Had a very interesting afternoon......
Grandad owned Binfield Park from the late 1960s through to the early 1990s.
This morning, I had a phone call from Peter Kopik, the current co-owner of Binfield Park. He rang Park Farm and fortunately I was in the office to answer the call. We chatted for a quarter of and hour or so and it resulted in him inviting Grandad & I up to Binfield Park for a look around. I had never been up there before.
We arrived and spent an hour or so looking around with Paul & Peter (and their 2 dogs!). I am unsure of the ownership details but from what I gather there are 3 Kopik brothers that own Binfield Park and over the time they have owned it, they have gradually improved/re-developed the buildings that stand there. Grandad walked around explaining how various parts of the buildings have changed compared to what he remembers. He had a good recollection of how the farm used to be laid out.
I spent some time talking to both brothers. Peter told us how Binfield Park was owned by the DuPont family which has now become a major American Chemical Company. He expained that the DuPont enterprise invented Nylon and it was so called because of the New York & London connection.
Grandad also told me that Richard Tauber, an Austrian tenor used to live in the bungalow next door to Binfield Park.
Friday, 4 July 2008
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Great Great Grandfather Buckle and Collard & Collard
This is a photograph of Grandad's grandparents, Mr & Mrs Buckle (he isnt sure if it was spelt 'le' or 'el' at the end) Mr Buckle spent his whole working life building pianos at Collard & Collard th famous piano makers in Camden, London.
This is a picture of Cecil Collard, which was found in grandads collection. It signed by him and dated October 1919. It appears Cecil Collard took over the running of the business and that he is credited with atleast 2 patents relating to pianos and their manufacture.
One can only speculate as to why this picture of a cricket team was found in the photo collection. As with the picture of Cecil Collard, it is actually a post card. It is embossed with 'Lambert Camden N.W' Due to the location of Collard & Collard in Camden, we are assuming that this is a Collard & Collard cricket team from the early 1900s.
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
The Lord & the Letterbox
Part of Halseys (Park Farm House) was redeveloped in the mid 1890s. Jim Gale (EG grandfather) had decided to move the entire family into the front half of the house whilst the work was carried out. The rear half was rebuilt and the front half remained unchanged (until the 1980s).
During the 1920s Harry Gale (EG father) had a small 'lean to' built onto the northern side of the house to provide the first WC the house had enjoyed in all its time!
Up until that time, the Kitchen had been on the NE corner (currently the office) and was served by the tall chimney as seen in these pictures. Around 1983 the front of the house was reformed by moving the kitchen to current position, pulling down the chimney and removing the low grade construction across the front. A porch was built and two windows were installed where the chimney was.
During the 1920s Harry Gale (EG father) had a small 'lean to' built onto the northern side of the house to provide the first WC the house had enjoyed in all its time!
Up until that time, the Kitchen had been on the NE corner (currently the office) and was served by the tall chimney as seen in these pictures. Around 1983 the front of the house was reformed by moving the kitchen to current position, pulling down the chimney and removing the low grade construction across the front. A porch was built and two windows were installed where the chimney was.
The wall across the front of these pictures was built in the 19th century. At the yard end was a letter box which was famously demolished by Harry Gale (EG father) reversing his Standard Flyer through it. The letterbox ended up on the floor and Sir George Etherton came along and posted a letter in its horizontal state! This wall was eventually demolished during the early 1970s.
Brian Moore was employed as principal tractor driver during the 1970s and helped build the wooden shed seen behind the wall. This shed still stands today and is home to Warfields. The shed was one of the original RAF buildings at Shinfield and is the same as the one at Matthewsgreen Farm. These buildings were dismantled and removed from Shinfield to make way for the new M4 motorway.
All the pictures in this article were taken in the early 1970s on an early Polaroid camera and have faded over time.
Monday, 30 June 2008
Part of the Furniture
Ive just had a bit of a mess about with some of the settings.....time is now set to GMT so posting times will be accurate and not GMT -7!
Ive only just got in from work, so there wont be any pictures from the family archive tonight. My grandfather wouldn't appreciate being woken up at 11 oclock for this!
Grandad beleives that we are approaching the end of an era at West End. The end of the Gale era. The Gales have been part of the furniture of Warfield for the past 150 years.
John/James Gale (he appeared to use both names) moved into Halseys in 1848 as a tenant of the Ellisons. John/James died in 1860 and his son James Gale 2nd took over the tenancy, having no less than 14 children with Sarah Hale. Most moved on but Jack (took the tenancy at Peacock Farm) & Harry (my grandfathers dad) continued farming.
Joseph (youngest son of John/James) took the tenancy at Manor Farm (which is now the Western Industrial Area) He also had 14 children with Emily Gough. The Goughs deserve a mention in this blog - theyve also been a major part of Warfield life - this will come later.
Around the turn of the century the farm yard at Park Farm was built. Jim Gale (EG Grandfather) was a tenant of the Ellisons at the time. In the 1920s landowners became discontented with the down turn in farming and as a result, Jim Gale and son Harry Gale (EG father) took over the Park Farm freehold together with most of West End Farm. Times were tough in the 1920s & 30s and through gutsy hard work the 2 Gales, ably assisted by Fred Pearce (a nephew) made the business viable. Jim (EG Grandfather) died in 1926 and grandmother 2 years later both aged 90.
In 1936 further land from the Warfield Hall estate was taken on following the death of William Shard. Farming was suffering dereliction but was encouraged to gain a new vitality due to the looming War. During the war, farming regained its essential reputation and this continued for many years afterwards. Rationing continued until 1953.
My grandfather and his brother Harry took over the farming in the early 1950s. They continued to expand Park Farm and West End Farm. By the 1970s they were working over 700 acres with considerable livestock and poultry.
Harry Gale (EG father) died in 1959 and mother in 1963. Apart from my grandfather and Harry, all the Gale families have now disappeared from the scene.
Harry retired from farming in 2002. Grandad semi retired in 1991, although continued to run the yard up until I took it over in 2007 - though to this day though he can not keep away, with once a day visits to check up on me!
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow with some more interesting pictures and annotations.
Ive only just got in from work, so there wont be any pictures from the family archive tonight. My grandfather wouldn't appreciate being woken up at 11 oclock for this!
Grandad beleives that we are approaching the end of an era at West End. The end of the Gale era. The Gales have been part of the furniture of Warfield for the past 150 years.
John/James Gale (he appeared to use both names) moved into Halseys in 1848 as a tenant of the Ellisons. John/James died in 1860 and his son James Gale 2nd took over the tenancy, having no less than 14 children with Sarah Hale. Most moved on but Jack (took the tenancy at Peacock Farm) & Harry (my grandfathers dad) continued farming.
Joseph (youngest son of John/James) took the tenancy at Manor Farm (which is now the Western Industrial Area) He also had 14 children with Emily Gough. The Goughs deserve a mention in this blog - theyve also been a major part of Warfield life - this will come later.
Around the turn of the century the farm yard at Park Farm was built. Jim Gale (EG Grandfather) was a tenant of the Ellisons at the time. In the 1920s landowners became discontented with the down turn in farming and as a result, Jim Gale and son Harry Gale (EG father) took over the Park Farm freehold together with most of West End Farm. Times were tough in the 1920s & 30s and through gutsy hard work the 2 Gales, ably assisted by Fred Pearce (a nephew) made the business viable. Jim (EG Grandfather) died in 1926 and grandmother 2 years later both aged 90.
In 1936 further land from the Warfield Hall estate was taken on following the death of William Shard. Farming was suffering dereliction but was encouraged to gain a new vitality due to the looming War. During the war, farming regained its essential reputation and this continued for many years afterwards. Rationing continued until 1953.
My grandfather and his brother Harry took over the farming in the early 1950s. They continued to expand Park Farm and West End Farm. By the 1970s they were working over 700 acres with considerable livestock and poultry.
Harry Gale (EG father) died in 1959 and mother in 1963. Apart from my grandfather and Harry, all the Gale families have now disappeared from the scene.
Harry retired from farming in 2002. Grandad semi retired in 1991, although continued to run the yard up until I took it over in 2007 - though to this day though he can not keep away, with once a day visits to check up on me!
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow with some more interesting pictures and annotations.
Peacock farm house today
The Teighe Family
It is believed that West End House was taken over by Michael & Mary Ann Teighe in December 1785. They are thought to have been refugees from France and had a town house in Paris. They had 3 children, Dominick, Michael Thomas & Catherine. Besides the house they had control of much of the Cabbage Hill land (parish boundary) through to Priestwood Farm (where Braybrooke School is now). They also had some land out towards Shephards Lane and Folders Lane. Back to Westend Lane they had Woolpool and Hasleys (current Park Farm House) and control of the land either side of the lane down to the stream.
Michael Teighe Snr died in 1801. Dominick acquired much of the estate at this time. For an unknown reason Dominick borrowed money in 1802 and 1812 from John Allwrights of Swallowfield - this was for £1100 secured against a mortgage for the land at West End. Dominick died in 1820 and had not repaid the debt. He had 4 daughters and left them equal shares of his estate, but due to the unpaid debt in 1826 the land became Mr Allwrights outright. John Allwright Snr died 1809, his son John took over the estate (choosing to drop the 'w' from his name)
Mary Ann Teighe died in 1825 (her grave is located a few yards from Warfield Church door). Michael Thomas took over the lands. Ive found some stuff on the net about the Teighes of Warfield, to be looked into further although it appears to be something to do with the splitting up of the land (enlosures).
In 1839 Michael Thomas Teighe was living in Whitley Reading. This year also saw the death of John Allright 2nd and his estate was passed to John Allright 3rd. An exchange between the 2 dated somewhere in 1839 took place involving land between West End & Avery Lane which resulted in Mr Allright having control of most of the land except a small parcel opposite West End Farm House (where Keiths Farm Shop now stands)
In 1842 Michael Thomas sold all his land at West End for £2000 to John Coxwell of Warfield Cottage. He died around 1847 and left the West End estate to George Thomas Ellison of Portman Square London.
I will post a complete version of 'A Brief History of West End' written by my grandfather in a later post.
The Gales first appeared at West End in the late 1840s.
West End Warfield
As a point of reference, here are some links about Warfield where Park Farm is situated.
Westend Farm Stables, currently owned by Reg Hyde was bought from my grandfather in the early 1990s.
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Matthewsgreen Farm Wokingham
My grandfather has owned Matthewsgreen Farm in Wokingham since the 1970s. This is a current picture of the farmhouse (taken June 2008) which underwent major refurbishment in 2002. The front was extended and a large conservatory built on the side. The farm was developed into a thriving mini industrial estate in the mid 1980s after a period of neglect.I was brought up on this farm in the Bungalow named 'The Lodge' which lies between the farm and the main Matthewsgreen Road.
Cattle Shed where CS Motors now are.
Cattle shed at Park Farm Warfield Berkshire. Currently the farm workshop and 2 industrial units. Picture taken in the mid 70s.
Working Women in First World War
Edy Gale (daughter of Jack Gale, tenant farmer at Peacock Farm) raking a field at Peacock Farm, Bracknell Berkshire. Taken duriing the first world war (WW1). The picture was used in publications around the world demonstrating womens work during the war.Peacock Farm House Bracknell Berkshire
This is a photograph of the original farm house at Peacock farm, Easthampstead in Bracknell Berkshire. It is believed to have been taken at the turn of the century. Mr Jack Gale (my grandfathers uncle, older brother of his father Harry) with wife and daughter. Mrs Gale died in 1918 during the flu pandemic. Peacock farm has now been developed.
Welcome to my Blog
The recent death of my Grandfather's sister has prompted me to start a permanent record of my families diverse and interesting history. The general aim is to collate, annotate and permantly record the vast numbers of photographs and other media accumilated over the years by the family.
Being that this will be a central reference point primarily for family, friends and anyone interested in the history of the areas concerned, there will not be much in the way of chronological ordering. It is not intended as a 'diary of events'; for one it is far too complicated to arrange all of the media we have. There are also the problems of new material being turned up all the time & the fact that the dates applied to some of the media are unknown or very approximate. Last but not least, it makes it far more interesting!
Lets start with me. I am Paul Mitchell, currently 29 years of age born 29th March 1979. I am descended from Carol & Bryan Mitchell and have 1 sister, Claire, who is 27 and currently living in Bahrain. I am descended from a long line of farmers and land owners on my mothers side, and engineers on my fathers side.
My grandfather, Edward George Gale (referred to herein as EG, grandad or 'Ted') born 19th January 1924 (currently 84) has relayed a wealth of stories, jokes, pictures, cine film and a whole host of other stuff to us about his working life. He was raised at Westend Park Farm in Warfield Berkshire and worked the land and yard continously until he 'retired' in 1991.
Here is a picture of him as a boy behind the Farm's House (Park Farm House). We reckon he is about 5, so this picture would have been taken circa 1929. This house used to be named 'Halseys'
The house still stands today and is currently where I reside.
Being that this will be a central reference point primarily for family, friends and anyone interested in the history of the areas concerned, there will not be much in the way of chronological ordering. It is not intended as a 'diary of events'; for one it is far too complicated to arrange all of the media we have. There are also the problems of new material being turned up all the time & the fact that the dates applied to some of the media are unknown or very approximate. Last but not least, it makes it far more interesting!
Lets start with me. I am Paul Mitchell, currently 29 years of age born 29th March 1979. I am descended from Carol & Bryan Mitchell and have 1 sister, Claire, who is 27 and currently living in Bahrain. I am descended from a long line of farmers and land owners on my mothers side, and engineers on my fathers side.
My grandfather, Edward George Gale (referred to herein as EG, grandad or 'Ted') born 19th January 1924 (currently 84) has relayed a wealth of stories, jokes, pictures, cine film and a whole host of other stuff to us about his working life. He was raised at Westend Park Farm in Warfield Berkshire and worked the land and yard continously until he 'retired' in 1991.Here is a picture of him as a boy behind the Farm's House (Park Farm House). We reckon he is about 5, so this picture would have been taken circa 1929. This house used to be named 'Halseys'
The house still stands today and is currently where I reside.
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