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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Essex => Topic started by: essexalan on Tuesday 11 August 15 14:20 BST (UK)
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I have seen from google maps that Manifold Wick Farm is still at Tolleshunt Knights in Essex.
I would like to find out about the farm owners present and in the past.
Also what it's roll was in WW2.Did they employ Land Army Girls and was there at one time a cottage attached to the farm named Mainfold Wick Cottage.
Is any of the family still still around of the owner of the farm around the time of WW2?
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Hi their is this family in 1901 at Manifold Wick, Tolleshunt Knights
Henry Abbott 57 occ Farm Steward b Salcott
Sally D 46 b Maldon
Frederic A 22 b Wigborough
Alfred A Reynolds 10 Nephew b Salcott
Ethel F Emson 5 Visitor b London
Census ref RG13/1693/35/1
Keyboard86
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Hi again in 1891 at Manifold Wick Farm, New Road, Tolleshunt Knights was a Thomas Pilgrim 63 occ Farm Steward b Doddinghurst with wife Clara E 63 b Great Wigborough and family
Census ref RG12/1399/60/18
In 1881 a Charles Hall 83 occ Farmer of 566 Acres employing 21 men & 2 boys b Frimley, Suffolk
Manifold Wick, Church Road next door a Farm Labourer and family Arthur J Layzell at Church Road Cottage then Barn Hall
Census ref RG11/1778/103/16
In 1871 Charles Hall is still the Head at Manifold Wick in a separate household next door is another family then Barn Hall
Census ref RG10/1675/103/12
Keyboard86
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Hi ,Thanks .I will check all that out but am trying to discover who was living at the farm during world war 2.Around 1943 ish.If it is still in the same family or has anther owner or tenant
It,s looking like the correct farm although address of Church Road dose not look correct,as Manifold Wick Farm is in Rectory Road,Tolleshunt Knights.Essex.
I do know the area quite well as I was born and grew up in Great Wigborough.But as my mother was in the Land Army and mentioned in a book about Land Army Girls of Essex,I thought I would try and find out more of where she was living and working while in the Land Army.On her marriage certificate she was living at Manifold Wick Cottage,Tolleshunt Knights,Essex.as a Tractor Driver Womens Land Army.But have not been able to find out so far about the cottage,or if it was attached to the farm.
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Hi again it is of course possible that the road changed name/s over the years in 1871 when Charles Hall was in residence, to the farm's left was Rectory and then Grove Hall, I would think the cottage was that shown with ie the Layzell family?
Re WW2 era, I have had no luck locating who the owner/s of the farm were, but note in the 1891/1901 the farm had Farm Steward's (Bailiffs) who would have not been the owner, but acted as a Supervisor on his behalf.
Keyboard86
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Hello again,Thanks for that info and will also check it out.
Am not sure if I am being cheeky ,but could not help to see under your message the name of Pelly/Pelley.Am not sure how they spelled there name,but a Commander and Mrs Pelly lived in Great Wigborough,Essex.The village I grew up in.Both my parents worked for them as they had a farm and owned land around the area.
Alan.
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My great grandfather (William Bath) lived at Manifold Wick Farm, attached picture taken 1958. Whilst he was living there I believe the bungalow was built for my grandfather (Harry Bath). Upon William Baths death the farm was left to Morace Bath who also built the original golf club before moving away in the 1980's Harry and his family I believe moved to Polifields in Kent before returning to live in Oxley Green Farm.
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Hi to the reply of 4/12/15 at 20:04.My interest in Manifold Wick Farm is during the 2nd world war.I am trying to find out if the farm employ'd any Womens Land Army girls.As during my mothers time in the Land Army she was living at Manifold Wick Cottage, or cottages.Would you know if the farm had this Cottage or Cottages attached to it during that time.The address is shown on her marriage cetificate of the year 1947.
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http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/advanced
Use the free search facility to check the war years -put "manifold wick farm" in "The phrase" and use date filter.
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Hi I was borne in Manifold Wick Farm, in 1946 and was christened in Bushes Church, I can tell you the cottages were there in the field also two cottages on Barnhall road. the bungalow was built for my parents in the middle 50s we didn't live there long. we moved to Oxley Green Farm. My uncle built the golf course.
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Hello Dawn,Wow how great .So you were born at Manifold Wick Farm and remember the cottages.Well as I said my mother was in the Womens Land Army and the Cottages are shown as her address on her marriage certificate.I don't suppose there are any photo's of the cottages and or would you know of any records of the farm employing Land Army girls during the war?Any way I was born a few miles away at Great Wigborough.But it was not until after my mother died that I started to research her Land Army days.
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I think they had land army girls as my uncle Morris married one I believe he met her when she worked on the farm she came from Colchester.sorry I have no photos.
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Oh OK Dawn thanks,that is some help.I think my mother was moved to the cottages after her first posting,as she was firstly at a Land Army Hostel at Great Braxted.She did tell my it was named Littlewoods and was not far from Braxted Park.But I have not been able to find anything out about it yet.There are no records of the Land Amy left,only index cards with names of the girls that joined up.
By the way I was born in 1948 and went to the Thurstable School at Tiptree.How about you,where did you go to school?
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Hi just spoken to my sister she can't remember land girls on the farm but they had Itailian POW working on the farm. she thinks the Mellows family lived in one of the cottages. also might have been used for evacuees. and yes I did go to Thurstable school. we were living in Oxley Green Farm then.
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Hi, yes my mother spoke about Italian POWs and working with them.Wow so we both went to Thurstable school then and you were a couple of years ahead of me.Would you remember any of the Theobald family that attended Thurstable .We were from Great Wigborough.Layer Marney and Tollesbury.
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Yes I can remember your family was here a David? seems to ring a bell.don't know if any one will remember me I was Dawn Bath.
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Hi yes Dawn I seem to remember your name.David is my cousin from tollesbury was a couple of years older than me. His brother Dennis was in the same class as me all through our Tiptree years. Dennis died last month.There was also my cousins Brian and Barry from Layer Marney.Myself Alan and my sister Gwen from Great Wigborough.
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I think David was in the same year as me.
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Yes am sure he was.There is a web site called Friends Reunited and if you g on it and type in Thurstable School.There are people on there who were at that School,including me.Anyway we seem to have drifted away from Manifold Wick Farm.Don't know if you do Facebook,I am on it as Alan Charles Theobald.So if you would like to keep in touch that would be great.
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Hi Dawn,
It is a very long time since we met but my husbands mother had spent some years with your parents Harry and Mable during the war, at Pollyfields. Some years after the war, when David and I married we came down to see your parents with Mary and Sid and our two children. I remember you and June but I think Ena was older. We have a few old black and white pics which we took then. David says he also had a picture of your grandad tucked away somewhere. Jan & David Smith
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Hi I remember Sid and Mary Smith also you and John. I was still at school then. I Joyce is living in Kelvedon Essex. Ena and myself are in Bristol. Unfortunately June Passed away. Great to hear from you.
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Hi again Dawn,Just to let you know that My cousin David from Tollesbury who you were at School with,Past away a couple of months ago,
By the way I have not been able to trace anymore info about Land Army girls working at Manifold Wick Farm.
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Hello. I've just found your post. I'm down on the Suffolk/Essex border, researching some of my family roots.
I hope this information in some way helps.
My grandfather, John Page Thornton, owned Manifold Wick farm. At the onset of WW2, the War Agricultural Committee, commondeered the farm, on the pretext that my grandfather wouldn't be able to manage 2 farms and an editorial business in London.
It's running was handed to the Bath family from Kent.
My father also informs me that a Maurice Bath turned the farm into a golf course.
Regards, Howard Thornton.
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Hi Howard,Your post has only just popped up in my feed.
Yes there is a golf course further down the lane from the farm house.but the entrance is from another road.I hadn't realised that the cottages were across the field behind the farm and missed them when I went to see the farm a couple of years ago. Someone sent me a photo of them.The cottages are still there but have had major renovation done to them as I believe they were sold separately from the farm house.
Regards Alan.
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Hello. I've just found your post. I'm down on the Suffolk/Essex border, researching some of my family roots.
I hope this information in some way helps.
My grandfather, John Page Thornton, owned Manifold Wick farm. At the onset of WW2, the War Agricultural Committee, commondeered the farm, on the pretext that my grandfather wouldn't be able to manage 2 farms and an editorial business in London.
It's running was handed to the Bath family from Kent.
My father also informs me that a Maurice Bath turned the farm into a golf course.
Regards, Howard Thornton.
I have only just chanced on this thread.
I only came to Tolleshunt Knights in 1983 and ever since have had a general interest in the area - I do not recognise any of the people mentioned.
I am interested to know more about how the farm changed hands in the war and what the other business of the owner was in London.
I hope they were properly compensated - I had not realised some folk completely lost their farms in this period though I had realised there was general land management to maximise the produce that was needed locally and nationally.
In the last few years a woman originally from the other side of the district in Tiptree started a Facebook Group - Tiptree and District |History where there is information and personal recollections of the whole district going back to at least the 1940s.
Contributors here may locate folk they know of or their children and might also have valuable contributions to make - please take a look - https://www.facebook.com/groups/158167762177765
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Hi Andrew,I recognise your name from a couple of Facebook groups that we both have an interest in.
Thanks for the quote from the ancestor of the wartime owner of Manifold Wick Farm and yes my post was from some time ago.So was not expecting any more contacts about it.
Yes the agricultural committee took farms away from farmers that they thought wouldn't be able to manage them.Look up on TV the documentary Wartime Farm with presenters Ruth Goodman,Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn.I am not sure how the farm changed hands after the war,but I do know it is now a Golf Course.The old farm house is still there and there is a cottage down a track next to the farm over the fields.Someone did confirm that they were called Manifold Wick Cottages as this is the address given on my mothers marriage certificate as a Tractor Driver for The Womens Land Army.On a visit back to the area I have been to see where the farm was and can confirm the house is still there.Also I am a ember of the Tiptree and District Facebook Group and did have a little feedback about the farm.
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Thanks for response, maybe others will share their knowledge of the locality over time to come, I hope so.
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Yes I hope so as it is a few years old now.I started this back in 2015,so there is a possibility that there might not be anyone around any more who would remember anything .