Monday 30 September 2013

A Farm Journal ~ 1st February 1870 to 2nd March 1870

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby, until the end of January 1870 when he moved to Sandycroft Farm, Queensferry, Flintshire.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had rented three farms, One Ash Grange [which John Bayliff Bowman often referred to as O.A.], Cales and Summer Hill [which he usually referred to as S.Hill or S.H.]

John Bayliff Bowman is fourth from the left in the photo below ...
 
The Bowman family

 A Farm Journal continues :~
 
4 - 1st 2nd Mo[nth[ 1870 self worse sick all day - at night had to send for Dr. Moffat of Hawarden who reported Scarlet fever so I was booked for a season of bed - had the fever mildly & went on satisfactorily
 
7 - 4th Jesse went home again the men on the farm are plough[in]g or lead[in]g manure
 
15th I was well enough to get dress[e]d & be in the room upstairs - in another week I managed to get down stairs
 
23rd I went out for a walk 1st time & next day 5th day 24th bro[ther] W[illia]m came - was very pleased to see him - he looked round & saw about things I think nothing has gone much wrong - helped to put my a/c right
 
7 - 26 Fine bro[ther] W[illia]m left - he would call at Ashford & see F & M
 
1 - 27 to 4 day 2nd of 3 Mo[nth] - fine up to 4th day - wet - had been working land for beans & lints - 4 wet day no work on land - S.A. & Lucy Ann to Chester to shop etc - expected bro[ther] Eben[ezer] but not come - I did not get out today as it was wet - only have 1 lamb yet - the engine broke down but they are getting it mended at the works - it is a great convenience having being so near a smiths shop 

16 comments:

  1. Not a good start to life at his new home, what with a bout of scarlet fever and poor weather!!

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    1. It must have been very frustrating for him and worrying.

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  2. What a dreadful start for him,it must have been very frustrating as I'm sure he was keen to start on his new farm,Jesse would be a good help at that time.Ann

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    1. He must have been really poorly to stop working ~ he was obviously a very conscientious person.

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  3. Poor guy he is sick the weather is bad and the engine broke down. :(

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    1. I wonder if he had any doubts as to what he had done ... and why did he move ?

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    2. Is there anything in his journal explaining why he moved?

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    3. Not so far Diane. I include everything that he wrote but it's always possible he may reveal more in due course.

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  4. I wonder how expensive it was to get the doctor? He must have felt miserable, but he had a good attitude ...

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    1. I don't know how much the doctor would have charged but at least he was able to afford it. It must have been strange ~ the means of communication back then were so limited but they knew nothing else.

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  5. Almost always in farming they moved to bigger better farms with better land so being able to keep more stock.

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    1. It will be interesting to see whether we learn any more from JBB ...

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  6. I thought Scarlett Fever was a children's disease and we seldom hear of it now. It was supposed to cause some heart problems if not pampered. Then I wonder about A/C as I know that would not mean Air Conditioning as it does now in a advertisement for house sale or rent.

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    1. Yes, I tended to think of scarlet fever as being a youngster's disease too. Mind you my father had measles when he was in his 30s. I suppose if you didn't catch these diseases when you were younger there was nothing to stop you getting them when you were older.

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  7. A/c would be short for account.
    JKG

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    1. Yes, A/C would represent account in this context.

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