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.