Scope and Content
12th October 1878.
Went to Bedford market & sold 22 qtrs of red wheat to Mr Clarke at 36s 6d a qtr. I also sold 5 ½ qtrs of Rivetts to Mr Church at 34s 0d a qtr.
17th Had a young man come to serve Thatcher as soon as he got here he wanted to know what I was going to give him. I told him I thought of giving him 2s 3d a day. He said he was not going to work under 2s 6d a day. I let him go back again. Men are now having 2s a day. I set too & served myself. He was Joseph White.
19th Finished thatching give Whittington 2s 6d a day.
Sold a steer to Blackwell for £10, it is 13 months old.
20th I shut the heifer up, think of fattening her.
21st Began to give her cake. Finished ploughing for Winter Beans.
23rd J. Whittingham began to set my Winter beans 18 inches wide.
29th Finished ploughing for Wheat.
31st Began wheat seeding, drilled about two acres next to the allotments 28 cog. This was Bromwich wheat my own growing.
1st December. Drilled the New ground with rivets, 26 cog. This was barley stubble, went in well. The seed was some of Fathers growing. I did not put any Vitriol on this.
2nd Drilled a piece of clover lay, 26 cog. Part of it did not go in well & part did.
4th Finished wheat seeding 28 cog. This was part Winter Beans & part Barley Stubble. Drilled Bromwich wheat my own growing, went in well.
I omitted to say that the New Ground was ploughed deep with the intent of planting it Barley. After having notice to quit my farm I asked a friend or two their opinion about planting it, I was advised to plant it wheat. Had I known that I was planting it for wheat I should have ploughed it thinner.
5th Finished setting Winter Beans. Give 6s an acre.
6th Began to give the young cows Turnips pulped and mixed with chaff.
10th Cow calved with a cow calf which I intend rearing.
Father began to set Winter Beans on the 4th. Finished on the 18th set them by the furrow, the weather has been very wet. Part of the time so that it tread a good deal. Give 4s 6d.
21st John Williamson a neighbour of mine drilled a field with Rivett wheat, the field was wheat last year. Don’t know what sort of crop he will get. They told me it went in well, I think it must be very dirty. This was a bad crop.
23rd I bought a steer calf at Bedford to wean, give 50s for it. I think that a long price to start with.
December 19th Finished cleaning the yards out put it in a heap with the intent of carting it on for peas.
14th Sent a fat heifer at the Christmas sale at Bedford, only made £21.0.0. Tied up 7 weeks & 5 days. Blackwell bid me £19.0.0 before I tied her up. Think I lost money.
30th Thrashed my Barley with Mr Desboroughs Machine. Thrashing 6 ½ hours. Charged 19s 6d.
January 1879.
Give the men 2s 4d each, 3 pints of beer, when we dressed had 30 qtrs. I don’t know the exact measure of the ground where it grew. I call it 5 acres but don’t think there is. The greater part of it was tied, its my opinion it would have been better if it had been all tied, think it keeps the colour better in a wet harvest like the past.
11th I went to Bedford Market & sold 5 ½ qtrs of barley at 25s 6d a qtr. This was the roof and very much weathered. I could not get bid more than 30s for the best this week or last either.
I sold 8 qtrs of Rivetts at 36s to Mr Clarke of Wellingborough. This was fathers.
13th Finished carting manure on I think for Peas and Beans.
16th Began ploughing again.
18th Broke the plough neck through the frost.
25th I went to Bedford market & sold 8 qtrs of Barley at 29s a qtr to Mr Payne..
27th I went to Bedford to take the barley.
1st February. I went to Bedford market, took a sample of my Barley, also a sample of fathers & a sample of wheat for him too. I thought of selling both of fathers but did not sell either of the three. I was bid 38s a qtr for the wheat by one man, thought it was worth more or I should have sold it but found to my surprise that I could not get it any more.
I was bid 29s for Fathers barley once but did not sell it.
I cannot say whether I had a bid for mine or not.
Have been to the first 5 markets at Bedford this year. I don’t remember going to such bad markets before. Don’t seem to be but very little trade especially for inferior barley of which there is a great supply. Good Barley makes a high price 50s a qtr some higher there don’t appear to be a very little good about as the weather was so unfavourable at Harvest. Rebecca died 5th February 1878.
10th February. Finished ploughing the piece of oat stubble where I intend planting peas. This has grown white straw 2 years have well manured it for peas.
14th Had 1 ewe cast her lamb.
15th I went to Bedford Market & sold 9 ½ qtrs of red wheat 18 nett, at 36s a qtr. To Mr Jordan of Eaton. I was not bid more than 34s by anyone else.
I also sold 3 qtrs of Barley at 28s a qtr to Mr Farrer for seed. These two lots were fathers. I was not bid over 25s a qtr for the Barley by anyone else.
I had a sample of my own Barley, was not bid over 24s a qtr for that.
Paid Mr Whittingham for laying a hedge, give 1s 10d a chain. Give him 2s a hundred for faggotting.
26th I went to see if I could buy 2 lambs as I have two ewes without lambs but could not get 1. Went to my neighbour Sharman, then to Mr Feezeys, then to Mr Desboroughs, then to Mr B. Jefferies, Blackbird hall, then to Mr B. Jeffereies, Romp Hall, then to Mr Gibbins at Rutters Farm, then to Mr Farrers, Copler, then to Mr Thomas of Bletsoe, then to Mr T Franklin, then to Mr B. Hawkins, to Mr C. Kings, then to Mr Robinsons, then to Mr W. Hartops, from there to Mr W. Greens of Bolnhurst, then to Mr S. Greens, from then to Daniel Rosses, then home to dinner. I think I had a good walk for nothing.
27th Went to Kimbolton as I came back called at Mr Eades of Pertenhall Hoo. But could not get a lamb, then called at Mr Battles bought 1 lamb he charged me 3s for it. I now make up my mind not to milk the ewe that lambed first any more I have milked her about a fortnight.
March 1st. I bought a steer calf in the sale for 25s to wean. I happened of Mr C. Smith who had bought some calves with the cows in the sale. The calf that I bought was not quite so good as I like so I sold it to James Stewart for 27s 6d. Then bought a steer calf of Mr Smith for £2.
Eli drove the young mare to Bedford that had only been in a cart once before but had been rode for 2 or 3 weeks & to plough 3 days, appeared very quick. Father rode with him they wanted me to ride too. I preferred driving my own to riding with that. As they was coming through Thurleigh home, the mare commenced kicking & ran in the ditch pitching them both over the hedge into Mr Hartops field. I was a short distance behind & witnessed the accident was quite afraid they would get hurt very seriously but am happy to say they was not hurt very much they got their faces scratched & Father had a piece of skin knocked off his shin, hope it will not take any hurt.
3rd & 4th. Carted the manure out of the yard to put on the grass next to the orchard. I think I have manured all the Home Close now since I have been here. Don’t know whether it will pay before Michelmas but I thought it would & so I set to work to put it on. I should have rather put it on 2 or 3 weeks sooner but the weather was wet & so I could not without cutting the road & grass more than I wished to.
8th Drilled about 2 acres of Dun Peas 8 inches wide with the 16 cog, done well.
11th Harrowed 5 acres of tilthe for Barley.
12th Drilled it with the 20 cog. Drilled over 13 bushels of barley, done well. The seed was grown by Father in the bottom field. I sold some of it for Father at 28s a qtr.
13th Harrowed it in.
14th Finished faggotting had this hedge cut off give 1s for getting bands. The faggots cost me a little over 3s a hundred.
Finished ploughing this was turnip land for Barley.
18th Cut my lambs tails only have 5.
19th Finished setting peas in my Winter Beans. Whittington has been about 2 days. Think he set about 1 bushel of Dun Peas. Winter Beans seem to come up bad this year. Most people have either drilled all the ground over again or mended them up. I think mine have come up better than a great many although you cannot hardly see the rows at this time.
24th Thrashed my last Wheat stack with Mr Desboroughs machine thrashing 4 ½ hours. Charged -- Had quarters 21 nett weight. Dressed it and weighed it.
I gave the men 2s 3d and 3 pints or money.
I have been counting up how much wheat I grew on 9 ½ acres & some poles. Had 55 qtrs 4 bushels. I think that a good yield.
27th This was the Easter meeting they chose me for Overseer for the first half year & my neighbour Sharman for the last. I tried to get off on account of having Notice to quit at Michelmas but don’t know whether I shall or not. Don’t think that there was one there that knew whether it was legal or not. I am of the opinion to think that it would have been better if I had found it out before the meeting.
Mr Sharman tried to get off on account of old age. I don’t know his exact age think he is nearer seventy he had been if one was over sixty they could not compel him to serve. It was agreed at the meeting that age did not make it illegal. They said that was the last time they had both want to get off.
4th April. I went to Sharnbrook to apply but found that I could not get off. They told me there was no exemption for Notice they asked me if I had my Notice with me. I had not think I ought to took it.
29th March. I went to Bedford market & sold 18 qtrs of rivets, 63 lbs to Mr Davenport of Birmingham at 38s a qtr.
April 2nd. I went to Sharnbrook Station with Tom, James Whittington & Ben swales to take the wheat had 2 of Fathers horses & carts & my 2 had 9 sacks on each cart.
3rd Diamond foaled with a brown colt foal by Leban 11, the property of Mr Robert Ross of Thurleigh.
5th I went to Bedford market drove Father & Eli. I paid my rent the day before it was due don’t think it will make any difference to me, paid it to Mr Conquest the lawyer.
6th Had a lambhog lambed with twins.
8th My Landlord came over Mr Thomas Charles Jefferies from Surrey. Mr Lund from Bedford came with him.
2nd Let my sheep lie out at night lent Father 3 dozen & seven hurdles & stakes.
10th One of the lambs that belonged the lambing died.
11th April. This has been a drying day and cold it was a sharp frost this morning. I hope we shall be favoured with dry weather for a week or two as I am very anxious to finish my seeding, have about 5 ½ acres to do. This is where I should have had fallow if my landlord had been living. My new landlord thinks if selling the place so he gave me the liberty to crop
the fallow, some part of it is foul & the weather has not been very dry we have not been on it with the horses for nearly three weeks it is not dry enough now.
18th I went to Haynes to see Lord John Thyne’s Steward to ask for a farm at Wilstead now in the occupation of Mrs Willis containing 96 acres. I did not get permission to look over it today. I called to see Mr Robert James of Elstow, looked round his farm with him & then dined with him.
19th Drilled over ½ acre of Barley with the 20 cog, this was Turnip land, done well.
22nd Drilled about 3 acres of Barley with the 20 cog. Wheat stubble which ought to have been fallow, drilled about 2 acres of Oats by the side of it where it was fouler, it was a good tilthe but being so twitchy could not keep the spouts clear. Had the 16 cog. Black tartar Oats my own growing.
23rd Harrowed it in as soon as we was done it began to rain fast so that if we had not been done we must have left it. Finished seeding.
Have all my land cropped with the exception of a headland about 2 or 3 chain long.
I don’t know where I shall go to plough next or when.
25th Roaned heifer calved a roan steer calf which I intend weaning
29th Began Wheat hoeing.
May 7th Rolled the tares which look very bad, rolled an acre of wheat and barley which was rough after sanfoin. Then rolled 5 acres of barley & Oats which are just coming up, drilled 15 days ago, don’t know whether I am right or wrong.
8th Last night we had a sharp frost I think the barley would have been better without rolling.
12th Finished wheat hoeing, give 3s an acre
13th Began to hoe the Winter Beans.
15th Finished lambing the last ewe, brought a dead lamb.
10th Brought 4 couples in the sale at Bedford at £3.0 each.
30th Had 9 lbs of good butter, took it to Keysoe to Browns shop would not give more than 9 pence a pound for it. Took it to Bedford made 1s a pound for it.
I bought a cow calf off Thomas Blackwell. £2. 10s.
June 2nd. Washed my sheep have 11.
9th Shorn my sheep.
10th Finished hoeing peas first & last time.
19th Dipped my lambs at Keysoe with fathers have 10 this year.
27th Finished hoeing Winter Beans the first time over. Hope I shall never be so late no more.
28th Went to Bedford Market & agreed to take my farm for one year. I am to give the same rent as before which is £100, promised to throw me £2.10 back each time which will make it £5 in the year. He said if he lowered my rent it would be against the sale of it.
July 3rd. Sowed about ½ cwt of Clover seed this was on the New Ground which I think is about 3 acres. It is Rivett wheat about ready to come out in ear, some places I could hardly walk through it. I believe the seed will grow as the weather is very showery, but don’t know whether it will be so good for being so late. (Was not very good.)
2nd Sold a fat heifer to Eli for £20.00 about 2 ½ years old, had cake about a month, had 3 lb a day at first.
3rd. Began to mow clover, the weather is showery
18th Finished carting clover so finished haytime. Did not get it in very good order.
I give 3s an acre for mowing. No ale.
19th Weaned my lambs.
August 14th Ploughed my tare land the second time. Manured it the day before, I intend having the Rivett wheat.
16th. I took 7 lambs to Bedford put them in the sale they made 30s each. One was a lambhog lamb, two belong to a small threave, one belonged to a very poor old ewe & two of the others were twins. I was well satisfied with the price as lambs are a bad trade
19th I sold a colt foal to Mr Jabez Paine of Pavenham under 20 weeks for £20.00. Should not have sold it for the price if the mare had not been lame but as it is I am very anxious to get it away.
August 16th 1879.
Finished mowing peas give 3s 6d an acre, no ale, light crop.
23rd I started on horseback to take the foal away had a boy behind with a whip as we could not have the mare. The Foal seemed to go very well until we got past the Mill when it got
to the gate it went and looked over, the boy switched the whip then the foal started towards the road the grass being wet it slipped down on its knees & slid right across the road skinned its knees & fetlocks so I brought it home again thinking Mr Paine would not have it in the condition it was in.
30th Carted the peas put them in the barn they was not in good order only straw dry.. Finished mowing Winter Beans.
September 1st. Began mowing Barley. Most people commenced Harvest today. There are 2 or 3 in Keysoe that I know of that have not.
3rd. Began mowing Wheat only 1 man. I went to him at night and told him to stop as it was not ripe enough. Told he had better cut his own first. He has about 3 acres of red wheat.
12th I took the foal to Mr Payne received a £20 cheque for it.
20th Carted the Winter Beans which were not in good order put them in the barn thought of thrashing them for seed.
16th Finished mowing Oats.
17th Finished mowing Barley.
25th Finished cutting this was Rivett Wheat.
I have not carted any Wheat yet. Mr Desborough told me yesterday he had not carted any Wheat yet but had carted all his Barley.
26th Mr Feazey has not cut all his red Wheat yet. I saw one whole field of Wheat to cut today as I was going to Sharnbrook.
October.
4th Began Wheat cart which was not in good order.
7th Finished harvest with the exception of 5 acres of draggings. Barley 8 acres 0 roods 8 pole.
Give 8s 6d an acre for mowing & tieing & dragging.
Give 3s 3d an acre for mowing light crop. Wheat about 10 acres.
Give 9s an acre for mowing and tieing medium crop.
Oats 2 acres mowed them myself.
October 1879.
I went to Bedford Market & sold some red wheat 62 lb at 52s a qtr sold some Rivetts 62 lb at 48s a qtr to Mr Newberry.
These were James Stewarts.
25th I went to Bedford Market & sold 10 qtrs of red wheat 62lb at 51s a qtr to Mr Elgood.
I sold 4 qtrs of Rivetts 62lb at 46s a qtr to Mr Hartop of Thurleigh for seed. These were Fathers.
Father sent an empty sow to Staffords sale which made £4. 14. 0.
28th Finished setting Winter Beans set them by the furrow & harrowed them in, set my own seed this was on the allotments 1 acre 3 roods. Well manured.
30th Sowed nearly 2 acres of tares this was next to the allotments did not go in quite so well as I should have wished to see them. Did not put quite 6 bushels on. These tares were grown by William Perry of Sharnbrook. I gave 7s a bushel.
1st November. Father had a litter of pigs not weaned went to the sale, made £1. 1. 6d. Each.
Thrashed the first Wheat stack with Mr Desboroughs machine & about 3 acres of Barley cutting chaff 3 hours while thrashing. Thrashing 9 hours had about qtrs 6 bushel of wheat & 4 qtrs 6 bushel of Barley. Charged -----
Give the men 2s 6d each & 4 pints of ale.
I went to Bedford Market & sold 7 qtrs. 15 stone of Wheat at 46s a qtr to Mr Newberry. I also sold 67 fleeces to Mr Wilson at 28s a Tod 12 lbs. Amount £24. 8. 0.
13th Began wheat seeding.
19th Finished with the exception of 1 rood which is on the allotments.
Drilled 10 ½ acres with the 26 cog put on 21 bushels this was Bromwich Wheat grown by Father.
The first was about 3 acres behind the cottages part of it pea land which was manured for peas, the other tares manured afterwards. Ploughed this 3 acres last week & dragharrowed 3 times this week as it was very foul & the weather good at this time.
Second was barley stubble 2 acres up side of the hedge next to Home Close well manured for
Third, this was opposite Mr Sharmans 3 acres Clover lay, 2 ½ acres Winter Beans stubble. Drilling done well did not hardly use the spud after the first piece.
1880.
January 13th Finished wheat seeding this was 1 rood which was allotment was bean stubble well manured & ploughed in October. Dibbled it with square headed wheat it was a little frost so that it dome well I think better than it would have done at any time before. Raked it in. Set a short headland Winter Beans too.
15th Finished ploughing for beans.
17th I went to Bedford Market & sold 5 ½ qtrs of Barley to Bass of Staughton at 36s a qtr. Give 2s 6d a qtr for thrashing.
I sold 11 ½ qtrs for Father last week to Mr Barton at 37s a qtr.
22nd. Carted the manure out of the yard and put it in a heap with the intent of putting it on the Oats.
23rd Begin to give the sheep corn.
February 9th Increased the sheep corn to ½ peck a day give them dun peas, I have 12 sheep.
24th I set ½ peck of white peas.
25th Began Bean seeding with single dib. Today sent a lambhog to be killed, thought it was giddy but it proved to be rotten. Eli has sent it to London.
26th Finished ploughing the first time for oats.
27th Sowed 1 peck of Winter Tares.
March 2nd. Finished Bean seeding. Give 2s a day. 1st Began lambing.
5th Thrashed 2 wheat stacks & a piece of barley with Mr Desboroughs Machine. 8 hours charged £1.4s.0d. I give the men 2s 3 each which I think was too much & 3 pints of Ale.
Had 9 qtrs 2 bushels of Barley & 15 qtrs 5 bushel of Wheat.
6th Went to Bedford market & sold 5 qtrs of Barley at 34s a qtr to Whitaker.
20th I went to Bedford market & sold 4 qtrs 6 bushels of red wheat at 46s a qtr to Newbury.
25th Drilled my Barley with Farrars Drill. Drilled 5 bushels and 3 pottles. I thought there was nearly 3 acres.
This was after Wheat went in beautiful. Have 2 tons of soot to put on about 5 acres, part of it for oats. Grew 15 bushel of Barley to the acre.
19th Had 1 ewe lambed with 3 lambs two of them dead the other died next day. The ewe is only 3 years old has had 6 lambs, I have another 2 years old brought 4 lambs, I bred them both from 1 ewe.
23rd Had a lambhog lambed.
April 5th. Father & I went to Moggerhanger to look at a Farm, the property of Mr Harry Thornton. Which contains about 95 acres, about 25 acres of swade about 69 ploughed. Rent £142. 10. 0.
House and buildings to large to my mind, grass land very useful, fences bad, ploughed land heavy foul and some of it wet.
Mr Stafford is Agent he said he should like me to have it he offered to drain for me providing I carted the tiles. If I had 2 or 3 hundred pounds by me I would have taken it not that I think it is worth the money in the condition it is in.
There is a spinney nearly right round the ploughed land don’t know whether the rabbit might do any damage.
17th Went to Bedford to settle about it, I bid 25s an acre for it provided he would drain the 12 acre field, he said he would not take less than 30s an acre for it. Now I expect it is over, don’t know whether I am right or wrong.
28th Roan cow calved with a white steer which I intend weaning.
29th Began Fallow ploughs very nicely, have 5 acres ploughs very nicely.
5th May. Finished.
7th Finished hoeing Barley done it by the day, sowed it clover there is nearly 3 acres of it, sowed 42 lbs.
10th Heifer calved with a cow calf which I intend weaning if nothing prevents.
6th Finished hoeing Beans the first time over, give 4s 6d and acre. Wheat 3s 6d.
15th Bought a red steer calf which I intend weaning had it of Mr C. Smith, give 50s for it.
June 9th Shorn my sheep have 6.
18th I went to Ravensden to look at Mr Wythers Top Farm which contains about 100 acres, by Mr Stafford’s permission I find going about the country that the land is in a wretched
foul state. This farm is not just what I like as the greater part of it is ploughed & the grass is not the best quality. Some of the crops are looking promising but the wheats are very thin & foul. One objection it being to far from the road, at the same time its my opinion there might be a living got there at the Rent Mr Stafford talked about which he said would be about £1 per acre.
21st Went to look at Mrs Danmans farm at Pertenhall which contains 50 acres. Mr Battle lets it he said the rent was £3 per acre, said he expected a man to look at it today so he could not offer it to
me. At the same time I might look over it which I did. Said he would write to me in a day or two if the other did not take it. I believe the land to be of first rate quality, both the arable and grass of which there appears to be of equal acreage.There appears to be two or three drawbacks. First I think the most important is that Mrs Danman is an aged person and after her death it is to be sold.
Second, I think the rent is high. Third, the buildings are dilapidated. I told Mr Battle if he wrote to me I would try to take it. I like the quality of the land and for being equal proportions.
25th I received a note from Mr Battle to say the farm is at liberty.
23rd. Scuffled the Fallow the first time the weather is showery at this time.
29th I went to look over the farm again. I believe it to be very good land but foul. I bid £120 which I think is a good price for 50 acres. Mr Battle said he would not take it at present.
5th July. Went to a sale at Renhold. Brook Farm, Boston’s. There was 2 horses which made 5 ½ guineas a good scuffle 32. 6. I think I ought to have bid but James Stewart was bidding & then he was not in at last.
6th September 1880.
I went to Bedford Station to go to Woburn was a few minutes to late for the first train so then stopt at the wool fair.
13th Finished scuffling the Fallow the third time. Give 23s for mowing the Close, no ale.
19th Began Hay time, the weather is showery
18th Roan heifer calved with white cow calf which I intend weaning.
30th Finished harvest.
James Whitingham was my man,
Give 4s 6d a day for day work. 7 days £1. 11 6.
2 ½ aces wheat tieing at 5s an acre. 11s 3d.
3 acres Wheat mowing and tieing at 10s 4. £1. 11.0
3 acres Oats Mowing & tieing at 14s. 0d £2. 2. 0.
Half acre Bean hooking. 6s. 0d.
3 ¼ acre Bean Mowing at 3s 6d 11s. 4 ½ d.
No ale except for carting days. Total: £6. 13s. 1 ½ d.
We had a very heavy rain this harvest just after I had carted the white straw. I was in the same position as a great many more people had not got any thatching done felt pleased that I had carted it in good order. Began to rain almost directly we had finished emptying. Whittington went home to cut his Barley & I went to Market, thought it was a light rain. Heard people saying at Bedford that we never had better harvest weather & the rain would do good. I am of the opinion to think dry weather does good. It came more wet early Monday morning & had Winter beans wanted cutting. Thought it just right for them & that the stacks would be drier in a day or two. Several people did
not thatch on Monday, thought it too wet, on Tuesday or Wednesday it rained in torrents, such a heavy rain people say that has not been known in the memory of man. Some had pigs drown, some sheep, some chickens, some turkeys. Some carried their pigs upstairs. I think most people had their stacks damaged to a great extent with a few exceptions.
I am of the opinion to think that ought to have had two men or else cut more with the machine, but its not an easy thing to get a man just when you please. Was I to ask two men to harvest with me I expect the first question would be can you find us work enough. I don’t expect I could, although I thought it would have paid me better this year if I could have done so. I think then I should have most of my corn thatched & more horsework done so that I should have gained pounds. I feel it to be a serious loss to me. Thought of laying the wheat in 2 stacks, had the first bottom 5 yards across which was not large enough. The next was 6 & then had six or seven loads left which we laid in a small stack but too large. Had about 4 acres of Oats on a 6 yard bottom. This was a heavy crop had part of a load of Wheat dragging on the top. I think this is damaged a great deal. The tares we had just topped up before it begun to rain, had no cloth. After the rain was over we took the top off & paired down the roof which was very wet, a great many of these were grown & I think bushels of them dropped out on the grass. In about 2 days we stacked them up again.
1st November.
Sowed the tares. Done well. Began to set the Winter Beans with single dib 18 inches wide, went in well. This was on the furlong next to the cartroad side of the Close. This was Wheat stubble manured last year.
There is 2 acres 29 poles with the endlands which are not beans.
1881.
It appears that in 1881, David and Charlotte Stanton moved to Backnoe End Farm Thurleigh. They are on the Census of 1881 as being there and also David starts to talk about different fields, and ‘Cottages’ are mentioned. Also his neighbour being Mr Farrar, who is a Farmer at Thurleigh. He also talks about selling Fathers corn and sometimes about selling his own. They probably farmed both farms as Backnoe End Farm was only 46 acres. There are no more visits to view Farms to let after this date.
February 7th Finished manuring the Peas. This was down the lane towards Mr Sharmans. I think there is about 4 acres.
18th Finished ploughing for peas.
27th Began lambing the first ewe brought twins.
March 1st.
Began Bean setting single dib.12th Finished Bean seeding had the rows 18 inches wide, set them by the day, have about 3 acres behind the cottages, set 9 bushels of Beans which I bought of my neighbour Sharman at 4s a bushel.
17th Drilled about 3 ½ acres Dun peas 8 inches wide 16 cog, put in 14 bushel grown by Mr Heading of Moggerhanger.
26th March. I went o Bedford Market & took 7 qtrs of Oats with Charlie.
28th Cut the lambs tails have 14 at this time
April 4th Diamond foaled a filly foal by Mr Hartops black colt.
12th Dibbed about 3 rood of Wurtzels with a few Swedes amongst them. Had a bag of Lawes manure & dropt in the holes. Put hen manure in the last 5 rows. Kicked the holes in the same as beans. Had the rows 2 feet apart on the flat this was only ploughed once & dragharrowed once. Manured before it was ploughed. This opposite Sharmans.
19th Bought 3 dozen and 1 hurdles with shackles & stakes of James Wadsworth of Riseley at 10s a dozen.
25th Roan cow calved a red steer calf.
26th Drilled 4 acres of Oats next to the road with the 16 cog.
May 2nd. Sowed about 2 acres with clover on the Oats. This was next to the allotments, English seed, 14 lbs to the acre. Harrowed it in.
3rd Top manured where I sowed the clover seed & the top end of the allotments with short manure.
5th Began potato setting this was in the garden.
June 3rd. Shorn my sheep have 7.
Finished hoeing wurtzels the first time very thin.
6th Set some Turnip seed amongst them. Paid £1.0. 6d for mowing grass, 6 acres, no ale.
September 15th Finished harvest.
Give 11s an acre for mowing & tieing & dragging Rivetts, heavy crop.
Give 8s 6d an acre for red Wheat.
Oats 7s 6d light crop. No beer.
Spring beans 3s 4d light crop mowing.
Day work 4s 6d & ale.
September 20th & 21st.
Thrashed the first wheat stack with Mr Desborough’s machine. Thrashing 8 hours & cutting chaff 3 of the time. Had a little over 25 qtrs.
24th I went to Bedford market & sold 17 qtrs of wheat at 43s a qtr, to Mr Newburry. I sold 20 qtrs of wheat for Eli at 42s a qtr. To Mr Mayes of Bedford.
I bought a Ram the property of Mr James of Cople for £4. He is a large upstanding sheep, crossed between a Hampshire & Oxfordshire Down, too light in the carcass and skin too.
27th Finished ploughing for tares this was Oat stubble next to the road, 2 acres
Began to plough Bean stubble.
October 6th. I went to Caroline Farrer’s wedding, went to Church and then to Coplar to breakfast, broke up about 1 O’clock in the morning.
10th Drilled 2 acres of Tares with the 18 cog put on 3 bushel to the acre.
11th Drilled 5 acres of Wheat this was tilthe in field down the lane. The first part had the 28 cog put on about 8 bushel 1 peck. This was square head Wheat grown by Eli.
20th Finished ploughing for Wheat.
26th Finished ploughing for Winter Beans, this was next to Thompsons field. Wheat stubble well manured.
27th Carted the Wurtzels which was dirty, had 10 loads.
22nd Went to Bedford Market & took the money for 16 qtrs of Rivetts for Father of Mr Barton, price 43s 6d a qtr.
I sold 12 qtrs of red Wheat to Mr Elgin of Eaton at 46s a qtr. This was Fathers.
I sold 10 qtrs of black oats 11 stone at £1 to Mr Hallworth for Eli since Harvest.
31st Finished setting Winter Beans single dib set about 1 ½ acres, put on 3 bushel set them by the day.
November 3rd. (1881) Began to give the sheep straw chaff with a few Swedes pulped.
7th Drilled 3 acres of Wheat behind the Cottages, this was Bean stubble very foul. Harrowed it 3 times with the heavy harrows did not go in very deep.
8th Finished Wheat seeding this 2 acres next to the Close after Winter Beans this dragharrowed twice & heavy harrows once the beginning of last week.
This Wheat is called Reedy Red grown by Mr Farrer of Coplar, had his seed put on 1 bushel 3 pecks to the acre.
7th Began to plough for roots on New Ground.
14th Drilled about ½ acre of tares for my Neighbour Farrer against Oak Close done well had his drill 16 cog. Used the last old Beans.
15th Began to give my sheep corn, ½ a pint of Oats a day each with roots & straw chaff, they are lying in the Close down the lane which is not a good Common.
24th Thomas Asher began draining.
1982.
February 24th Finished. Dane 8 chain 23 links at 1s 8d. Main Drain towards Kings field. Small drain 51 chain 35 links at 1s 2d. Towards the cottages. Main drain 4 chain at 2s.0d. Small drain 20 chain ½ at 1s 2d. Total £5. 6. 6.
13th Drilled about 3 acres of Dun Peas, eight inches, 16 cog. This was the middle piece against the cart road, put on 11 bushel 3 pecks. I thought afterwards the 18 cog might have put them on thick enough. This was fair drilling as we never carried the spud up the filed once. This was manured this Winter.
17th Began to set Beans single dib 18 inches wide. Thomas Whitlock and Thomas Asher. This is on the middle of the other furlong, this is manured 5 acres next to Thompsons field. These beans were grown by John Claridge at Agden. 22s a load for them.
Feb. 21st Finished Bean seeding give 5s 6d an acre, the men earned 2s 5d a day each.
27th Began lambing a threave lambed before her time. I think the lamb will die.
28th The black threave lambed with 2.
March 11th. Finished lambing with ewes. Had 3 ewes and 5 threaves brought 12 lambs. Lost 3 lambs & 1 ewe. She was took the second day after lambing & died the third. This was a good ewe left 2 lambs. Don’t know whether she took cold as I turned her out in the Close. The next day after she lambed it was windy. I ought to have taken her to the butchers as she was in fair order had 9 lbs of fat.
I had one sheep lost 2 lambs so I put these to her hope she will soon take them.
May 26th Drilled about ½ acre of Swedes on the New Ground this was well manured. Drilled them on the flat with a stitch Drill, drilled about 1 ½ cwt of superphosphate with them, had the rows 16 inches wide I think that too wide, could not put the drill narrower.
April 21st. I dibbed about 1 acre of wurtzels on the New Ground, this was on the flat without muck. Dropt 4 ½ cwt of Mangold Manure in the holes. Had some good ones.
June 2nd. Drilled about 1 ½ acres of Swedes on the New ground. This was in the corner, put 34 loads of muck on it, finished ploughing it in today on the flat. I think it would have been better stitched as the muck would have covered in better as it has been very drying 2 or 3 days. Rolled it before the drill and after. Drilled about 4 & 6 cwt of Superphosphate.July 7th Finished haytime. Had 2 acres of clover & 2 of Tares, Jimmy Stapleton mowed them, give 3s 6d an acre for clover & 5s 6d for tares, no Ale. Good crop.Give 5s an acres for mowing and wisping peas.
August 10th Began to hook Winter Beans a good crop. Give 12 s an acre.
12th Began mowing Wheat. Give 10s an acre.
15th Light cow calved with a steer calf which I intend weaning.
29th I went to Ravensden & hired 8 acres of grass aftermath & 4 acres of stubbling which is sown down with clover of John Green, for £4. 10. I have the grass until Christmas. I took 1 filly yearling & 2 two years old Heifers mine. 2 yearlings both of Fathers.
Harvest Work.
Charles Freeman & wife mowed & tied 7 acres of Wheat, draggd half at 10s. £3. 10.0.
Mowed & tied 4 acres of Barley at 9s 6d. £1 18s.0.
Hooked 2 acres 1 ½ rood of Beans. At 12s. £1. 8s. O.
Charles 5 days 3 hours at 4s 6d. £1. 4s. 0.
Total £8. 14. 0.
William Woodward 1 ½ Days. 6s. 0d.
Thomas Woodward. 2 days 8s 0d
September 20th Thrashed the first Wheat stack with Mr Feazeys machine. Thrashing 7 hours & chaffcutting 3 ½ hours.
W. Stapleton. 1s. 6d.
J Stapleton. 2s. 3d.
T. Stanton. 2s. 0d.
C Freeman. 2s. 3d.
Ben Swales. 1s. 0d.
Had 12 qtrs of Wheat.
Rain stopt us the first day did not have all the men the second day.
September 12th I went to St Neots Market & sold 13 qtrs of Wheat at 39s a qtr, to Mr Church. I was bid the same price at Bedford the last 2 weeks wanted 40s.
I bought 13 bushels of square head & 10 bushels of Golden Drop at 44s a qtr. For seed of Mr Pope of Biggleswade. This was grown on gravel I think it very true.October 26th Finished setting Winter Beans, set the by the day. Have a little over 2 acres, this was Barley stubble
opposite Sharmans. Had the rows 18 inches wide the seed was grown by Father. Jimmy Stapleton, Alfred Bruce, & I set them. The boy had not set any before.
27th Finished carting Wurtzels have some very fair ones.
We have some very showery weather the last 2 or 3 weeks so that there is but very little Wheat sown yet I have not heard of one that has put any in at Keysoe yet I hope we shall have a change in the weather soon.
9th November. (1882)
Began Wheat seeding. Drilled 7 acres next to the road, 2 acres after tares, 2 acres after clover & 3 after Peas. The last two pieces have not been ploughed since Harvest. The wheat was grown on gravel at Biggleswade, Squarehead. Had the 28 cog, put in about 11 ½ bushels, part of it done very bad not being dry enough at the same time it killed most of it.
11th Finished seeding, drilled 5 acres next to Thompsons Close, this was Bean stubble, ploughed before Michelmas, not touched since until today, done comfortable but not quite so dry as I should like , it seemed to tread some of it, most of it killed. Drilled Golden Drop which was grown at Biggleswade, had the 28 cog put on about 9 bushels.
17th Thrashed the barley Stack with Ruff’s Machine. Charges 15s. Give the men 2s 3d and 3 pints of ale for the day. Had 22 qtrs of Barley.
18th I went to Bedford & sold 15 ½ qtrs 16 st Nett to Mr Jabez Paine at 33s qtr.
I weighed 19 sacks this afternoon. Some of them not want untieing , some wanted a little taking out had to put 3 ½ pecks in the 19. It took half a bushel in 30 sacks.
25th I went to Bedford and took the money £25. 11. 6d. I bought ½ ton of Linseed cake of Mr Powers of Blunham for £4. 10. 0d.
December 6th . White sow pigged 14 pigs by a Berkshire Boar.
19th Finished ploughing the beans this was first furlong in the field down the lane. Wheat stubble manured.
1883.
January 5th. Roan heifer calved a steer calf which I intend rearing.
11th Began draining on the swade at the back of the house, George Whitfield and George Beeby.
13th I went to Bedford market & sold 12 qtrs of Wheat, 62lbs at 40s a qtr. Fathers.
I sold 6 fowls at 3s. 4d each to Wadsworth.
27th Sold 7 fowls at 3s 4 ¼ each to Allen.
28th This Sunday I did not go to Chapel, went for a walk towards Sharmans as I was coming along the Lane home, I saw Sam Whittington going along inside Mr Kings field, I saw him get over the hedge &
take a hare out of a snare & throw it over the hedge. I went to him & told him he would have to pay for it, as he would have to go to Sharnbrook. I had the hare.
February 3rd. White heifer calved a roan cow calf which I intend weaning.
10th I went to Bedford market & sold 3 ½ qtrs of Wheat, 62 at 40s to Hipwell, Sharnbrook.
11th Began Lambing, the first ewe brought 1 lamb.
23rd Black sheep lambed with 3 live lambs.
24th Sold 61 fleeces of wool at 22s a tod to Mr Wilson.
March 1st. Began Bean seeding single dib.
May 23rd. Diamond foaled a red roan colt foal by Mr Dunkleys Prize Horse.
Began Harvest August 8th.
Mowing & Tieing Oats. 10s. 0d.
Mowing Beans. 3s. 0d
Hooking Winter Beans. 11s 0d.
Do Spring Beans. 12s. 0d.
Tieing Wheat. 4s. 0d
Mowing & Tieing Wheat. 9s. 6d.
Give 4s 6d for Day work and ale.
Thomas Stapleton was my man & Benjamin Armstrong the boy. 7s a week instead of beer.
Finished Harvest September 28th.
October 20th Began Wheat seeding. Drilled about 4 acres of Rivetts with Farrars drill, the Wheat was grown by Eli for 38s a Qtr. This was opposite Sharmans.
November 1st. Drilled over 6 acres of Golden Drop Wheat with the 26 & 28 cog, this was down the Lane. The first furlong was clover land, 26 cog . The seed came from Potton, 43s 9d a qtr. The field down the lane is all drilled with wheat.
2nd. Thrashed the first Wheat stack with Ruff’s machine, thrashing 6 ½ hours, cutting chaff 1 ½ hours, charges £1. 5. 0d.
This was Square head, 7 acres, had about 27 quarters 6 bushels. Give the men 2s 4d and 4 pints.
3rd I went to Bedford Market & sold 23 ½ quarters 62lb at 40s a qtr to Mr Newberry.
7th Weaned the foal.
8th Roaned heifer calved with a roan calf which I hope to wean.
15th Finished Wheat seeding.
Drilled the New ground with the 28 cog part Golden Drop and part Squarehead. This was Oat stubble, went in well.
November 25th. Roan cow calved with a red cow calf which I hope to wean.
26th Began draining in the Close down the Lane. George Whitlock and John Matthews.
December 1st. I sold 26 fleeces of wool for Father to Mr Wilson at 21s a tod.
8th I went to Bedford Market & sold six Quarters of Wheat for Father to Mr Newberry at 37s a qtr.
30th White cow calved a road Cow calf which I hope to wean.
1884.
February 11th. Began bean seeding with single dib next to the road, does well. Thomas Stapleton and Robert James.
17th Big Gilt pigged with 8 pigs.
14th began lambing the first ewe has twins.
20th Finished Bean seeding have about 7 acres, 2 acres done well, 5 acres not so well. Rows 18 inches wide, give 5s 6d an acre.
23rd Black sheep with 3 lambs all alive.
March 18th Teg lambed with 2 lambs.
19th I have 7 ewes & 1 Teg lambed which have 17 lambs, I think that quite enough.
Began setting potatoes.
21st Began Wheat hoeing.
April 1st. Thrashed the last Wheat stack with Mr Feazeys machine. Thrashing & chaff cutting 2 ½ hours, thrashing 5 hours, charges ----. Give the men 2 shilling & 3 each. Had ---------
Drilled 2 acres of Oats 18 cog next to the Close.
March 26th Drilled 3 acres of Barley behind the Cottages, 20 cog, finished seeding.
6th April. Finished lambing, have 12 ewes and 4 tegs which have 26 lambs.
7th Cut 10 tails, 3 left.
8th Let them lie out at night.
When we washed the Sheep had them penned up too close & smothered 2 of them, had them penned in Father’s yard, had them all together which was over 100. Sent them to London made 7s 1 ½ d each
June 21st. Sent 10 best lambs to Staffords Sale made 35s each.
July 1st. Weaned the rest, have 15 left.
27th Little Sow pigged with 9 pigs, 1 dead.
28th I went to Pertenhall and hired 6 acres of old grass of Samuel Tingey for £5 15s. There is a fair lot of keep, took yearling Colt & 1 heifer & 3 sturks.
September 12th Finished Harvest.
13th Sent 15 lambs to Staffords sale made 31s 6d.
26th Drilled about 2 acres 3 roods of Tares with 20 & 18 cog, put in about 6 ½ bushels. I think they will not be thick enough. This was opposite Sharmans, went in very dry. Harrowed it twice before the drill.
7th Thrashed the first Wheat stack with Mr Feazeys maching. Thrashing & cutting 3 hours, thrashing 3 hours. Charged £1. 7s. 0. Give the men 2s 6d and 3 pints of Beer. Had about 21 Qtrs 6 bushels of Wheat. 12 Bushels of barley, 22 Qtrs of Oats.
11th I went to Bedford market and sold 16 qtrs of Golden Drop Wheat 62lbs at 32s to Mr Newberry. I sold him 16 qtrs of Wheat for Father a fortnight ago for the same price.
20th Took Yearling Colt, 1 ½ year old Heifer & Heifer that has had 1 calf to grass at Meads at Ravensden, at 7s a week.
November 1st. Sold White cow downcalving to Mr Kingsley for 30.0 .0.
3rd. Began Wheat seeding this was next to the cart road about 7 acres of Bean stubble & 2 of Oat Stubble, had the 26 cog put in 16 bushels, this was Golden Drop, own growing. There was 5 acres in the middle been dragharrowed twice & harrowed 2 or 3 times with heavy harrows. This was foul and cloddy which drove up, the other done well. I think it all together gone in well.
4th Finished. I thought it to dry last week.
20th Light Cow calved with a white cow calf which I hope to wean.
22nd Finished ploughing with the exception of 1 headland where we are cutting the hedge.
27th Roan Cow calved with a red & white cow calf which I hope to wean.
December 6th Took her in to Staffords sale, did not sell well on account of running her milk. Mr John Fairey told me of a plan to stop the milk. Get a piece of Rolin make it sticky & apply a small piece on
the ends of the teats, said it would prevent running the milk, whereby she would have made more. Kept the calf. She was knocked down at £25. 0. 0.
8th Began to give the ewes a few Beans in the straw.
1885.
February 4th Let the ewes lie in at night. I am giving them 2 sheaves of beans in the morning & 2 of Oats at night.
6th Today went to Woodcart at Galvey Wood, Thomas Stapleton and I. This was very heavy wood, nearly all Hazel.
7th I went to Bedford market & sold 10 qtrs of Wheat, 62 lbs at 32s a qtr to Mr Hipwell. This was fathers. I showed a sample of barley, got bid 31s Did not sell it. This was Fathers too.
8th Began lambing the first ewe brought one lamb.
16th Black sheep lambed 3 lambs all alive. This is the third year running 2 in succession.
23th Began Bean seeding with single dib setting my own seed 18 inches wide. This is down the lane the first 4 acres.
20th Thrashed the second Wheat Stack with Mr Feazeys machine. Thrashing 5 hours & chaffcutting 2 hours. Charges --------. Had ------of Wheat. Give the men 2s 3d each and 4 pints of Ale as we did not finish until 7 O’clock.
28th I went to Bedford market. Sold 10 qtrs of barley 16 stone to Mr Malden of Eaton at 31s 6d a qtr. Fathers. I also sold 8 qtrs of Rivett Wheat 62lbs to J. Mayes at 29s a qtr. Sold 10 fowls at 3s each & 8 lbs of butter at 1s 3d per lb.
I bought 12 bushels of Dun Peas for seed of Mr Church 35s a qtr these were for Father. I bought 12 bushels of barley for seed of Mr Newberry at 32s a qtr. & 3 Ploughshares 2s 3d.
March 2nd. Finished Bean seeding, give 5s an acre.
13th Drilled about 3 acres of Oats behind the cottages these were short Oats own grown had the 18 cog. This was Barley stubble well manured. Dragharrowed it went in very nicely.
14th Scuffled the barley tilthe was not hardly dry enough as there was a deal of dead stuff.
16th Drilled 5 acres of barley with the 20 cog. This was next to Thompsons Close went in well although the stuff got on the coulters. The seed was grown by Mr Newberry of Milton.
23rd Finished lambing. Have 16 ewes, 27 lambs have not lost one.
28th Finished stirring for roots.
April 5th Little Sow pigged 14 pigs.
21st Fetched ½ ton of hay from Olivers at Pertenhall, gave £2 for it. This is the first I have used this year.
I hired 5 ½ acres of grass of bates of Pertenhall up to October 11th for £11.0. I think it will not grow much keep. Paid for it, don’t know whether it is wise to pay beforehand.
26th Heifer calved with a heifer calf.
28th Finished Wheat hoeing. Give 3s 6d. Began hoeing Spring Beans.
May 2nd. Finished mowing seeds this year this was on the furlong next to the cartroad bottom end. I think I sowed 7 acres with 7 stone of clover seed, English.
4th May. Carted the manure on for mangolds this was stitched sowed after the rate of 4 cwt of artificial manure stitched it back again.
5th I dibbed the wurtzels, Rolled it before and after.
6th Rained last night. Took the Colt and 3 heifers to Pertenhall.
14th Finished hoeing Beans the first time. Give 5s an acre, Finished horsehoeing them the first time to. Began Barley hoeing.
May 20th. Took Father’s Filly to Pertenhall.
1st June. Washed the sheep, have 16.
3rd carted the manure on for turnips.
4th & 5th. Ploughed it in and rolled it.
6th Drilled the Turnips with Mr Paynes stitch Drill put on about 7 cwt of artificial manure, I think there is about 2 acres. This was in the field down the Lane, commencing at the farthest gate & working towards Sharmans. I think that the weather is all that could be desired for this, it being very damp the day we drilled them, the day after not very drying, the next day quite a wet day so I think they will grow.
7th Sow pigged 12 pigs, 1 dead.
9th Took 2 horses to Pertenhall.
10th Shorn the sheep, have 16.
16th Finished hoeing Beans the second time.
17th Began hoeing them again.
22nd Dipped the lambs at Churchend. Fathers and mine and branded them to.
Give 4s an acre for mowing grass, no ale. Tares 3s 4d an acre.
August 1st. Finished mowing the oats.
4th Finished tieing and dragging, fair crop, stood well, give ----
5th & 6th. Transplanted Rabi’s amongst the Turnips, these were drilled the time the Turnips were.
Harvest Work.
Mowing, Tieing and dragging Oats 3 acres at 8s.
Hooking Winter Beans at 10s acre.
Tieing Wheat 4s 6d an acre.
Mowing & Tieing Barley 10s 6d an acre.
Mowing Beans 3s, Wisping 2s 6d.
Day work with ale, 4s 0d.
October 10th Changed 2 pigs 18 weeks old for 6 acres of grass keepi9ng & 13 acres of stubbling up to Christmas at Bates of Pertenhall. Have 25 sheep & 5 heifers there.
12th Took roan colt 2 years old to Bedford Fair but did not sell him. Me Ell of Goldington bid me
£30. 00 for him. I offered him at £35.
13th Put him to plough team, went well.
15th Finished ploughing for Winter Beans.
October 28th. Finished Winter Bean seeding had Mr Payne’s drill with 4 horses and 4 people. Had the rows 17 inches wide , 5 rows, 13 cog. I think we drilled over 3 acres, there is 5 acres. Began dibbing a week ago.
November 7th Began Wheat seeding. Drilled the New ground with the 28 cog. Golden Drop went in very fair, this was clover ley.
9th Drilled nearly 5 acres of Bean stubble with 26 cog. Golden Drop this was down the Lane, went in well although heavy. I think I have finished seeding.
14th began to thrash Barley with Ruff’s Machine had to stop because of rain.
December 28th I was bid £33. 10s for roan colt, 2 years off by Mr John Ell of Goldington. I offered him for £34 . 00.
1886.
February 4th Thrashed the first Wheat stack with Ruff’s machine had over 25 quarters. Charged £1. 7. 0. Thrashing 4 hours and chaff cutting 3. I went to Bedford Market & sold 9 qtrs of Golden Drop Wheat to Mr Hopper of Bedford for the small sum of 28s 6d a qtr.
17th Yelt pigged 9 pigs.
20th I went to Bedford Market & sold 8 qtrs of Wheat to Mr Newberry at 29s a qtr.
22nd Began Bean setting.
25th Began Lambing, black sheep with 3 lambs.
26th Roan heifer calved with cow calf.
March 9th Roan Cow calved with white cow calf by Thompsons bull.
12th Red heifer calved a red steer calf.
26th Finished Bean seeding. Give 5s.
April 15th Finished drilling Oats, have about 6 acres opposite Sharmans. Drilled white Oats with the 18 cog put on nearly 18 bushels, don’t know whether they will be thick enough. Grown by Mr Hipwell. That side towards Sharmans was tare land the other was root land. Have not sown any Barley this year. This has been a very bad year for seeding cannot get the land dry enough.
4th May 1886.
I went to sale at Odell & hired 14 acres 13 poles at 23s an acre on Hobbs Green Farm, not the best of swade.
6th began to stock it. Took Nag horse & 3 year old colt, 1 yearling Filly of Fathers and 2 sturks. 1 two year old Heifer of mine, two 1 ½ years old, steers and heifer 1 year old.
August 25th Sow pigged, 10 pigs.
26th Began cutting Wheat, one mower he says its so green enough to bust you.
September 18th Finished Harvest. Joseph Armstrong was my man and Ben with him.
Oats mowed and tied and dragged half. 5 acres 3 roods 9poles. 9s.- £2. 12. 4d.
Wheat Mowed tied and dragged. 5 acres 3 roods, at 9s 9d. £2. 16. 1 ½ d.
Beans. Winter Beans with Peas. 3s 6d. 2 acres, 1 rood, 9 poles - 8s. 1d.
Beans hooking. 3 acres 0 roods 16 poles at 10s. 6d. - £1. 11. 0.
B. (Ben) 6 ½ days at 1s 8d - 10s 10d.
Instead of ale. - 1s 9d.
J. (Joseph.) 4 ¾ days at 4s 0d. - 10s. 0d.
Total £7. 19. 1 ½ d
W. Woodward. 12s. 0d.
I give Joseph 2s 6d a day for thatching & dung carting. I think that what I hear that is more than times price.
The farthest furlong in the field down the Lane is 6 ½ acres.
October 9th Sowed about 3 roods of tares this on the first side of bottom field furlong down the Lane.
15th Began to plough Oat stubble for Wheat next to Sharman’s which is 5 acres 3 rood 9 poles. The first 2 days it rained most of the time.
22nd Began Wheat seeding this was next to the cartroad about 6 acres of tilthe & 2 acres of clover ley next to the Close. Drilled rivets with the 24 cog. Grown by G. Claridge.
27th Sold a 3 year Colt top Mr Bpwer of Riseley.
29th Black nosed heifer calved with a red steer calf which I think of weaning.
30th Sent 8 pigs, 8 ½ weeks old to Staffords Sale, which to my surprise only made 15s 6d each. These were very good pigs, left the 2 best at home sold 1 of them for 20s the same day.
November 8th. Finished drilling the 8 acres next to Thompsons Close this was Bean stubble had the 26 cog. Drilled Golden Drop Wheat grown by Mr Green of Cranfield. Drilled over 16 bushels.
9th Began to drill on the furlong next to Sharman’s, 26 cog, reddy red grown by Mr Green of Cranfield. Done comfortable but did not harrow it in until 13th was not near dry enough then.
16th Went to drill again after dinner, done bad.
19th Went to drill again did not do well this was the third time on 6 acres so finished seeding. Drilled about 22 acres all with the 26 cog. Drilled 23 bushels
1887.
February 14th. Joseph Armstrong dibbed a small piece of Wheat for me where it did not come thick enough this was opposite Sharman’s put in Golden Drop about ½ a days work, thought this would do for an experiment.
January 21st Stewarts Cow calved a steer calf.
February 4th Road cow calved a steer calf.
20th Red cow calved a heifer calf.
March 12th Sow pigged 10 pigs.1886. August 11th. I went to Woburn Park Farm Office to see Mr Woodford the Duke of Bedford’s Steward to ask for a farm situate in the Parish of Eversholt in the occupation of Thomas Godfrey containing about 120 acres. Mr Woodford told me he thought they would farm it themselves.
1887. February 1st. I went to Kimbolton to pay some bills. Mrs Sprague told me that Captain Dubery had some farms to let. I went from there to Gaines to see Mr Moulton the Steward to ask for one in the Parish of Great Staughton in the occupation of George Day which contains 171 acres some roods. Mr Moulton told me he had 3 or 4 applicants but should not let it until Spring. He then put down my name.
March 29th I wrote to Mr Macan of Elstow to apply for a farm belonging to Mr Lawrence Higgins. The farm is at Milton earnest, I think it contains about 100 acres.
May 16th I wrote to Mr H.R.J Swaffield of Ampthill to apply for the rectory farm which contains 167 acres at Cranfield.
May 18th I took train to Ridgmount Station. Mr Green of Cranfield met me a distance of 5 miles showed me over his farm & then we had dinner. After dinner Mr Green & Harry went to show me over the Rectory Farm on which there is 73 acres of ploughed land the remainder grass. I have not the offer of the farm although he gave me permission to walk over it as I was at Cranfield. I think there are 2 of the grass fields very inferior, 42 acres. I think two or three of the grass fields are very useful. Two of three sowed down to too long since which look to be a nice mixture. The Wheat crops do not look to my liking, a piece of Oats looked very well & part of the Clover looks good & part of it thin.. 22 acres for bare fallow rather foul. The Farm is not over foul. I don’t think I take to the farm so much as my friends the Greens do. At first sight.
16th Had Mr Stockers drill from Eaton to drill my New ground with Mangolds and Rabi’s had 10 cwt of Proctor and Rylands manure. I wanted the seed mixed but find it would have been better to have had it separate as we did not go over it all , had 6 lbs of Mangolds seed & 5 lb of Rabi. Drilled them on the flat rows 2 feet apart went in deep had not been rolled.
18th Harrowed it, thought it would pull some more twitch out.
19th Rolled it with a rim roll. Today I dibbed 8 rows next to the drill mark & dropt the manure in the holes for an experiment.
May 12th Finished Wheat hoeing give 3s an acre for 14 acres & 3s 6d an acre for 8 acres the first time was the best job. Today finished sowing the seeds , sowed 5acres 3 roods next to Sharmans, had 2 bushel of Italian Rye grass which is sowed first next to the gate. Had 70 lbs of best English red
Clover seed & 7 lbs of white lover seed mixed together. Wind blowed too much I’m afraid it will not come well.
May 31st 1887. White heifer calved a roan steer calf which I hope to wean.
September 10th Roan cow calved a heifer calf which I hope to wean
October 7th Spotted heifer calved a heifer calf which I hope to wean.6th I drove Mr Ben Hawkins to look at the Highway farm at Great Staughton which contains about 150 acres. Mr Moulton asked me 25s an acres. I thought the price too much. Mr Hawkins advised me not to bid. I hear since that John Hawkins took it at £1.
September 27th Drilled over 2 acres of tares next to the middle gate this Wheat stubble well manured had the 20 cog first 18 afterwards.
October 17th Finished setting Winter Beans had the rows 16 inches wide, Arthur Flute set them up next to the road. Give 6s an acre. Began Wheat seeding this was on the first furlong down the lane, about 5 acres. This was tilthe only ploughed once had 24 cog drilled Rivetts not dressed this was grown by Father at Brookend good wheat went in well.
October 22nd. Finished carting mangolds have some very fair ones. Have some very fair Rabi amongst them which I left with the intent of pulping them for the cows & fold the ewes to eat the beans. Begun to fold the ewes on the 17th the bit is 3 acres so I shall not finish seeding yet if I saw it all Wheat.
31st Thrashing and Chaff cutting a new of Wheat with Stapleton’s machine thrashed a stack of Rivetts too
November 25th Done well, Golden Drop Wheat. Harvest Day Work.
August 25th Charles, 1 day.
W. Woodward, ½ day.
27th C. Freeman, 1 day.
W. Woodward, 1 day.
Sept 1st. C. Freeman, 1 day.
2nd Do. 1 hour.
12th C. freeman. 1 day.
F. Woodward. 1 day.
13th C. freeman. 1 day.
T. Woodward. 1 day.
14th C Freeman. 2 hours.
End of 6th Book.