How lovely to have such a large turn-out on a cold and foggy night! Members old and new were eager to hear a talk by one of the members, Philip Draycott on his book ‘Chadacre: 100 years of Suffolk Farming’. Philip has been an advisor on soil and sugar beet to Lord Iveagh of the Guinness brewing family for many years and was asked to write the history of the agricultural college, near Hartest, to commemorate its centenary.
Many in the audience had links with the college and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the photographs which accompanied the talk. It was amazing to see photographs from 1921 of students in the dairy, milkmen and ploughing. Boys from Suffolk farms went there at 16 and boarded in dormitories. They did practical farm tasks in the morning and lessons in the classroom in the afternoons. Girls were admitted in 1922, well ahead of the national trend. If students were successful they were awarded a very prestigious certificate at the end of their time.
In the 1950s most farm work was still done by hand, and Philip took us through the years with more excellent photographs from the Guinness family archive.
Chadacre closed in 1990 as the government put money into Otley, now the local Agricultural College. The estate was sold and the proceeds put in trust for education in farming such as post-graduate research, Young Farmers’ Clubs, children’s activities and the Farm Office handbook.
An excellent talk to start the year!
The next meeting, on Tuesday 15th February features another of our members, Anthony Foreman who will talk on The North Family and Two Kirtling Churches.
Dorothy Anderson