A Farm Journal ~ from the 1st to the 17th July 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

 

6 - 1st 7 Mo[nth] Showery

 

7 - 2 Fine

 

1st D[itt]o lead 2/3rds of clover No 14

 

2 - 4th Fine set out the clov but dull & Cloudy

 

3 - 5 Fine day but Showery even[in]g Chester fair took 4 little pigs but did not sell - great drop - in pigs at least 10/- p[e]r h[ea]d poor show of beasts & of a  poor sort - horses - many - got a bit more hay

 

4 - 6 Fine - fin[ishe]d hay - S.A.Fisher left us

 

5 - 7 Fine hoing [sic] turnips SA & baby & self to H.Alletson's to tea looked round - & on to Spicers farm to look round crops fair - turnips up but want rain - folding sheep on Lints - rape & turnips drilled for feed[in]g on

 

6 - 8  Fine at turnips

 

7 - 9 Ditto Dull & Thundery but no rain

 

No entry for the 10th July 1870

 

2 - 11 Fine day wrote to W[illia]m all news up to this morn[in]g - no rain up to 2 - 18 cut[tin]g hedges fetched 2 p[ai]r stone gate posts set up - 1 ton Cotton 1 Lead cake & 1 ton Palm nut meal from Thornley

 

1st day 17 even[in]g drove to Ledsham St[atio]n & on by 9.20pm to L[iver]pool to Cattle Market lodg[e]d market for sheep begins at 6am & for cattle at 7am was up at 4 oClock saw them bringing the sheep & cattle in most Irish - a fine drove of Spanish bullocks there - home at 3 o'Clock 

A Farm Journal ~ from the 17th to the 27th May 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

1 - 17 Fine & hot fallow[in]g & open[in]g drills for manure

4 - 18 Ditto began to man[u]r[e] Farm gr[oun]d far side stack y[ar]d field 

5 - 19 Ditto ditto sow[e]d 6 cwt 1/2 salt & 1/2 Lawes with Farm y[ar]d

6 - 20 Ditto fin[ished] manuring & sow[in]g swedes

7 - 21 Very hot work[in]g this side of field for lints began to shear sheep - Cha[rle]s Wright hoeing beans  1st lot of Swedes & mangolds not much up yet except here & there a few too dry for mangolds & the field rather too stiff & lumpy - beans look well & wheat improved oats look well - 4 sturks on bottom bank

1 - 22 Fine

2 - 23 Ditto lead manure onto lints sow[e]d last lot of [word indecipherable] sheep shearing

3 - 24 Ditto Ditto

4 - 25 Fine day - men hoeing beans by hand - horses turned out - sold Jones & Gerrard 60 lambs to go 8 each went @ 23/- cut little pigs - 2/6 p[e]r litter - women pricking spudding thistles among wheat - sold Jones & Co 7 fat ewes @ 8d clipped - at 8am this morn[in]g the 25th my dear Wife was del[ive]r[e]d of a fine Girl * - doing well

6 - 27 Ditto weather set John Jones & Rob[er]t Rogers & Jos[eph] Hughes No. 3 beans to hoe @ 6/- p[e]r ac[re] (too much only worth 4/-) - women spud[din]g thistles in wheat & pull[in]g Ketlocks - Cha[rle]s Wright PJones & Shalcroft hoeing No 4 beans by day - Peter Davis off work - poorly one of his horses kicked him in the stomach - 12 sturks on bottom bank & 25 Hogs - a few potatoes up in field - Swedes & mangols [sic] come very slowly want rain - all Kinds of grain & feed up a little


* The 'fine Girl' would have been Florence Bowman.

A Farm Journal ~ from the 2nd to the 16th May 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

 

No entry for the 1st May 1870.

 

2 - 2nd 5 Mo[nth] Fine dry lead man[ur]e to No 12 for Cabbage etc

 

3 Ditto - Griffiths sale at Rake - had tea & toasts in even[in]g

 

4 & 5 spreadman etc

 

6 planted Cabbage - 4 men & 2 women planted ab[ou]t 2 ac[res] masons doing fire place self to Chester for pump & pipes

 

7 Fine N.N.W. fin[ishe]d plant[in]g cabbage - pick[e]d scutch - sow[e]d rem[ainde]r of No 12 with swedes - fallow[in]g etc men doing fire place - Swedes & Mangolds 1st lot sown have been in gr[oun]d 3 1/2 weeks & are not much up

 

2 - 9 Very hot day - sow[in]g man[ur]e on Stacky[ar]d f[iel]d for swedes & fallow[in]g - borrow[e]d water cart from Wright of Copt farm to water cabbage plants gr[oun]d very dry when planted - should have put them in soil & watered & Kept till rain came - many small plants

 

3 - 10 Fine & hot sow[e]d swedes etc

 

4 - 11 Showery day W.S.E. - very acceptable - Masons finish[e]d fire place

 

5 - 12 Ditto F & I took drive out

 

6 - 13 Fine day two women picking turnip stalks off wheat & spudding thistles - fallow[in]g

 

7 - 14 Ditto 

 

1st Showery

 

2 - 16 Fine - Horse hoeing beans etc. 

I assume 'No 12' relates to a field. Were some of the fields numbered ?

  

A Farm Journal ~ from the 23rd to the 30th April 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

7 - 23 Fine weather no rain - have 5 Irish & Will[ia]m Davis extra for potato setting

1 - 24 F & M S & I to Meet[in]g

2 - 25 Fine waiting of potato sets - was disappointed by Davis of Hawarden about a truck of Scotch Down sets - so had to see out for some - men forking twitch from among beans

3 - 26 Fine carts to Argoed near Mold for some Skerry blue sets of John Griffiths @ 3/- p[e]r 90 lbs & across to the sands for some Scotch downs @ 3/-

4 - 27 Fine but desperate windy & dusty - setting potatoes - 2 teams gone to work for old Rector Davis - another load of Scotch down sets from Jos[eph] S. Windley - fin[ishe]d setting my potatoes the men have theirs to set in morn[in]g - 4 rows each to 3 plough men & Wright 2 ea[ch] to Jimmy - Rob[er]t & John Jones & Edward - working stackyard for swedes - turning manure in yards - Joiner E.Davis & son making some sheep troughs & made & put up new hatch gate for end of bank

5 - 28 fin[ished] potatoes - work[in]g rem[ainde]r for cabbage 

up to 7 day 30th Fine but dry - bro[ugh]t mare of Beckett of Peel Hall home from Chester & left the old mare with Jones & Gerrards 

A Farm Journal ~ from the 1st to the 22nd April 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

6 - 1st 4 Mo[nth] sow[e]d small seeds on wheat & roll[e]d etc

7 - 2 Ditto Ditto - very backward weather for vegetation - lints sown a month ago not up yet

1 - 3 Fine

2 - 4 Ditto to 4 - 6 Ditto 25 Hogs from Derbyshire arr[ive]d safely work[in]g 14 ac[res] for mangolds - old chopper broke cogs bo[ugh]t another at  Chester

5 - 7 Fine

6 - 8 Showery even[in]g

7 - 9 Wet & showery got new chopper to work lead[in]g manure onto ridges for mangolds

1 - 10 Showery

2 - 11 Fine lead[in]g manure for mangolds & spread[in]g up to Alletsons to call with Sarah & children bo[ugh]t some Flowerpots - looked over the works 

3 - 12 & 13 sow[in]g mangolds & work[in]g etc

5 - 14 Beautiful day self to Rhyl & to Bodrydden [sic] Hall sale of Stock but did not stay it as there was nothing in my way an old fashioned place in Vale of Clowyn [sic] - very nice land mostly grass - Nurse Bean came in even[in]g

6 - 15 Good Friday Men off today mason from Hawarden lowering fire grate under Engine boiler & put longer bars in

7 - 16 Misty morn[in]g Co[u]s[in] E[liza] & I to Ashford

1 - 17 Fine day

2 - 18 Ditto B[akewe]ll Fair Strong fair had my cheese down etc. sold part to John Thomas Crewe 65/- & rem[ainde]r to Jos[eph] B[owman] B[loore] @ 62/6 - Cattle dear but easier sheep lower

3 - 19 Ditto Father & Mother & self started 10-19 for Chester by M[an]chester - arr[ived] 2.10 found all well

4 - 20 Ditto cutt[in]g potatoes & setting muck out on No 12-5-21 Ditto Chester Fair took in calf Heifer & sold £13 5/- also Bay filly but not sold - good many beasts in but few well bred some nice yearl[in]g Irish £5 sturks £9

622 [sic] dull showery even[in]g set[tin]g potatoes 

A Farm Journal ~ from the 27th to the 31st 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

 

1 - 27 Fine day Dearman Cloak [?] here to dine  - self in aft[ernoo]n to his home to tea & on to M[an]chester 7pm all well

 

2 - 28 Fine & frosty - self on to Longstone & Ashford found Father much better - on to B[akewe]ll mark[e]t full of cattle but dear Co[u]s[in] H[enr]y there buying for S.H. dined at Jos[eph] & on with W[illia]m to Middleton had tea & looked round - & on to O.A. at night - all well

 

3 - 29 Fine & frosty - looked ab[ou]t O.A. Eben[ezer] to M[an]chester - self round Monyash & S.H. & to Ashford

 

4 - 30 Fine Self & Co[u]s[in] E[liza] Gott [on the left in the photograph above] to Sandycroft - all well - to Copt Farm sale of imp[lement]ts good sale - on to Fishers & bo[ugh]t 14 sturks @ 8/15/- & 1 cow £15 - Less £1

 

5 - 31 Fine the beasts came from Fishers Chester Fair poor show of graziers many milkers of mongrel breeds 

 

 

A Farm Journal ~ from the 9th to the 26th 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 ...

 A Farm Journal continues :~

4 - 9 Fine - Father better - SA & I off for Sandycroft arr[ived] Chester noon & home found all well - they had sown the lints 1 ac[re] & were on sowing the beans & 5 cwt Laws man[ure] p[e]r ac[re] 

5 - 10 Fine breezy day W. N. W. sow[in]g beans & cross cut[tin]g fallows - ewe dead - from that curious dull complaint  - scour & mouth watering - gave Godfrey & Flour grind - (Ewe lambed 2) - SA LA Sarah & I to Chester LA. to Longstone S.A. & I to buy furniture - Dodds

6 - 11 to 3 - 15 Fine sow[in]g beans bro[ther] Eben[ezer] came even[in]g

5 - 17 Showery sow[e]d oats - 13 ac[res]

6 - 18 Fine - fin[ished] sow[in]g oats & har[rowe]d Capt. Arthur's - fetch[e]d seeds fr[om] Chester 

7 - 19 to 7 - 26 Mostly fair few hail storms [word indecipherable] frost & cold N.W.Winds

3 - 23 [this date does not appear to be correct] Showery drizzle sow[e]d  Grass seeds on 13 ac[res]/roll[e]d beans & chain harr[owe]d roll[[e]d oats in lambs come very slowly - 15 E[wes] & 22 L[ambs] - had ewe torn behind & bit in fore leg by dog - she died next day (had two lambs) went with Jones - butcher of Saltney to look for some bar[ren ?] cows went round by Ruton Dodleston Broughton bo[ugh]t 3 - 2 of John Challiner 30 15/- & 1 of John Sheen 14 17/6 of Broughton 

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 ...

 

 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 

A Farm Journal ~ 20th to the 31st January 1870 ... John leaves Summer Hill

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 :~

6 day 20 Hard frost began to get implements set out in Square at S.H. ready for sale & gears blacked etc

7 - 21 Ditto work & weather

2 day 24 Hard frost with a little snow on gr[oun]d few showers during the day

1870 1st Mo[nth] 2nd day 24 1st Sale day at Summer Hill cattle horses & carriages, had a very good sale

3 - 25 2nd days sale ditto weather implements etc - things sold well not a very large company

4 - 26 no sale

5 - 27 Ditto weather 3rd days sale furniture good sale on the whole the best furniture made the worst out -

6 - 28 Ditto weather Valuation at S.H. & packed the cart

7 - 29 Ditto weather Valuation at Cales - final - down to Ashford in evening Isaac went with me to help me carry my things

1 - 30 Fine frosty day at Ashford - to M[an]chester in even[in]g - lodged at the Cathedral Hotel & off by 6.40am

2 - 31 to Chester & on to Queens Ferry & Sandycroft Fine day Taylor-Churton & his clerk met I paid ch[eque ?] £2000 which was telegraph[e]d to Bakewell about no answer had to go to Chester arr[ive]d & rec[eive]d telegram & there was end of the transaction [word indecipherable] inventory & possessions of farm lodged at Hop Pole & to breakfast with Taylor at Grosvnor [?] & on to Sandycroft again - met our folks with the trap 12 oClock at Queens Ferry - all well - self on mare in even[in]g - to Cherry orchard to John Fishers - bo[ugh]t 10 sturks £9 each & then to Green End farm & bo[ugh]t lot of ewes £2 - 8/- & home - sore throat - sent Chas Wright with mare to meet Jesse - self worse had mustard plaster on throat - & went to bed - Jesse arr[ive]d all right very wet night did not unload so had to sleep between blankets self rolled & toss[e]d all night no sleep  

A Farm Journal ~ 1st to the 19th January 1870 ...

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 :~

1870

1st Mo[nth] 7th day filling kiln in Moss Field

3 - 4 Fine day M[onthly] M[eeting] at B[akewe]ll S.A. & I there to Ashford to dine - self to Chester even[in]g

5 - 6 Fine day at C. met Mr. Taylor at Elphicks agreed to sign bond to be prep[are]d £250 - looked over Farm at S[an]dyCroft busy thrash[in]g - back as far as M[an]chester

6 - 7 Fine & mild RA & I to Longstone met Maria & John [surname indecipherable] & Willy S.A. met me home in even[in]g

7 - 8 Fine [Brownson here to take inventory of effects 3 - 4] lead[in]g manure at S.H.

5 - 13 Thrash[e]d at Cales in even[in]g attended meet[in]g in Methodist Chapel called by W[illia]m Meader - of the divided sect of Friends - W.M. spoke nicely said that his mission was not to call to this sector the other but to invite all to come to Jesus & be saved to work out their own salvation - to come out from the evil & look to our own states not knowing how long we may be spared Invited them here to lodge & took them down to M.A.'s in morn[in]g - hope there was no harm done

2nd day 17 Very foggy B[akewe]ll market & Farmers club dinner - did not dine - on to Ashford to tea home even[in]g 

3 & 4 winterly weather - lead[in]g manure out Cales - fin[isin]g plough[in]g S.H. etc - Fine frosty weather  

A Farm Journal ~ 17th to the 31st December 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 :~

 

6 - 17 Fine rec[eive]d letters at South Field one from J.Kirby enclos[in]g ch[eque ?] - one from Chester about Farm there & it appearing likely I proceeded thither arr[iving] Queens Ferry on Chester & Hollyhead line 6 miles fr[om] Chester & walked about 1 mile back to Sandycroft Farm 215 ac[res] rent including tithe £500 - occupied by John Taylor J[unio]r Esq - looked over farm sandy loam in first rate condition& waited till 6 pm for Taylor, did not come so to Chester to Hop Pole Inn to lodge

 

7 - 18 Very showery to Churton & Elphick Auctioneers adv[e]rt[ise]d the farm - spoke with Elphick & after noon met Taylor & he who seemed inclined to let it me the rem[ainde]r of lease if approved by Agent to W.E.Gladstone Sir Stephen Glynne - Burnett - left Chest[e]r to M'Chester & staid at B.Brayshaws

 

1 - 19 Fine left for B[akewe]ll atend[e]d meeting & on to Ashford - wet horse aft[ernoo]m found all well

 

2 - 20 Fine look[e]d round all going on well Jesse began ley at S.H. Groove close to Middleton to dine to talk with W[illia] who has been poorly - going with me to morrow to Chester - bo[ugh]t calving cow 2 mo[nth ?] 10 off F Purslove £14

 

3 - 21 Fine day self to Middleton for W[illia]m & on to B[akewe]ll 1.26 for Chester arr[ived] 5 - to Hop Pole

4 - 22 Very wet snow & rain by rail to Queens Ferry station met John Taylor & on to Sandycroft in his gig - got bit lunch looked at agreement etc & then looked round farm - satisfactory - got dinner & on with Taylor in gig to Burnett the agent - gave him references & on to Chest[e]r stayed all night & on home in morn[in]g 

 

5 - 23 Fine S.A. at B[akewe]] to meet me safe home found all right

 

6 - 24 Fine day Mrs Slack & Miss Melland to help to divide the dole

 

7 - 25 Frosty Xmas day

 

1 - 26 ditto morn[in]g - snow[e]d aft[ernoo]n

 

2 - 27 Frosty morn[in]g then snow[e]d fast till noon W[illia]m & I ferret[e]d in dale a bit

 

3 - 28 Fine tied heifers up at Cales gr[oun]d cov[ere]d snow

 

4 - 28 Fine frost & snow

 

5 - 30 ditto

 

6 - 31 snow gone mild - Have taken the farm at Sandy Croft - here endeth the year 1869 -