Reference
Z1850/1/2
Title
Farm diary relating to Manor Farm Studham. Handwriting changes, but believed to have been written by Thomas McCelland and his son Robert, and possibly others.
[Note: writer refers to husband as 'father']
Date free text
1950
Production date
From: 1950 To: 1950
Scope and Content
Daily entries include observations on the weather, jobs undertaken on the farm (muck spreading, taking out dung, ploughing, thrashing, grinding oats, barley & wheat, spreading phosphates, planting mangel wurzels and potatoes, hedging, work on cow shed, harrowing, drilling, rolling, fencing, cutting hay, harvesting). Gallons of milk and number of eggs recorded. Social events, visitors, illnesses of family, employees and friends. Young Farmers Club events.
Also includes:
8 Jan: Stewart up to ferret the rabbits.
12 Jan: At Clow's party - very big affair.
16 Jan: Rat man here.
20 Jan: Very cold and hard frost - put young cattle indoors.
26 Jan: Hens doing very badly.
Memo: The frost has lasted 2 weeks and it has been very cold.
2 Feb: No telephone.
Memo: Worst week for a long time, some snow, ice and torrential rain. Work at a standstill.
10 Feb: Ducks started to lay.
18 Feb: Mr Callender and friend came to shoot.
20 Feb: Both men gave notice.
23 Feb: Sat up for election results.
2 Mar: Derrick at hospital with hand.
6 Mar: Father at Luton with bull - lot of trouble owing to foot & mouth in district.
9 Mar: Man came from Kensworth for interview.
19 Mar: Went to chapel in evening.
27 Mar: Gave Martin notice.
11 Apr: Mr Mackie in hospital.
14 Apr: Police up after Martin.
Memo: Weather has been so wet that the root crop has not been got in and work has been held up generally.
5 May: Finished root crop.
9 May: Still wet and nothing can be done in fields.
10 May: Went to London to see 'Brigadoon'
19 May: Bobby [Robert] departed on foreign holiday.
21 May; Terrible thunderstorm.
4 Jun: Bobby home.
5 Jun: Very hot - some sour milk.
9 Jun: Horn gave notice - very upsetting.
10 Jun: Bobby to Royal Tournament.
17 Jun: Bobby away to Caldeonian games.
19 Jun: Horn gave notice again.
Memo: Weather very disappointing and no progress made with hay; men doing odd jobs and hoeing.
4 Jul: Bobby away to Royal Show.
9 Jul: Thunderstorm at 10.30pm and rain lashing down. Hay all spolit again, Very disappointing.
11 Jul: Cows down a lot but some now dry.
14 Jul: Bedford Show. Poor show - not many Ayreshires and very few people.
22 Jul: Bobby away at Young Farmers Club camp supper and barn dance.
7 Aug: Silver Wedding of Thomas and Anne McClelland.
8 Aug: Started to cut; Mary driving tractor.
20 Aug/Memo: Sound progress with harvest, but a lot of time lost owing to rain. Things very backward and begining to look serious.
3 Sep/Memo: The wettest week since we have been at Manor Farm.
10 Sep/Memo: Worst harvest week so far; worried about loss etc. forecast not encouraging.
24 Sep; Harvest thankgiving in Chapel - did not manage to go.
28 Sep: Mary cut first of kale.
1 Oct/Memo: The weather hasn't improved much and harvest now hopeless.
13 Oct: Little helper calf dead.
16 Oct: Miss Wood here to take samples of milk.
11 Nov: Mr Senior came to inject rest of cattle to test.
13 Nov; Vet testing most of day.
21 Nov: The wettest night since arriving at Manor Farm.
4 Dec: Young cattle all in.
5 Dec: Hard frost and water frozen.
12 Dec: Mary and writer went shoppoing to London.
16 Dec: Spent all day thawing pipes and feeding cattle. More snow.
17 Dec/Memo: The worst week since coming to England and equal to any snow in Scotland.
29 Dec; Water all frozen again.
31 Dec: Brough in new year. Good programmes on television.
Level of description
item