A Farm Journal ~ October 1867

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.]

In this photo John is fourth from the left. My great great grandparents, Ebenezer and Hannah Bowman, are the third and fourth adults from the right. John and Ebenezer were brothers and their parents are the elderly couple in the middle, Henry and Mary Bowman.

"A Farm Journal"continues :~

1 of 10 Mo[nth] Fine finish[e]d corn cutting dipped ewes & lambs

4 day 2nd Fair morn[in]g wet aft[ernoo]n - self to Ashford last night & on to Furnace M[onthly] M[eeting]* with Father & co[usin] E. this morn[in]g then to Peter Bramley's to tea & by train to Nott[ingha]m evening - our folks lead corn out of Watricle etc.

5 - 3 Fine day at Nott[ingha]m

6 - 4 Fine but cold & windy home with W[illia]m & two of Wain's [sic] children lead[in]g corn - Edw[ar]d Brewer had a Public Meet[in]g in even[in]g here to lodge to Bakewell in morning

7 - 5 Beautiful day W[illia]m & Eben[ezer]'s men & horses helping us to lead Nether Intake corn just finish[e]d at night

1 - 6 Fine

2 - 7 Very showery day Thunder & Lightning even[in]g

3 - 8 Ditto cold & showery thatch[in]g stacks & paring Watricle - only make 1 cheese a day at S.H. 14 cows - at Cales 2 1 day 1 the other - Very showery weather

up to 6 day 24 finish[e]d lead[in]g corn at S.H. in only mid[dlin]g condition

7 - 25 Fine getting potatoes Pewet Knobs self grind[in]g at Cales plough[in]g N[ethe]r Intake began last 2nd day to give cows a few turnips Showery weather

to 30th [next two words indecipherable !] Haven Fair day Fine day no cattle a great many sheep & prices low - bo[ugh]t 12 Ewes & 8 Thieves of G. Shirley 33/- each many unsold    

 * There is a photograph of the Toadhole Furnace Meeting House on the Crich Parish site ...