The Records of Priestley Farm, Flitwick

This collection contains notebooks, account books and daybooks, documenting the market gardening and farming carried out at Priestley, Continued overleaf Biggleswade and Hillcote Farm, Maulden, during the first half of the 20th Century. The telephone books (see Z 908/3/1-14) not only contain information of trading trends, vegetable prices and weather, but cast an interesting light on trading conditions in London during World War Two.

INDEX

Z 908/1 Farming and Market Gardening Notebooks. 1926 - 1947

Z 908/2 Farm and Market Gardening Accounts. 1926 - 1963

Z 908/3 Telephone Books. 1931 - 1964

Z 908/4 Wholesale Business, Borough Market, London. 1945 - 1959

Z 908/5 Memorabilia and Other Material. 1943 - 1952

Z 908/6 Property. 1930s - 1954

Acc. 7748

The records of Priestley Farm, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, were deposited in the County Record Office on 3rd June 1996, by Mrs. Mary Roberts (daughter of Walter Cole), Pond Cottage, Rockley, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1 RT. An additional deposit was made by Mrs. Susan Pratt (daughter of R.P. Cole), 4 Mill Lane, Greenfield, Flitwick, MK45 5DF, on 22nd October 1996. Mrs. Mary Roberts made two further deposits in February and July 1999.

Walter Cole and family rented Priestley farm (almost 300 acres in size) from 1914 onwards. The family also farmed at Biggleswade, and R.P. Cole farmed at Hillcote Farm, Maulden, where the light soil was particularly suitable for market gardening. Various crops (mostly vegetables) were grown - cabbage, parsley, marrows, mangles, potatoes, peas, beans, beetroot, brussels sprouts, lucerne (a green feed for cattle), wheat, oats, barley etc.

They also ran a wholesale business in the Borough Market, London. Alfred Cole and his son Walter had started the enterprise in the late 1800's. The produce sold there came from other growers in the surrounding area and from the Coles' own farms, At first the produce was sent to London via the railway. Lorries were later introduced by Walter Cole.

Acres of peas were grown at Priestley and local women were employed for the picking season. A ticket was issued to the picker when a bag or box of peas was weighed in. The ticket could be cashed in at the end of each day or week (see Z 908/5/1).