An Old Agriculturalist’s Ramblings by Ian Woodcock.
Part 3 (first published in the Deverills And Crockerton Parish News, November 2013)
Following on from my last contribution, I was enjoying working for Col. Jack very much, but was anxious to become boss of my own acres. My wife was of the same opinion, as she, being a farmer’s daughter was missing the benefits of a large farmhouse complete with Esse cooker. She had to put up with a small brand new cottage, which had been built post-war when the restrictions imposed were that only £1,000 could be spent on building it. So whenever the opportunity arose of a farm coming up for a new tenant my ears pricked up and with the added help of a very kind father-in-law, we were off viewing at the first opportunity. This became fairly often and Col. Jack was not happy about my frequent requests for a day off. Eventually I was called into the office for a discussion about my future. A proposition was put to me, if I guaranteed to stay in my present position for five years my salary would be doubled, I would then be able to visit potential farms to rent. I said that I would consider the proposal, but would need to discuss it with my wife, and would come back to him with my opinion. I returned to him to say I would stay for a minimum of three years, to which he replied I could not expect to have my salary doubled! I agreed and he said he would accept my three years and I would receive a £755 increase, which I accepted. We shook hands as no contracts of employment were needed in those days, a gentleman’s word was his bond.
Unfortunately, when two years and six months had passed, I had a visit from my brother-in-law who farmed in Horningsham. He had news that Mr Algar, who was then agent to Lord Bath, who owned Ryehill Farm and tenanted Shute Farm, was relinquishing the tenancy of Shute and disposing of his manager. The proposition was put to me that I could have the tenancy of Shute with the proviso that I had to manage Ryehill Farm as well. He wanted me to take over the two farms as manager on June 21st, following which on September 29th the two would be split and I would farm Shute on my own and continue to manage Ryehill for him. Unfortunately, I could not discuss this with Col. Jack as he was away in Austria on a farming visit. When he returned on a Saturday I contacted him and stated that I wanted to see him rather urgently. We arranged that I would go and walk over the farm on the Sunday after lunch when I could ‘spill the beans’, which meant I was abandoning him with 1,000 acres of harvesting to be gathered! We set off, me with fear and trepidation as I gave him the news. He stopped dead in his tracks, looked me straight in the face and said “Ian, you’ll never get another opportunity like this, I will release you from our agreementâ€. This shows what an understanding gentleman he was. The next hurdle to jump was to find a replacement for me, he advertised for someone to be his foreman. There were a number of potential applicants we duly interviewed. Unfortunately we selected the wrong one, he only lasted for 3 months.
On the 21st June 1956 we departed from Lower Pertwood after taking all the staff to The George at Longbridge Deverill for a farewell drink and took up residence at Shute Farm.