Bob Windridge b. 1932 Astley, and Rossie Windridge (nee Woodfield), b.1933,
Fillongley.
Blythe Farm
Bob recalls father moving to new farm in 1935, and later when war started. Close
to Ham’s Hall power station, so cattle killed, air raids. Blythe farm mixed farm,
with double cow shed, holding 54 cows. Had 3 men and one of first milking
machines. His mother said he was always outside and found the mud.
Applied for his own tenancy, looked around and liked Marslands, couldn’t be
finicky. Age 25. Married Rossie at 26.
Rossie, and Young Farmers
Father worked in haulage, sometimes mother would drive, Rossie sat in the
middle. Severe winters, milk churns brought by horse. In 1943, bought Blabers
Hall farm, sold lorries and moved to farm, rearing sheep and cattle. Rossie taught
at Tamworth and Coleshill until children came along. Bob and Rossie were
Chairman and Secretary of Coleshill Young Farmers. Meetings were more formal
then. Bob started Junior Young Farmers having been a founder. At 60 th
anniversary they had over 60 members. Rossie felt it would be a shame if
smaller clubs amalgamated, as competition is valuable, and with the right people
clubs can grow again. Same issues in clubs now, as young people go away to
college, leaving a gap.
YFC social life
Dances took place at Coleshill Town Hall, Tamworth, village halls like Dordon.
Listened to Jimmy Reynolds, went to bands they liked. Posh events at Nuneaton
Co-op Hall or Chesford Grange, tickets 10/6d top price with Laurie Hancocks.
Public speaking competitions and quizzes, debating. Stock judging, winners went
to the London Fat Stock shows. National AGM used to be in London. Parents
viewed Young Farmers as a safe activity. Travelled around by bicycle, motorbike,
family car, or a crowd in the farm van.
Marslands Farm
98 acres, tenancy. Had to get used to banks and slopes. Cowshed for 26. Grew
potatoes, corn, kept sheep. Later, 2000 turkeys. Bought new cows to milk.
Markets at Rugby usually. Kept 2 herds; Friesians and Jerseys, milk sold to
Carvells dairies in Browns lane in separate churns.
Poultry
Bob had bought in-calf heifers, so they planned their wedding before the calving
started. Holidays planned to fit in with farm and family. New buildings for turkeys.
Rossie had a deep-litter shed for hens to lay. Kept turkeys 20 weeks before they
would be ready. They had Bronze turkeys, with breast bone. Later used white
breeds. Now the bronze is bred to have a plump breast. Bought in day-old
chicks. Kept 800 for Christmas. Potato pickers would pluck turkeys. Coventry
factory workers would do 2 or 3 hours plucking.
Moving from Marslands
Sold potatoes to Coventry market traders, rather than gate sales; bagged up. In
1965 moved to Old Hall Farm, bigger house and acreage. Aware of plan for
Motorway to cross the land; it was already pegged out. Existing roads were
already busy with factory traffic. Opted to switch to all arable.
Tenants and landlords
Rossie describes 3-yearly visits from the landlords, treated well by them. The
twice-yearly rent lunch would be at Bond’s hospital in Hill Street, or a hotel in
Coventry, or the Drapers club. Bond’s was for retired gentlemen, then built a new
complex for couples (took over Ford’s hospital for women)
3822
Old Hall Farm
Soil at Old Hall Farm needed lime. There was a Min of Ag soil test for PNK and
lime. Had moved to new home, unmodernised. There were other problems; they
needed a grain store, so converted an old dutch barn, but electric lines not
installed in time for under-floor dryer. Had to power it with a tractor, but grain was
deteriorating and wouldn’t have passed current standards for moisture content.
The motorway
Switched to using contractor for combine, Lists field names. Some fields
reshaped because of Motorway. Entrance to farm was moved and improved.
Construction dust was bad, and with no cabs to protect. Red dust in the corn,
sandstone dust in Bob’s eyes. (telephone noise)Interesting to watch the
construction, but didn’t realise the noise would increase.
Old Hall farm house
The house was listed in the Doomsday book, owned by Lord Leofric, passed to
Thomas Bond in 1500. Rossie lists the rooms; black lead stove, copper tap over
vast sink, worn blue brick floor, dairy, pantry, domed cellar, supposed tunnels.
Installed an aga and they paid for parquet flooring and an oil heater. Rossie had
help, 2 days a week. False windows because of window tax. Changes over the
years, other buildings on the site. Kitchen garden.
Leaving Old Hall Farm
Ready to retire. Not sure what sort of property they wanted. Moved away from
Fillongley for 20 months. Enjoyed quiet away from motorway, social life was still
in the area but little choice of properties. Learned they could adapt a place to suit
them.
Fillongley Show
Taken to the show as children, and Bob remembers the show starting up again
after the war. He showed his father’s cattle there, and was chairman of the show
at one time. Weather sometimes difficult, changed dates to a Saturday and
Sunday. Went downhill for a while. Brings people from the town, used to run
buses from Coventry. Rossie went as child, competing in gymkhanas. She once
won a first prize through being very upright after having fallen off at a gymkhana
the previous day. When married they started working for the show and have
been involved ever since. Farming community is set apart and not understood by
general public. People don’t understand the commitment it requires.
End of interview