Reference
Z1850/1/11
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
1959
Production date
From: 1959 To: 1959
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: Usual party at night - family, Stewarts, Clows and J McClelland.
5 Jan: Vet came and de-horned 12 heifers.
9 Jan: Vet de-horned rest of heifers.
10 Jan: Women's Institute party.
11 Jan: Some frozen pipes and more snow in evening.
2 Feb: Got 2 loads of wood from Butlers Wood for stakes and fire wood.
11 Feb: Putting on slag - had to borrow spreader from Cell Park as ours is broken.
18 Feb: Alice expected home from Hamburg but delayed due to fog.
20 Feb: Alice arrived in London.
Memo after 22 Feb: Father in bed all week. Phoned for doctor but he didn't come.
23 Feb: Doctor came - father has bronchitis.
26 Feb: John died in hospital at Kirkcudbright.
Memo after 8 Mar: Father still in bed.
Note before 9 Mar: Denis gave notice.
14 Mar: Went to Ronnie McClelland's wedding [Ronald McClelland married Irene Watson]
Note above 23 Mar: R Thorne here to start repairs to roof.
28 Mar: Father at football.
30 Mar: Writer went out with Alice, Mary and Claude to Cambridge etc.
1 Apr: new muck spreader came.
Memo after 5 Apr: Denis finished up; new man not coming till Monday.
Memo after 12 Apr: Ken and Alice left on Thursday en route for Aberdeen.
25 Apr: Milking machine broke down; temproary repair carried out. New pump ordered.
1 May: Went to see Allens new house.
Memo after 10 May; Alice had a little boy on Wednesday
20 May: Away for holiday [returned 7 June].
Memo after 14 Jun: Very hot and dry - rain very badly needed.
15 Jun: Very hot and dry. Started to cut hay. Mangolds a failure.
22 Jun: Finished cutting hay.
Memo after 28 Jun: Much needed rain but spoilt last of baling.
3 Jul: Jim passed his driving test at Luton.
8 Jul: Finished hay.
23 Jul: Jim fell off roof and hurt his arm - went to hospital.
Memo after 26 Jul: With Jim off work tarring isn't finished.
30 Jul: Father left for Scotland with J McClelland [returned 10 August].
2 Aug: Went to Henley on Thames; good day.
14 Aug: Father got another combine from Olivers.
19 Aug: New man started.
Note above 24 Aug: Julie taken to hospital; little girl [Anne] born 25 Aug.
26 Aug: Father had slight accident with car.
30 Aug: Boy came for interview.
2 Sep: Went to Dunstable with Ken and Alice to buy curtain material.
13 Sep: Andy took water out to cattle.
Memo after 13 Sep: Rain very desperately needed as everywhere dry and parched.
21 Sep: Started lifting potatoes; fairly good crop but a lot of green ones.
24 Sep: Writer went into hosptial [writing in diary changes]
10 Oct: Heifer calved, vet here; dead calf.
12 Oct: Writer home from hospital.
19 Oct: Letter to say John not returning.
21 Oct: Went to hospital and had plaster off, but wound not healed up.
Memo after 25 Oct: John leaving so quickly has upset routine. 'My foot not healing up.'
13 Nov: Young vet here to calf cow with twins; one dead.
15 Nov: New boy, Roger [farm hand] arrived in evening.
18 Nov: Writer went on holiday [writing in diary changes]. Returned 26 Nov.
26 Nov: George Best gave notice.
28 Nov: G Mitchell gave notice.
7 Dec: Fox killed hens. Wall fell in cottage garden. George Mitchell left.
8 Dec: Father at Smithfield. Vet to cows that had twins.
17 Dec: father at Hertford with 2 cows; got a good price.
Memo after 27 Dec: George best left on Wednesday and Roger walked out also.
30 Dec: Peter Taylor came and started in afternoon.
Level of description
item