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Jack Hill reminisces about The Gables Farm where he was brought up in the 1930's
A large courtyard was created by the L-shaped house with the big barn at its end, and separated by a gateway, a line of stables and looseboxes on the fourth side.
A wide paved area outside the kitchen and coalhouse was bounded by a brick wall some 1200 mms high. When the family had first arrived, the centre was given over to a large muckheap, but this arrangement was soon changed by Mother who decreed that muckheaps were to be relocated further away from the house.
Thus the middle was grassed over and kept mown. A cobbled footpath bounded the grass on all sides. This was always a problem since the cobbles were set in earth, which allowed the weeds to grow quite freely. An annual job which fell to the women was picking out the weeds with broken kitchen knives or other suitable instruments.
This was backbreaking and hurtful to the knees which needed much padding. Further attempts to beautify the area were devised, one scheme being to barrow in many loads of topsoil and heap up against the brick wall to create a so-called rockery. No thought was given to careful placing of the stones, which were of all shapes and sizes and so it always looked amateurish.
Fortunately the planting hid the concept and there was always a fine show of nasturtiums. particularly Golden Gleam. A rambler rose with double red flowers was purchased and this thrived very well on the thick soil.
The rear wall of the main house faced north, was always in shade, and an ivy allowed to spread itself over the brickwork.
A few scillas and other shade plants grew in the narrow border, which extended from the kitchen wall to the concrete steps leading up to the double doors of the flat.
Windows were located in walls on three sides, and so ball games were kept subdued. Sometimes a shuttlecock would be found but this required tennis racquets, which were usually kept at school.
When the Durhams came to live in the flat, Jim was able to acquire lots of railway posters, which were placed inside the windows of the stables to give Vera something inspiring to look at.
Between the barn and the road was a small shed used for housing the pony trap and some of the sowing equipment, and somehow a clump of Japanese Knot weed was allowed to grow there. It never became a problem as it was restricted by the walls and paving.
The barn was demolished in the 1970's and a small estate of houses has been built on the site.
This kitchen garden was located at the north end of the pigsties and Mother's thunderbox loo, adjacent to the stackyard, and was hidden behind a high brick wall with a single width doorway. Standing in the doorway facing east, the flower patch was on the right and the kitchen garden to the left.
Further over was the section allocated to the tenant of the flat. The kitchen section sloped down to a hedge standing on a bank, making it inaccessible to the animals in the paddock beyond. There was much soft fruit, including gooseberries, red and black currants, and raspberries planted in round clumps.
Dad showed no interest in this garden and that was the reason for the generous area let to the tenant. The flower garden was tended by Madge (eldest daughter) and for several years the kitchen section was tilled by Arthur Hollick, who lived next door, but after he broke his kneecap when walking to work at Desford Colliery he couldn't continue. Being injured on the way to work meant that he had no right to any compensation, but daren't be seen doing any work in case it was held against him in his claim for help.
Thus it fell upon me to volunteer for the job. Grandma bought me a spade and fork of suitable size (small) and with guidance from Madge and her chap Len Plant I managed to produce some vegetables. There was a period when digging for growth became an anathema but I was keen on digging for foxholes and trenches with grass roofs. This lasted for a year or so and then passed into history except for the clay which I had raised to the surface.
Footpaths were all edged with bricks, and the section to the left of the entrance door was revamped with the help of the Archer boys, Fred and Wilfred. I recall Freddy's use of the word hollands for whole ones.
A long established Victoria plum tree grew against the wall and always seemed to have a good crop.
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