Reference
Z1850/1/8
Title
Farm diary relating to Manor Farm Studham. Believed to have been written mainly by Anne McClelland, but some entries in other handwriting when writer on holiday.
[Note: writer refers to husband as 'father']
Date free text
1956
Production date
From: 1956 To: 1956
Scope and Content
Daily entries include observations on the weather and jobs undertaken at Manor Farm and at Munden (muck spreading, taking out dung, ploughing, thrashing, grinding oats, barley & wheat, planting mangel wurzels and potatoes, hedging, fencing, harrowing, drilling, rolling, fencing, cutting hay, harvesting, agricultural machinery repairs, vet visits, cattle etc.). Mentions social events, visits and visitors, illnesses of family, employees and friends. Trips to London, Luton, Bedford, Hemel Hempstead and other places for shopping, banking, and other events.
Also includes:
Memo below 1 Jan: Bruce gave notice.
2 Jan. Don left [farm] cottage. Had party at night.
5 Jan: Buswell came to se house etc.
7 Jan: Harold's daughter married in afternoon.
9 Jan: Snowed up this morning.
12 Jan: Women's institute party.
15 Jan: Buswell started.
27 Jan: Vet came to do T.T. test; might have 2 re-tests.
1 Feb: Did not get milking started till 6.45 as everything frozen.
2 Feb: Burst pipe in bathroom.
6 Feb: J Nash came to mend bursts.
10 Feb: Frozen up and no water to cool milk. Busy thawing pipes.
Memo after 12 Feb: A very wintery spell. Snow and ice have held up everything but what is really necessary.
13 Feb: A fox took 3 chickens.
1 Mar: Contractor did not come to put on slag because of wind.
Memo after 4 Mar: Harold gave notice.
Note above 5 Mar: Buswell gave notice.
Note above 12 Mar: Buswell left. Good Job.
14 Mar: Woman here to help clean in house.
29 Mar: Joe and Cis came for holiday.
6 Apr: All corn drilled.
18 Apr: Mardel came and finished planting potatoes.
6 May: Cows out for first time last night.
9 May: Father at Hemel [Hempstead] about new car.
12 May: Rain badly needed.
15 May: New car came.
17 May: Father and Alice at Hertfordshire Show.
27 May: went on holiday [returned 12 June]
24 Jun: Hurt toe - tramped on wood with nail in it.
Note above 29 Jun: Started to cut hay.
13 Jul: Father at Bedford Show.
16 Jul: Worst rain for years in aftrnoon.
24 Jul: Finished baling.
4 Aug: John, Father and Bobby went to London to see Alice off to Cornwall [Returned 11 Aug}.
6 Aug: Father went to Hemel to judge horse turn-outs with Bobby.
8 Aug: Father and Bobby left for Scotland. [Returned 15 Aug].
14 Aug; James cut weeds on go slow policy.
26 Aug: Thunderstorms and hail - everywhere flooded. Electricity off.
4 Sep: Cow in back byre died.
17 Sep: Finished harvest at Munden.
20 Sep: Lovely day, but no progress as combine broke down.
24 Sep: Combine broke down in afternoon; Bobby had to go to Aylesbury for new wheel.
25 Sep: Combine broke down completely.
27 Sep: Took combine to Browns.
29 Sep: Had two combines working all day until 7.00pm.
30 Sep: Finished combining at 5.00pm.
4 Oct: Paddy at hospital.
7 Oct: Harvest festival.
15 Oct: Tooley came for wheat.
18 Oct: John called daway as his father is ill.
Memo after 21 Oct: Work held up again because John away - James no help.
Note before 22 Oct: John phoned ot say his father died and he has to go home.
25 Oct: Father, Claude and Bobby at Dairy and Motor shows.
26 Oct: Part exchange tractor for a new one.
27 Oct: John came back.
10 Nov: John left in evening.
Memo after 11 Nov: Very sorry to lose John.
24 Nov: Man and wife came for interview in afternoon - decided to come.
25 Nov: Cows got out in afternoon and very late with milking.
30 Nov: Had to go to Luton for petrol coupons. [Petrol coupons were issued in Britain in 1956 as a result of the Suez Crisis.]
2 Dec: Got on just as well without James.
4 Dec: Father at Smithfield show.
9 Dec: Green here cutting holly.
10 Dec: de-horned some calves.
16 Dec: Kept cows in at night for first time.
20 Dec: Claude cut hole in barn floor to get Susan out [note at top of page 'Susan had pups below barn floor']
23 Dec: No electricity, had to fit engine and didn't finish till 8.30pm.
25 Dec: A white Christmas and hard frost.
Level of description
item