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.]
John Bayliff Bowman is fourth from the left in the photo below ...
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.]
John Bayliff Bowman is fourth from the left in the photo below ...
A Farm Journal continues :~
1 - 1st Fine
2 - 2 Windy & showery but no frost
4 - 4 Ditto Self & Wm & Eliz[abe]th to Matlock M[onthly] M[eetin]g & home again pleasant visit dined [word could not be deciphered] Worralls [or is it Morralls ?]
5 - 5 Very thundery day hail storms frequently ground white over
6 - 6 Very sharp frost & snow fine bright day put tups to ewes & thieves 201 & 15 lambs to tup foddered heifers in intake etc barren cows from Cales & incalves to Cales began to give cake etc & sent 3 doz[en ?] of milk to Manchester with Eben's lot
7 - 7 More snow very frosty bright day cake from P[arsley] Hay
1 - 8 Ditto
2 - 9 Milder B[akewe]ll market things low - took 20 sturks & 11 bullocks to Wm's at Middleton [6 of Wms sturks also] to Mansfield
3 - 10 Fine day milder & snow gone beasts started at midnight - self off by 9 o'clock train to Ambergate & then on to Alfreton - found beasts had gone on so took a gig & caught them a little on this side Sutton all right - got a glass of beer & then walked on with them - parted in Sutton - one lot for Millns of Lindhurst & 20 sturks to Warsop Sam[ue]l Davy's - all right - stayed all night & on to Lindhurst in morn[in]g to look beasts & then home
5 - 12 Fine & mild - spread[in]g lime - plough[in]g etc began to cut weeds - I have 1st prize for Swedes
Did the beasts walk all the way to Sutton [in Ashfield ?]. It rather sounds that way. Imagine a herd of cows being driven through the night. How many beasts were there ? Presumably 37 in view of the 9th November entry. How many men looked after them on the way ?
The next entry covers the 13th to the 20th November 1868.
I wonder if they had drovers to take the cattle,it is quite a walk for them I wouldn't fancy doing that at night. Ist prize for swede, what would he entered for that.Ann
ReplyDeleteI wondered about this too. He had men working for him obviously but I assume they must have needed a handful of people to keep the cattle in check. As you say it's quite a distance thought they wouldn't have to worry about traffic.
DeleteI wonder if they were armed ? I think I would have been.
What competition do you mean ... as regards the swedes ?
Exactly what I was going to say - that's what you had drovers for, in those days. I guess they had to start at night in order to save time. The poor old cattle must've been worn out when they arrived at their destinations!
ReplyDeleteDrovers usually travelled good distances though didn't they. By this time I wonder if their 'trade' was beginning to dwindle what with trains etc. I should think Monyash to Mansfield/Sutton in Ashfield must be what 25 miles ... and then to travel on to Lindhurst. In fact I see Lindhurst is just south of Mansfield.
DeleteHere now days the "beasts" don't even get a chance to walk, they are kept inside and they don't have enough space to turn around, at least those were having a chance to breath fresh air and exercise, I guess they were happy and healthy to compare.
ReplyDeleteThat's right Diane. They don't move much ~ rather sad isn't it [to put it mildly].
DeleteCharlie he said on 5-12 I have 1st prize for Swedes.Ann
ReplyDeleteHe always refers to swedes doesn't he rather than turnips and mangolds.
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