Reference
Z1850/1/20
Title
Farm diary relating to Manor Farm Studham. Believed to have been written mainly by Mary Gladman [nee McClelland]
Date free text
1968
Production date
From: 1968 To: 1968
Scope and Content
Daily entries include observations on the weather and jobs undertaken at Manor Farm:
- Usual jobs on the farm such as ploughing, harrowing, drilling, weeding, fertilising, planting mangolds and potatoes, fencing, cutting hay, harvesting, baling, etc.
- Cattle: calving, milking, feeding, when out in fields, vet visits for T.T. tests and emergencies, taking cows to market (ususally at St. Albans on a Wednesday). Some days note the milk yield for the day.
- Agricultural machinery; purchase and repairs, using Olivers Agricultural Machinery.
- Family and social events such as visits from family and friends, illnesses of family, employees and friends, marriages and funerals.
- Visits to local towns for shopping, banking, and other events.
Also includes:
1 Jan: Vet out to cow with milk fever at 6.30am.
9 Jan: Heavy snow drifts blocked roads. A.W. could not get to farm. No electricity until 8pm. Milk lorry arrived at 1 o'clock. Snow very deep in places.
Note above 11 Jan: Carole not at school since Tuesday - no coach.
13 Jan: Snow most of morning then started to thaw.
10 Feb: No electricity for evening milking.
13 Feb: T.T. test.
16 Feb: T.T. test reading - all clear.
20 Feb: Bought caravan at Letchworth.
1 Mar: Fetched caravan.
2 Mar: Eddie moved to caravan.
14 Mar: NFU dance.
15 Mar: Very cold again - wild sleet and snow showers.
21 Apr: Cows on tetraploid for first time.
26 Apr: Cows out at night.
30 Apr: ICI fertiliser rep visited.
4 May: Eddie married - all went to wedding.
10 May: Electricity connected to caravan.
13 May: Dehorned calves.
18 May: E Butts wedding [Elizabeth Butt married John Williams].
25 May: May Fair.
29 May: Going on holiday [change of handwriting]
7 Jun: Returned from holiday.
25 Jun: Claude and Bobby went to Olivers to buy new tractor.
26 Jun: Went with mother to buy headstone.
28 Jun: Alasdair went camping.
Note after 13 July: Very disappointing week again. No hay making and it is now spoiled.
18 Jul: Moved fallen tree.
24 Jul: Builders arrived to milking parlour. Micky Foskett and J Wright's funeral.
Note below 3 Aug: Very disappointing. Cold miserable weather for 2 weeks now.
10 Aug: Claude took Alasdair to fishing competition.
12 Aug: Builders start after 2 weeks.
13 Aug: Went to see 'The Sound of Music'
Note after 17 Aug: Disappointing week with heavy rainfall. No sign of harvest work.
29 Aug: Alice and Anne home from Germany.
6 Sep: Went to see 'South Pacific'.
22 Sep: Chapel harvest festival.
24 Sep: Bulk tank arrived.
30 Sep: Alasdair's 10th birthday.
6 Oct: Church harvest festival.
10 Oct: Bulk tank inspector came.
21 Oct: Alfa Laval fitters here.
23 Oct: Builders finished.
30 Oct: Started milking in [new] parlour.
31 Oct: Plumber came to finish in dairy and parlour.
2 Nov: Ken, Alice and family at Common Road. [Alice Sargison, nee McClelland and family].
3 Nov: Alice and family went back.
23 Nov: Carole's birthday.
30 Nov: Chapel Bazaar.
7 Dec: Studham School fete.
13 Dec: Peter Baker came for interview.
15 Dec: Peter Baker arrived.
25 Dec: Plenty of snow then sleet. Red cow calved.
29 Dec: Burst pipe.
30: Dec: Sunday school outing for children - went to Watford.
31 Dec: Went t Leighton new yeat dance.
Level of description
item