Reference
X978/7
Title
Diary kept by Bruce J Stanbridge, Green End Farm, Kensworth 1916.
Date free text
1 Jan – 31 Dec 1916
Production date
From: 1916 To: 1916
Admin/biog history
Bruce John Stanbridge, son of William Barton Stanbridge and his wife Harriet was baptised at Kensworth 17th April 1891
1891 census
Green End Farm, Kensworth
William B Stanbridge, Head, Married, 26, Farmer, born Kensworth
Harriett Stanbridge, Wife, Married, 24, born Steppingley
Isle of Wight Farm, Kensworth
George J Stanbridge, Head, S, 28, Farmer, born Barton le Clay
Eliza A Stanbridge, Sister, Single, 35, Housekeeper, born Kensworth
Rose Austin, Servant, Single, 15, Domestic General Servant, born Kensworth
1901 Census
Church Farm, Little Gaddesden
George J Stanbridge
1901 Census:
Green End Farm, Kensworth
William Barton Stanbridge, Head, 36, Farmer, born Kensworth
Harriett Stanbridge, Wife, 34, born Steppingley
Bruce John Stanbridge, Son, 9, born Kensworth, Beds
Olive Mary Stanbridge, Dau, 8, born Kensworth
Susan Thorne, Servant, 16, General Servant Domestic, born Studham
1911 Census
Green End Farm, Kensworth
William Barton Stanbridge, Head, 46, married for 20 years, 2 children both living, Farmer, born Kensworth.
Harriett Stanbridge, Wife, 44, Born Steppingley
Bruce John Stanbridge, Son, 19, Single, Farmers Son, born Kensworth
Olive Mary Stanbridge, Dau, 18, Single, Dairy work & housework, born Kensworth.
•William Barton Stanbridge died 16 Feb 1912 and was buried at Kensworth 21 February 1912 aged 47.
•Harriett Stanbridge died 7th October 1954 aged 88 years and was buried at Kensworth
•Bruce John Stanbridge Married Dora J Keen [born Dec Quarter 1894 Aylesbury Registration District 3a 728] in the March Quarter of 1918 Aylesbury Registration District Vol.3a 1788.
•Their daughter Monica J Stanbridge was born December Quarter 1918 Luton District 3b page 490.
•Dora J Stanbridge died aged 71 Dec Quarter 1965 Luton Registration District 4a 168
•Bruce J Stanbridge died June Quarter 1971 4a 473.
Other people mentioned:
G Pratt = George Woodham Pratt, farmer, Park Farm, High Street North, Dunstable.
Fossey – William John Fossey – cowman on farm.
Uncle George = George J Stanbridge of Isle of Wight Farm.
Dad = William Barton Stanbridge
Mother = Harriett Stanbridge
Olive = Olive Stanbridge, sister of Bruce J Stanbridge.
Scope and Content
Daily entries include observations on the weather, family activities, church going, and jobs undertaken on the farm (ploughing, drilling, planting, chaff cutting), breeding & sale of livestock, (cattle, sheep including number of lambs born, pigs, chickens, horses) harvest of crops (barley, oats, parsnips, wheat, mangel wurzels, marrows, carrots, onions, corn, swede, lettuce, cauliflower, cabbages, turnips, potatoes), use of fertiliser etc . Also mentions Isle of Wight farm, Kensworth and visits to Little Gaddesden, Dunstable, Totternhoe, Luton, Markyate, Eaton Bray, etc. This diary includes notes of many visits to Aston Clinton, where his future wife Dora was living. The first three months of the year were unusually bad weather. Includes the following:
1 January 1916 An awful rough day, stripped the stacks again. I went to meet Auntie Lizzie at night but had to go round by the Pack Horse it was too rough in the Downs. Two teams have been to plough.
6 January 1916 We have had a day partridge shooting but the wind was too rough.
12 January 1916 We started thrashing the oat rick this morning, very short handed I had to build the straw and other jobs myself. I sold Mr Dixon the oats at 35/- and fetch them.
18 January 1916 I had to go on special constable duty at night.
27 January 1916 I sold Mr Bosworth the red & white cow at £21.
1 February 1916 We have had a days partridge shooting killed 17½ brace.
9 February 1916 I went to look at a motor plough at work at Mr Bailey’s place, it done its work very well.
21 February 1916 We keep on losing the lambs the worst year for years.
23 February 1916 A very rough day and a lot of snow. We have been to dung cart again. I had to walk to Dunstable the lane is getting quite full.
24 February 1916 An awful rough day the most snow for 25 years they tell me. I sent 2 horses and got Barton’s motor home he got stranded on the Downs last night. The snow plough had a job to get up the land.
26 February 1916 This weather is something awful a lot more snow again we cannot get a cart to the Isle of Wight now and the lane is quite full. The ewes and lambs are in the meadow and I cannot het hardly any food to them.
1 March 1916 A fine day but the snow is awful. We had to fetch the ewe & lambs out about 12 o clock were in up to their necks.
8 March 1916 It is still snowing this is something awful can do hardly anything but saw wood. I went to Dunstable by the Pack Horse could not get over the Downs. We lost another ewe again today.
24 March 1916 G Fossey left last night has got to go for a soldier on Saturday. A heavy snow storm this evening.
28 March 1916 An awful rough day the worst storm since 1881 it uprooted trees and the snow came in everywhere. I hope I shall never see another one like it. The trains all stopped on the lines and our lane cram full again.
31 March 1916 Mr Hickman & myself were called out for an air raid about 9 o clock and were out until 12 o clock.
2 April 1916 We had Sergeant W Peters and his young lady over for the day.
3 April 1916 We were called out about 10 o clock this morning for another air raid and got back about 3 this morning so I am very tired today.
5 April 1916 I went to Luton & bought a motor bike.
10 April 1916 I sold Mr Pratt my cattle 9 @11/10, 5 @ 9/10 and one @ 11/10.
17 April 1916 A miserable day. I put 20 lambs on rail for Mr A E Turney yesterday made 50/- of them.
1 May 1916 I sold G Pratt 2 horses.
1 June 1916 I bought 50 lambs of Mr W George 57/-
15 June 1916 I went to a sale at Hockliffe, things are very dear.
1 July 1916 Dora came up for the weekend.
3 July 1916 I took Dora to the station and sold my pony to G Pratt £24.
5 July 1916 I bought 1 horse of G Pratt and sold him 6 cattle £8/10
14 July 1916 A showery day. I put the 36qrs of winter oats on rail for Messrs G Church & Son. Bob has been cultivating in Weatherhedges, I sold Mr Panter 11 ewes 54/6. I gave J Moulster a weeks notice cannot put up with him any longer.
29 July 1916 Dora came up for the weekend.
2 August 1916 I paid W Perkins 7/- for service to cows.
4 August 1916 M Adams a butcher of Luton bought one of my lambs to show me it was no good at all poisoned with the dip.
5 August 1916 I went to Dunstable and bought 2 heifers and1 bullock of G Pratt £14 each.
9 August 1916 I sent 8 lambs and 1 ewe to market the ewe died in the pen with sun stroke. Mother has been to Luton to apply for some soldiers for harvest.
29 August 1916 I went to Little Gaddesden and Linda drove me to look at Church Farm, Great Gaddesden.
21 September 1916 Bob Thorne came and killed two pigs for Mr Andrews and then I had to get him to kill a calf.
28 September 1916 I sold a black mare for £60 to Mr A Abrahams.
25 October 1916 it is the Red Cross sale, a very big affair.
27 October 1916. Mr George & myself have been to a sale at Billington things sold well. Dora has come up for the weekend.
16 November 1916 I took Mr George to look at a motor plough at work on E Pratts fields.
22 November 1916 I went and bought 26 wethersheep of Mr A D Hawkins.
5 December 1916 We are still thrashing, the women work very well.
7 December 1916 I went up to the London Cattle Show today, a very good show but not many people there.
19 December 1916 A lot of snow this morning but a fine afternoon, we managed to do our chaff cutting. The roads are in an awful mess, horses cannot stand.
Archival history
Transferred from Luton Museum 10 January 2013. Luton Museum Acc.no. M712 & M713.
Level of description
item