Interview with Roger Peregrine, born Barnoldswick, Yorkshire. Qualified as a Chartered Surveyor; then an Agricultural Surveyor working for Milton Keynes development Corporation. Livestock auctioneer for Brown and Merry; then independent consultant – Peregrine and Partners in Woburn. Did work for Joseph Arnold & Sons relating to sand industry in Leighton Buzzard area. Interviewed by Carmela Semeraro
Date free text
Date of interview 1 August 2008
Production date
From: 2008 To: 2008
Scope and Content
(00 mins)
Born in Barnoldswick, Yorkshire – 6 July 1943 – family soon moved to Tynemouth, Newcastle upon Tyne - attended Tynemouth Primary school. Father was Chief Research Engineer for Rolls Royce on gas turbine engines at Clitheroe, then worked for Parsons Marine on marine turbines. Then moved to Royston, Hertfordshire, where father set up Peregrine and Partners – consultant engineers business. Father was qualified as mechanical engineer, electrical engineer and civil engineer. Family lived on a mixed farm in a village outside Royston – Roger and two brothers spent most of their childhood surrounded by dairy cows, pig and arable farming. Roger later worked on another farm – Manor Farm, Kelshall – in his youth – at weekends and during school holidays. Near chalk quarries – used to go fossil hunting – has a collection of fossils and stones. Eldest brother eventually became a Professor of Mathematics at Bristol University. He and Roger used to search for wild orchids in surrounding area.
(05 mins)
Photography another of his hobbies. His father was a member of the Bentley’s Driving Club – through that, later, Roger became a Formula One racing car mechanic to a man who raced a Lola 1½ litre Climax, built by Sir Jack Brabham [international racing motor driver]. Brothers used to hitch-hike to motor racing venues – Aintree, Snetterton, Goodwood, Brands Hatch. Attended village school in Therfield, then St. Christopher’s School, Letchworth (self-governing, co-educational Quaker school) – train journey then long walk each day. Keen on acting – mother was secretary of Royston District Light Entertainment Society – Roger became increasingly involved in productions
(10 mins)
Hitchin Grammar School for boys – two year ‘A’ Level studies. Passions were farming and motor racing. Not forced into career by parents. Holiday stints at cousin’s farming South Wales – learned to milk cows, lambing and calving.
Roger’s mother still alive – 93. Keen supporter of Women’s Institute locally.
Successfully applied to Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester – estate management course - 2½ years – became chartered surveyor and chartered land agent. Summer holidays work experience with Northants County Council land agent and for an architect.
(15 mins)
Kept up contact with motor racing – Formula Junior cars – with Bob Anderson - met Colin Chapman. After Cirencester (1962-65) – worked for Strutton Parker in Chelmsford – until practical exams completed – left when chartered – joined Forestry Commission as Land Agent for North east England – based in York
(20 mins)
Drew up agreement between Ministry of Defence and Forestry commission re defence Early Warning Station on Fylingdales Moor – arranged lease for gliding club at Sutton Bank near Thirsk – let grouse moors for shooting, dealt with fishing rights and weekend cottages – rather than trees. Area ran from Bawtry in the south to Kielder Forest in the north, and from North Sea in the east to the Pennines in the west. Had Volvo 1.22S – served him well. His subsequent wife’s husband – killed at Silverstone in car accident – looked after his family as friend – relationship developed – married her and had two children.
Appointed agricultural surveyor – Senior Estates Officer - for Milton Keynes Development Corporation – lived at Haynes, Bedfordshire. Job – to open negotiations with farmers in designated area of new town to buy their land off them (District Valuer completed negotiations) – until December 1972. Joined Agricultural Valuers Association. Met other agents – approached by Brown and Merry of Bedford – asked to work for them at cattle market.
(25 mins)
Milton Keynes experience – protests from farmers re new town proposals – area of 37 square miles. First compulsory purchase – land at Stantonbury Park Farm owned by Gurney brothers (Michael, Ted and Brian) – Stonebridge farm, New Bradwell and Stacey Hill Farm (part of Radcliffe Trust Estate – now farming museum). Got to know many tenant farmers of Radcliffe Trust – became friendly – for example, Bill Snook from Water Eaton; who farmed London Brick Co. land – and Ray Furnival(?) –the National Farmers Union agent.
(30 mins)
Joined Wolverton Rugby Club – first Secretary of Milton Keynes Tower Club for corporation employees. Milton Keynes – thought up by Fred Pooley – Buckinghamshire County Council architect – 1965. Location chosen – halfway between Oxford and Cambridge (next to M1 motorway and railway line from Euston to Birmingham) and between London and Birmingham.
Other farmers – Lucketts, Turneys, Maycocks – all the area of land from (now Bradwell Abbey Golf Club to the River Ousel in the north; railway in the west – New Bradwell and Stantonbury Park farm in the east.
Livestock Auctioneer at Bedford – free from the rules and regulations of a government department (as at Milton Keynes) – more ‘hands on’ with agriculture than just buying land.
(35 mins)
Other work – giving annual valuations of stock at farms for tax purposes. Met the farming community at livestock markets – later these closed and stock were sold “dead weight” direct to slaughter houses. Stayed there 13½ years – (1972 to 1986) – when cattle market closed Also had Joseph Arnold and Sons, Leighton Buzzard, as clients – carried out surveyor’s duties re rating of sand quarries and management of land under tenants farmers. Joseph Arnold [originator of firm] had two sons – Fred and Joe. Mixture of ownership of land between company and sons – Peter Arnold took over management.
(40 mins)
Peter – lived near Clay Pot public house – near light railway line, Leighton Buzzard. Roger then set up own company in Woburn on Market Square – Peregrine Associates – consortium with Adrian Hoy and Russell Page of Page and Partners. Joseph Arnold and Sons paid Roger annual retainer – he charged them slightly less for jobs he did for them – became their Land Manager. H e sorted out the lease with the Light Railway Society (which runs from Double Arches quarry to Billington Road station, Leighton Buzzard). Workshop near Mile Tree Road – near current tiles firm – Stonehenge.
(45 mins)
Colours of sand – white at Stone Lane and in New Trees Quarry. Lots of sand beneath the land in Vandyke Road area – Chamberlains Barn – Shenley Hill. Site of special scientific interest in Double Arches area – Greensand Ridge (geologically it continues as far as Sandringham in Norfolk). Fred Arnold reached agreement with Forestry Commission and planted trees in Double Arches area.
(50 mins)
Discussed with County Council officer - possibility of nature reserve lakes being created from sand quarries north of Leighton Buzzard – nothing happened. Became President of the Herts, Beds and Bucks Agricultural Valuers Association – Education and Training Officer for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors – used to take students over Woburn estate. Public schools Sixth Form conference at Ashridge – seminars on professions – Roger spoke on all kinds of surveying. Surveying - the management of land and people to manage land you need to deal with people.
(55 mins)
We are a growing nation – we need to develop land – part of progress is to change the use of land as required. Milton Keynes was built on grade 3 land (not top grad 1 land) – heavy Oxford clay – mainly pasture. Some farmers who farmed there – Tony King – Woughton on the Green; Wilf Shirley – Peartree Farm. The land is incidental – people are being dealt with. Knowledge of different types of farming helps – seeing land development across the country
Northamptonshire – stone houses; thatched, weather-boarded house in the East; wattle and daub where there is no timber; the brick fields of Mid Bedfordshire – hence brick houses. Peregrine – named after a falcon – hence a traveller.
(60 mins)
End of interview
Summarised by Stuart Antrobus (26 March 2009)
Exent
60 minutes
Format
Wave Sound file
Reference
Level of description
item