Diaries of Joseph Barham of Middleton and of his son Herbert John Barham

• <persname>Barham, Joseph, d 1923, of Middleton, Suffolk</persname>
• <persname>Barham, Herbert John, fl 1923-1948, of Middleton, Suffolk</persname>

Documents deposited on 29 March 1996

(Acc No 10,593)

Diaries of Joseph Barham of Middleton, jobbing gardener, for the years 1869-1923, and of his son Herbert John Barham, also a gardener, covering the period 1923-1948.

In the county directories between 1869 and 1900, Joseph Barham is listed as 'gardener' or 'jobbing gardener', 1869-1892; as 'jobbing gardener and shopkeeper' (1896), and 'grocer and draper' (1900). His 1891 diary gives his address as Rose Cottage, and that for 1902 as the Post Office - from at least as early as 1900 his wife Rhoda was Sub-Postmistress. Joseph died on 2 July 1923.

Herbert John Barham was also employed as a gardener and, like his father, also did some farm work. Up until at least 1935 he continued to live at Middleton Post Office, where Miss Rose Barham [? his sister] succeeded Rhoda as Sub-Postmistress.