Reference
Z1850/1/14
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
1962
Production date
From: 1962 To: 1962
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, taking cows to market, etc.). Mentions social events, visits and visitors, illnesses of family, employees and friends. Trips to London, Luton, St. Albans, Bedford, Hemel Hempstead and other places for shopping, banking, and other events.
Also includes:
1 Jan: Hard frost and heavy snow. Hard day getting milk away - took to Luton.
2 Jan: Phone repaired at last. Milk taken to Markyate.
3 Jan & 4 Jan: Milk to Markyate again.
5 Jan: Milkman got here.
6 Jan: Another thaw; now water everywhere.
Note above 28 Jan: Pete gave notice.
28 Jan: Paul arrived to work here.
30 Jan: T.T. tests.
6 Feb: Man came after job and looked at cottage.
Note after 10 Feb: 'After keeping Peter so long and so useless he left in end.'
16 Feb: Awful gale all over the country.
23 Feb: Sweep here to do two chimneys.
3 Mar: Man came for interview.
Note after 3 Mar: Very wintery weather all week and nothing much being done.
5 Mar: Len started work. Busy day getting cottage ready for him.
Note above 15 Mar: 'Tom Adair died 14 Mar.'
23 Mar: Started to drill barley.
Note above 25 Mar: Finished drilling 27 March.
1 Apr: Severe snowstorm at night.
4 Apr: Boy came for interview.
6 Apr: At Luton to sort out PAYE for end of year.
8 Apr: Thunder and lightning and no electricity - finished milking at 8pm.
13 Apr: Father and Claude at implement sale at Redbourn.
Note above 19 Apr: Feeding for cows very difficult now and grains very scarce.
Note above 26 Apr: Paul left Saturday 28 April.
30 Apr: New tractor arrived.
1 May: New boy [Michael] arrived.
7 May: Cows out.
11 May: Claude putting grass seed on Bell field but stopped by severe hail which lasted an hour.
17 May: Hertfordshire Show; all went except Len and boy. Good day but very cold.
28 May: Change in handwriting - writer away [returned 14 June].
3 Jun: Alec Rose went back to Africa.
6 Jun: Larkspur won the Derby.
7 Jun: Mr Weall and partner visited to look at house and buildings.
Note above 17 Jun: Mr Weall and builder here to see about repairs to shed and dwelling house.
18 Jun: Len left.
Note above 5 Jul: Finished baling for 1962.
5 Jul: Father and Claude at Hereford with dairy cow; no trade - home early.
9 Jul: Finished carting bales.
13 Jul: Bedford Show.14 Jul: Torrential rain and flooding.
22 Jul: Father left at 5.15am to go to Stranraer with J McClelland and Co.
2 Aug: Brick silo giving a lot of trouble; cracks everywhere.
3 Aug: Father & Co. returned from Scotland very late.
16 Aug: Claude, Mary and family away to Clacton.
22 Aug: Italian started work.
Note below 25 Aug: At last got started combining oats.
4 Sep: Got 30 pullets from Munden.
Note below 15 Sep: Very bad harvest weather and no progress made.
Note above 16 Sep: Extra good crop of wheat in Millpost.
Note above 23 Sep: Finished all combining Mon 23 Sep.
27 Sep: Took 4 loads of wheat to Clow's to dry.
7 Oct: Harvest festival.
15 Oct: Daisy died.
Note below 27 Oct: Weather broke before we finished last of drilling.
29 Oct: Had children from village to pick potatoes.
6 Nov: Finished mangolds; ready to cart in but too wet.
9 Nov: Fordson has front whee puncture in field. Held up mangolds.
Note below 10 Nov: First of young cattle home from Munden.
12 Nov: Cows in for first time.
14 Nov: Finished mangold clamp and got it covered.
20 Nov: Heavy snow in evening.
Note below 24 Nov: All animals outside have now to be fed; earliest ever.
16 Dec: Power cut due to branches on wires.
30 Dec: Awful snow storm.
31 Dec. Vet here for bad calving.
Level of description
item