Reference
Z1850/1/15
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
1963
Production date
From: 1963 To: 1963
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: Roads blocked [snow]; had to take milk ot Markyate.
3 Jan: More snow than freezing rain. Phone out of order.
10 Jan: No improvement in weather. Everyone busy thawing water and feeding cattle.
12 Jan: No water anywhere except kitchen.
15 Jan: Started to feed mangolds [to cattle].
17 Jan: Frost harden than before and no water.
Note above 20 Jan: Had to postpone T.T. test.
20 Jan: Heavy fall of snow.
21 Jan: Roads all open by late afternoon. Still no buses.
24 Jan: Black fog makes it even worse.
26 Jan: Power cut; no electricity for morning milking.
Note below 26 Jan: Marian Cooper came for a job on Wednesday [Started Monday 27 Jan].
28 Jan: Slow thaw.
29 Jan: Snowed all day with big flakes.
1 Feb: Claude and Mary at British Legion dinner.
Note above 7 Feb: Very slow thaw started Wednesday night.
12 Feb: T.T. testing.
14 Feb: Man came for interview.
Note after 16 Feb: T.T. Test; 175 animals all clear. Gave Michael notice.
17 Feb: Boy came for interview from Oxford.
18 Feb: More snow and hard frost.
23 Feb: Michael left.
Note after 23 Feb: No improvement in weather; no progress with work outside. Father got out several times [had been ill]
Note before 3 Mar: Getting water to animals means a lot of extra work.
4 Mar: Thaw started in ernest.
6 Mar: Most of snow gone after 12 weeks of snow and hard frosts.
8 Mar: Claude started ploughing.
11 Mar: Much milder night; water came on at long last. - burst in wood field.
Note after 23 Mar: Fields drying up and hope to get on with proper field work.
27 Mar: All went to Munden - Iain's birthday.
Note after 30 Mar: Rain every day this week and no signs of any field work getting done.
31 Mar: Alasdair [Gladman] and Anne [McClelland] have what looks like German measles.
5 Apr: Heavy sleet all day.
8 Apr: Winter oats had to be re-sowed.
9 Apr: Writer to Aberdeen [returned 23 Apr] Handwriting changes.
25 Apr: Finished drilling. Fordson tractor giving trouble.
Note above 2 May: Cows out for first time on Saturday night.
2 May: New tractor arrived.
10 May: Could not plant potatoes as too wet.
13 May: Got potatoes planted.
16 May: Hertfordshire Show at Friar's Wash - lovely day and a good show.
29 May: Had sweep to do three chimneys.
Note above 30 May: Claude on holiday; relief milkman [till 8 June].
31 May: Claude and family left for holiday. Alf here to spray crops.
3 Jun: Black cow came in blown and vet had to open her. Worked.
6 Jun: Aunt Bessie died; heart condition.
12 Jun: Started to cut hay.
17 Jun: Marian back to work [after 11 weeks]
Note above 20 June: Milk didn't pass.
Note above 11 Jul: Stable loft collapsed, sone sacks of oats came down.
Note below 13 Jul: Showers every day has held up hay work.
14 Jul: All hay now cut.
15 Jul: New bale loader arrived.
16 Jul: Father at Peterborough show.
20 Jul: Finished baling hay.
27 Jul: Young man came for interview.
Note above 28 Jul: First dry warm spell this summer.
29 Jul: Gave Marion notice as boy starting.
Note after 3 Aug: The good weather finished up with very heavy rain for the holiday weekend.
Note above 4 Aug: Eric Hawkins started Tuesday.
6 Aug: Father left early for Stranraer.
7 Aug: Jim came for his cards as he has another job.
Note above 8 Aug: Andrew Ferguson started Thursday morning.
Note below 10 Aug: Jim got weeks notice and did not come back.
15 Aug: Second cut hay all cut and baled.
Note below 24 Aug: No harvest weather so far and now it is really serious.
28 Aug: Aunt Anna and Mother went to Scotland [change in handwriting]
9 Sep: Started to combine.
19 Aug: Finished combinig wheat; now just barley to do, which may be difficult as it is lying.
3 Oct: Took wheat to Clow's to dry.
4 Oct: Got last of wheat home.
11 Oct: Finished last of combining.
18 Oct: New bull arrived.
22 Oct: Lifted first load of potatoes.
31 Oct: Father at Hertford Sale - Bobby selling 3 cows.
Note below 2 Nov: All drilling finished 29 Oct.
6 Nov: Six barren heifers to St. Albans; got good price.
9 Nov: Eric gave notice; very disappointing.
13 Nov: Cows lying in for first time.
18 Nov: Wettest day for years; roads flooded.
21 Nov: Some sleet, wild showers all day and wind at gale force.
Note below 23 Nov: Wettest time for a long time, floods all over the country and gale force winds. No outside work.
30 Nov: Chapel sale in afternoon,Iain here for weekend as Andrew in hospital having his tonsils out.
4 Dec: Vet here to inject cow's foot - got rusty nail in it.
14 Dec: Slight fall of snow.
Note after 14 Dec: Cows started to calf now.
15 Dec: Keen frost and bitterly cold.
18 Dec: Father out first time for a week.
Note above 19 Dec: new Land Rover came on Thursday.
25 Dec: Very wet forenoon, but dry in afternoon. Everyone here for dinner.
Level of description
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