A Farm Journal ~ from the 16th to the 31st March 1869 ...

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 ...

 

 A Farm Journal continues :~

 

3 - 16 Stormy 4d Fine to Middleton for some boards met Father & R.A. also Maria & Bertie there

 

4 - 17 Stormy

 

5 - 18 Fine frosty Cotton cake to Cales chopped at Cales etc

 

6 - 19 very stormy snow[e]d heavy W.N.E. Jesse to Millers Dale for Lime ers [those who work with lime ?] for mear at S.H. Richard Clulow doing it over with lime under pitchings on Clay - grains to Cales

 

7 - 20 Fine bright day W.N.E. snow most gone by noon Cheese off to G.Baker 22 Cwt seeds up from Jos. 3 Bar[ren ?] Cows to Elton sold  Luke Headfield £42 - Robt. Heathcote here doing gigs

 

1 - 21 Fine

 

2 - 22 Fine frosty grinding Indian corn at Cales etc. self to Nott[ingha]m even[in]g

 

3 - 23 Fine but cold N.E. winds to Warsop to look sturks doing pretty well

 

4 - 24 at Nott[ingha]m Fine do  [or perhaps ditto ?]

 

5 - 25 Fine but cold N.E. Wind to Matlock Bridge met hogs coming home - gig to meet me took 3 up in gig. Wm. Hadfield brought rest poorish

 

6 - 26 Ditto Ditto grinding Indian corn etc at Cales - harrow[e]d ley at S.H.

 

7 - 27 Very frosty & snow on gr[oun]d things doing mid - very severe [next word indecipherable]

 

1 - 28 gr[oun]d cov[ere]d snow thunderd [sic]

 

2 - 29 Snow gone Fine day B[akewe]] Fair many beasts rather dull owing to scarcity of fodder cheese 70/- to 80/-

 

3 - 30 Fine Slack in to chop S.H. Sheep on from Cales for Lambing began to sit up

 

4 - 31 Fine days frosty nights