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Living at Strickley in the 1930's were four young Robinsons, Henry Wilson  (born 1916), William Arthur (born 1920),

Abigail Isabella (born 1922) and Margaret Frances (born 1924)

They probably all kept diaries, and William Arthur's from 1940 gives an insight to the daily work on the farm,

as well as a record of the weather for the whole year.

 

Click here for a month by month account of life at Strickley during the early days of the war.

 

The elder son, Henry Wilson Robinson was a prolific diarist, and these extracts are taken from diaries beginning written in 1935, 1937, 1938

Wilson was married in 1938, and from then on the diaries also refer to his life at Over Bleaze. The fields at Over Bleaze are now (2006) part of Strickley.

Grateful thanks to Wilson for allowing me to publish these extracts

and apologies to those who don't know the farm or family and may be puzzled by some of the references

Click here to see all the field names.

1939
JANUARY
6th Rabbitting. Got 4 and 1 long tailed one
10th At Strickley killing pig
14th Started saving Wyandottes eggs for hatching
20th Hedging in Colley Garth against Benthams field with valve house in
23rd At auction. Took 2 pigs and 13 lambs
25th Snowing all day. 2 inched. Paid income tax for landlord £9-5s-7d

 

FEBRUARY
1st Carting rust at Strickley. 32 carts from 9.30 am to 2.30 pm. One hour for dinner.
2nd Sowing slag. Sew Brant field and top end of Bleaze Meadow
7th Marking calves and cows for attested herd scheme
8th At auction with Jubilee a reactor
16th First duck egg
20th Monday. James and Mary married. Mr Stinton MRCVS to examine farm
22nd 115 chicks out. Phyllis in bed
23rd Hedging between Wheat Close and Far Long Close. Phyllis in bed. Doctor here
25th Saturday. Went to Kendal for us
26th Phyllis up. Showers of hail
28th Dot and Bill married

 

MARCH
11th Vet here to test all stock.

15th At Newbiggen for horse, Jock. Brought one to Barrows Green for Mr Prickett. At Strickley carting muck with Jock.

 

APRIL
4th 4 goslings out
12th Finished hedging around Bleaze Hall garden
13th Baby born.
15th At Market. Made cot

 

MAY
1st Dad bought 3 sheep and 3 lambs for me. 42 lambs from 25 sheep
9th Vet here top test Penrith cow
12th Vet here. Cow passed test
13th Laid cows out
31st Last day of separating milk

 

JUNE
1st Vet here again. Started selling milk
2nd Vet here again. All passed
4th Jean Christened
8th Putting barbed wire up according to TT regulations
20th In bed with cold and temperature
21st In bed
22nd Willie and Dad washed carts up again
24th Phyllis at market
26th Went to meet Holmes joiners for a rubber tyred cart. Started hay at Strickley
30th 260½ gallons of milk in the month

 

JULY
3rd At Holmescales hoeing turnips 7 hours
6th Phyllis up
24th Started hay at Over Bleaze
29th Vet here to test cattle
30th 230 gallons this month

 

AUGUST
4th Willie at Lancs Show. Swept Front Bank to gate
8th 3 carts out of Back Bank without rain, fresh
14th Finished hay OB. 7 carts Strickley Meadow.
15th Carting 23 carts at Strickley.
17th Willie and Abbie at Garstang Show.
18th Tom at Strickley from Greaves to cut corn, I was helping. All others amongst hay.
21st Started opening out ley corn cut
22nd Cut ley corn after 2.30 pm. Got 2 rabbits
26th Thunder all day. Pulled a quarter of corn down and set it up in hattocks. Made 1 pike of hay from around  half side of corn.
30th Pulled all sheaves down and set them up again. Strickley finished harvest
31st At Holmescales

 

SEPTEMBER
2nd Finished harvest
3rd Sunday. War declared.
4th Canny Brow thrashing all day
10th Very wet all day. Sheep bad with Garget
18th At auction with ducks. Leon and Mabel here.
26th Finished stubble ploughing. 8 hours to do 1¼ acres
30th Saturday. Vet from Ministry to test cattle

Extracts taken from diaries written in 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939