Pondtail Farm

Pondtail Farm, situated in Old School Lane, is owned and run by the Budd  family, and here Michael tells us about its history and has kindly lent us many photographs and memories for this website.

Michael Budd:  In the farm sale of 1921 my grandfather Robert Budd and  Mr Holman who were tenants at Leighs Farm bought Pondtail Farm. In the second sale  in the 1950s Robert bought Leighs Farm in his son's names.

 

 

There were three  sons Ted, Arthur and Syd and five sisters. In 1963 Robert bought out the  Holmans from Pondtail and his son Arthur Budd farmed it.

That was my father and  I worked for him when I left school and eventually took over. I have now  retired and the farmer is my son Keith Budd.

There are now ninety six acres of Pondtail plus what is left of  Leighs Farm and parcels of land around the village making a total of two  hundred and thirty acres. We have three hundred bullocks maize and arable.

The previous tenants bred  carthorses and the large barns were once stables. The brick barn was wooden but  a bomb fell close by in the War and blew all the planks off.

When the doodlebug landed in the coach road my father went to see if anyone was hurt and he found a dead rabbit. Along came Mr Marshall on his bike and as a joke my father said "Two bob for the rabbit" which was paid instantly! Food was short. The number of bombs that fell were probably directed at the Canadians who were camped on what is now the golf course. A time-bomb fell in the paddock.We did not know about it until it exploded later. Another did not explode and the army had to come to dispose of it.A bomb fell by the flag pole on the golf course but the flag was not damaged.

My first job when I left school was working with my father and he set me working to tile the Holman and Budd's barn in Middle Street where Barn Cottage  now stands. In those days we had a mixed farm, grew potatoes, cerials spring  wheat and spring barley often for cattle feed. In the winter we would concentrate on the coal business and in the summer when the coal deliveries were less we  had more help on the farm from the Holmans and my father's brothers.

Images from Michael Budd:

 

                                   

The farm 1947

 

1947 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family outing to Point to Point 1955

 

Growing up on the farm The current house was two cottages with the Holmans one side and
the Budds the other. Jill Holman, Ann Budd now Clinch and Michael Budd

Land army during the War

 

 Robert Budd on the right

Michael Budd and Margaret Hobden nee Trick

 

Syd Budd, father Robert and Arthur Budd 1937 at Ted's wedding

1947 German POW dropped off to work every day by lorry from Beare Green