Reference
Z1850/1/9
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
1957
Production date
From: 1957 To: 1957
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:
1 Jan: Party in evening.
12 Jan: Denis off as hurt knee [returned 17 Jan].
13 Jan: Paddy again late for milking.
17 Jan: Large beech tree down in Chamberlain field.
Memo after 20 Jan: Cows having kale outside each day - kale lasting out very well.
22 Jan: Last of kale cut. Mardel here to plough.
25 Jan: Ponies arrives this morning.
Memo after 27 Jan: Kale finished - now feeding mangolds instead.
28 Jan: T.T. testing by vet.
31 Jan: Last of T.T. testing by vet.
4 Feb: Two heifers to St. Albans, good price.
18 Feb: James gave notice.
27 Feb: Riddling potatoes.
3 Mar: Busy day - only Denis here.
5 Mar: Father and Bobby at Leighton Buzzard about new combine. Had vet at night to calve small heifer - heifer calf.
10 Mar: Jim Paterson arrived in afternoon.
15 Mar: Men here to put on lime.
Memo after 17 Mar: Got on better this week because Jim here, but no applicants for job.
Note above 18 Mar: New man [Andy?] and son started Wednesday.
20 Mar: J Nicol's funeral
Memo below 7 Apr: All crops in and grass seed on - cows out until milking time.
28 Apr: Alice and Ken here - got engaged. [Daughter Alice McClelland engaged to Kenneth Sargison].
Memo below 5 May: Rain very desperately needed but no signs of it.
23 May: Frank here all day to spray crops.
27 May: [Handwriting changes - Holiday to Scotland 28 May, return 12 June]
21 June: Bobby baled all day and had bad hay fever - so much dust.
Note above 28 Jun: Very hot - 89 in shade.
11 Jul: Father and Bobby left for Scotland. Senior [vet] out to heifer; diffucult case; heifer calf died.
15 Jul: Vet here again and heifer had t go to slaughter. Jim started to tar buildings.
18 Jul: Father and Bobby returned.
Memo after 21 Jul: Have had a lot of rain with thunder. This has greatly helped roots and grass.
23 Jul: Got 56 chickens.
24 Jul: Got 44 chickens.
Memo after 28 Jul: Have too much rain now - need sun to ripen the grain. Roots looking well.
3 Aug: Started to combine.
Memo after 18 Aug: Weather very bad; no harvest for over a week. Grain getting over ripe.
24 Aug: Finished harvest at Munden.
30 Aug: Oats a poor crop but wheat much better.
14 Sep: Alice home for Ken to phone from Germany.
16 Sep: Vet came to inject calves for husk.
19 Sep: Bobby and Julie at Jack Spiers wedding.
20 Sep: Father and Bobby at sale at Ampthill - bought four wheeled trailer and seed drill.
21 Sep: Father at football.
4 Oct: Men started potatoes - not much of a crop.
6 Oct: Harvest festival at church.
21 Oct: Everybody at mangolds. In bed with cold - Alice kept house.
26 Oct: Finished drilling.
9 Nov: Joan Bayley married.
Note above 11 Nov: Cow with blind eye dead.
14 Nov: Iain has little brother [Andrew McClelland, son of Robert and Julie]
17 Nov: Ken, Alice and I at church - Mr Blackledge's last evening service.
Memo below 17 Nov: Paddy left to go to Rose Garden - Father got him job.
3 Dec: Father and Bobby to Smithfield Show.
17 Dec: Father at watford fat stock show.
26 Dec: Father at football.
Level of description
item