A Farm Journal ~ from the 16th to the 29th November 1866

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had 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.]

"A Farm Journal" continues :~

6 - 16 very wet day home in dog cart & horse bo[ugh]t at Nott[ingha]m with Joanna - arrived safe at home almost perished with wet & cold - found all well

7 - 17 Very sharp frost all day - plough[in]g - cutting swedes off when fit etc Cows lie out yet - have a bit of hay night & morn[in]g - & turnips in day

1st day 18 Stormy morn[in]g fine aft[ernoo]n

2 - 19 Fine & frosty

3 - 20 Ditto - S.A., Joanna & I to B[akewe]ll & Ashford to dine & tea

4 - 21 Ditto - S.A. & Joanna to Rowsley to meet Sam but alas there was a message for J. to return to N - to bairns badly - S.A. ret[urne]d alone

5 - 22 Fine but dull

6 - 23 Very showery day self to Middleton met Father & W[illia]m & Lizzy & Brownson looked over the farm & valued most things - satisfactorily - 11 ac[res] of turnips & swedes - seeds on moor 15 ac[res] look very promising - corn pretty good but weathered - hay ditto part weathered but not spoiled 

7 - 23 Dull & mizzly at times - finish[e]d cut[tin]g & carting swedes at S.H. cutt[in]g off in Waterholes & pi[tin]g corn [next word not clear] at S.H. - Cows have turnips in the field & hay night & morn[in]g - lie out

1 - 24 Very stormy

2 - 25 Fine day bro[ther] W[illia]m came up from B[akewell]

3 - 26 Fine day W[illia]m & Eben[ezer] & self to Alsop in Dale to sale of Mrs. Buxtons [sic]  bo[ugh]t 5 cows 2 heifers & bull calf & 35 ewes @ 51/- 6 cows of Jos[eph] Kirkam £14 10/- - home -

4 - 27 Fine & frosty

5 - 28 Fine but cold S.E. wind - to Staden Farm sale of the late W.Wood of Eagle Hotel Buxton - bo[ugh]t 4 heifers

6 - 29 Fine to Buxton to Eagle Hotel sale bo[ugh]t 55 ewes 50/- about Grey Horse £12 & bay mare £24 10/- rising 7 years each - bro[ther] W[illia]m at Middleton valuation

There was no entry for the last day of November 1866