. . . . . . . . Hough Mill open 2-5pm Sundays to end of September . . . . . . . . . . Take Teddy To The Mill - Sunday 29th September . . . . . . .

Woodbine Villas

Location

Woodbine Villas is not what people recognise as a farm.  Woodbine Villas comprises a pair of cottages in the terrace that is known as Piano Row in Main Street, it Walker family inhabitants farmed some land.  But where that land was in Swannington is not known.

Bull with nose ring - painting by Angela Clarke 2013

1939 Register

One half of Woodbine Villas housed three of the children of Frederick James Walker and Maria Atkins

  • Beatrice M Walker – Housekeeper – born 1900 (Swannington)
  • George Sydney Walker – Farm work agricultural labourer – born 1889 (Swannington)
  • Reginald Walker – Horseman on farm,  (Disabled Soldier, draws full pension since 1918) – born 1896 (Swannington)

In 1939 and 1941 other members of the Walker family included:

  • John Henry Walker – Farmer, Hollies Farm, Station Hill
  • Charles William Walker – Grazier, Rose Cottage, Limby Hall

World War Two Farm Survey

Walker rented 6 acres for £8 a year and owned the other 5 acres.

The farm is described as “not conveniently laid out” which suggests that it may have comprised fields in more than one part of the village.  None of the land was described as good, with 60% being fair and 40% bad.  Water from wells and ponds.

The War Agricultural Executive Committee had instructed  Walker to plough up 3 acres of grass fields for oats, a crop grown on poor fields.

Farm size = 11 acres

  • Grain – 3 acres  (oats)
  • Roots – 0.5 acre (potatoes 0.25, turnips 0.25)
  • Grass for mowing – 2.5 acres
  • Grass for grazing – 5 acres

 

Farm animals

  • Cattle – 5 (1 bull and 4 cows)
  • Pigs – 2
  • Fowls – 20
  • Horses – 2 (1 for agriculture and 1 for other purposes, riding presumably)