WRAPPED ROUND FARMING. David Smith of Bagley Grange.

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WRAPPED ROUND FARMING. David Smith of Bagley Grange. It became very obvious in preliminary discussions with David that his living memories covered a very broad canvas.

In addition to being an employer of local labour, there are family connections with Sheffield cutlers, the fur trade, the grocery trade and the Calgary Stampede.

1 WRAPPED ROUND FARMING. David Smith of Bagley Grange. It became very obvious in preliminary discussions with David that his living memories covered a very broad canvas. The Smith family are connected to many local farming families. In addition to being an employer of local labour, there are family connections with Sheffield cutlers, the fur trade, the grocery trade and the Calgary Stampede. The following work concentrates on Tickhill and its immediate surroundings, as well as some of David s early memories. The Smith family has been connected with farming in this area since the Napoleonic Wars, and has been directly associated with Bagley Grange farm since the early thirties. The farm stands in what used to be the Tickhill South Field which stretched from Woolthwaite to Bagley. There was, according to Tom Beastall, a settlement recorded there as early as the 12 th century. At that time it was one of a number of settlements served by Dadesley Church. The extended family was relatively large, and individual members were prepared to move away from the area and re-establish themselves in other areas, and in other trades. One branch of the family moved away to London to work in the fur trade, but most followed farming careers, including a great uncle, William Smith, who went to Canada in 1903 and eventually set up Sandbeck Ranch near Calgary in Alberta. David has a photograph of the large barn his great uncle raised which still stands today. Down the years members of the family have lived and worked at Limpool Farm, Eastfield farm, Castle Green and High Common Farm. The photograph opposite was taken at High Common Farm. The young man with his arm in a sling is David s father. He would have been about 14 at the time. David s Great Great Grandfather, Edward, was resident, at the time of his marriage, in 1844, at Limpool Farm. His son, and David s Great Grandfather was also called Edward. He was born in David s Grandfather was Joseph Smith ( ) born at Eastfield Farm. When he married in 1901 he lived in a specially built farm house at High Common. Before the war he

2 moved, along with his family of eight children, to Bagley Grange when the High Common land was sold for sand and gravel. Finally, he went to the farm at Slade Hooton.

David s father, Thomas, was sixth in the family and had five elder sisters. He was to carry on the work begun by Joseph and the farm grew and prospered.

2 2 moved, along with his family of eight children, to Bagley Grange when the High Common land was sold for sand and gravel. Finally, he went to the farm at Slade Hooton. He was a far-sighted man and viewed farming on a wider scale. Joseph also went down to London for a short time to learn about the grocery trade. David s father, Thomas, was sixth in the family and had five elder sisters. He was to carry on the work begun by Joseph and the farm grew and prospered. Until her marriage, David s mother had not been involved in farming. Margaret Spaulding was from Sheffield, and her family were in the cutlery trade. (The little mesters were highly skilled cutlers who worked independently, but rented a room in a factory. Sheffield s reputation as the home of master cutlers was built on this system). Although not of farming stock, she adapted well to a new way of life. She kept her own hens, fed the men at harvest time and performed other farm chores. She was the disciplinarian, rarely required according to David. She was a skilled needlewoman, a very skilled baker, and a keen and active member of the W.I. The farmhouse is an imposing Georgian building. Originally it was long and narrow, with a cottage attached to one end. It was altered to its square shape in around 1830.

When David was a boy there was no mains electricity, and until the 1950 s domestic lighting and the television were powered by a petrol driven generator.

3 3 Until the mid 1950s there had been no mains water at the farm. Domestic water and water for the livestock, an average of 50 cattle, was drawn from a nearby spring and pumped from a concrete trough by a petrol driven generator. When David was a boy there was no mains electricity, and until the 1950 s domestic lighting and the television were powered by a petrol driven generator. David recalls his father keeping an eye on the level of power generated and ordering the family to turn on more house lights, to consume any surge. The generator did not, however, produce enough power to operate a washing machine and family laundry was done at the Stud Farm, which did have mains electricity. Life was relatively quiet for a small boy growing up at Bagley Grange, but a local girl who helped with the domestic chores used to take him to her parents house in Rawson Road. He liked going there because there were always children around for him to play with. When he was 5 years old, David was sent to the school run by the Misses Goodwin. Taken in the early 1950s. David kneeling front row left. Miss Grace is back row left and Miss Nellie on the right. David was a member of the church choir, but claims that he only went to make the number up, but remained a member until he went away to school. The group photo shows Canon Cooke. Jack Cannings was the verger, and Jack Burchby was a choir member who kept us in order, or tried to. David recalls choir trips to

Bridlington, visits to Joke shops, fun with itching powder and films being shown in the chapel on Sunderland Street.

When questioned more closely about his singing abilities, he says that, before the broadcast, someone came round each chorister with a microphone, and he was

The photograph is of David and his cousin Lesley at Tickhill show. The pony s name is Flicker.

4 Bridlington, visits to Joke shops, fun with itching powder and films being shown in the chapel on Sunderland Street. He also remembers being involved in a BBC recording of a service. When questioned more closely about his singing abilities, he says that, before the broadcast, someone came round each chorister with a microphone, and he was moved to the back row! Like many farmers children in the area, David was taught to ride by Mary Clarke of South Wongs. The photograph is of David and his cousin Lesley at Tickhill show. The pony s name is Flicker. At this time he was growing so fast they had a job to get a pony to fit me. 4 Before the war there had been work for fifty heavy horses on the land that the Smiths farmed. Heavy horses were bred and some were sold to the railway as draft animals. Others were entered in agricultural shows. Some horses were retained after the war and from time to time, mares were brought to be served at Stud Farm. 5

By the time that David started work the business had expanded to include Stud farm, Priory Cottage Farm, and Slade Hooton Hall which was bought from Lord Scarbrough in 1956.

A herd of Ayrshire cows was built up. These cows were bought separately.

Later this was done by lorry, and father and uncle followed by car. The journey was usually accomplished in a day.

5 By the time that David started work the business had expanded to include Stud farm, Priory Cottage Farm, and Slade Hooton Hall which was bought from Lord Scarbrough in On leaving school David s first jobs were to look after the calves, and to feed the hens. With the acquisition of Slade Hooton there came a milk round. A herd of Ayrshire cows was built up. These cows were bought separately. This breed had been seen on sale in Doncaster Cattle Market, but the family decided to purchase these in Lanarkshire. At first, the cows were transported from Scotland by rail. Later this was done by lorry, and father and uncle followed by car. The journey was usually accomplished in a day. Among his many family photographs, David has a picture of his grandfather, Joseph Smith with an Ayrshire cow. The dairy unit came with the farm at Slade Hooton, and Smith s Dairies was set up by Thomas Smith and his brother and sister just after the war. David treasures a one pint glass bottle with the Smith Dairies name on it. Milk was delivered in Rotherham and to Tickhill school.

The pattern of acquisition of local farms had continued over a number of years, and Bagley Grange had become part of an integrated network. These farms were run on a very progressive basis.

6 However, a grass drier was installed at Stud Farm. This machine ran night and day on the three shift system, and the product was sold to the compounders for cattle feed.

The drier used a great deal of fuel, and as the years passed prices rose and the process became less and less economic. Work was discontinued in 1960.

6 The pattern of acquisition of local farms had continued over a number of years, and Bagley Grange had become part of an integrated network. These farms were run on a very progressive basis. There were, eventually, 150 dairy cattle, and plans were submitted for a very large modern dairy unit to replace the one at Slade Hooton. Post war restrictions prevented this ambitious project. 6 However, a grass drier was installed at Stud Farm. This machine ran night and day on the three shift system, and the product was sold to the compounders for cattle feed. (David recalls that on some occasions the surface of the mill dam was cover with green powder ). The drier used a great deal of fuel, and as the years passed prices rose and the process became less and less economic. Work was discontinued in Not only cattle, but sheep were raised, and crops of barley and peas were also grown. The peas were sent by lorry direct to Covent Garden on a daily basis. Teams of pickers came from Worksop, Canklow and Maltby. In the foreground of the lower picture are the scales on which the peas were weighed, and the nets that contained them. The person in charge seems to be holding the tickets that were given to the pickers to be exchanged for pay at the end of the day. These photographs were taken in the 1980s.

Smaller dairies have been taken over by larger corporations.

7 7 The Smith farms have followed a pattern typical of many such establishments during the past eighty years. When Thomas Smith was a boy agricultural work was heavily dependent on horses and manpower. He lived to see a time when the diesel engine took over most of these tasks. Smaller dairies have been taken over by larger corporations. David, now retired, sits in his kitchen on a cold winter s day; on the surface of a very large table are the mementos and photographs of his and his family s farming past over three generations. There s a good wood stove burning, the atmosphere is warm and friendly. All my life I ve been wrapped round farming, he says. Open Day at Slade Hooton Sept. 1975

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