My Mother's Diaries
1949 at Hiltonbury Farm
1949 brings another full year of family and farming life at Hiltonbury Farm. Through winter illness, children’s birthdays, village dances, changing weather, livestock and the constant round of household and farm work, Mother faithfully records both happy occasions and difficult moments. These everyday entries preserve a vivid picture of rural Hampshire as the post-war years continued.
January and February brought a busy winter to Hiltonbury Farm. While the children suffered coughs and colds, Mother continued with sewing, darning, cooking and the endless household work. There were parties, village dances, family visitors and improvements to the kitchen, while outside the hens laid well and the first snowdrops appeared. Jennifer celebrated her birthday and later delighted everyone by passing her scholarship examination. Farm life brought its own incidents, including a pig being killed, a cow losing her calf and prize-winning eggs and snowdrops. Alongside these happier moments came the sad news of Mr Drewitt’s death—a reminder that Mother’s diaries recorded sorrow as faithfully as celebration.
January & February 1949
March & April 1949
March began with snow, slush and bitter winds, but gradually spring returned to Hiltonbury Farm. There were dances, family visits, sewing and darning, while Andrew recovered from swollen glands and Mother marked the anniversary of Father’s death. Clothes rationing finally ended, John began drilling corn and a crate containing 150 newly hatched chicks arrived at the farm. Mother celebrated her birthday as warmer weather appeared. April brought Andrew’s birthday, Easter holidays, garden work and busy preparations in the fields. Lassie was mated with Laddie, peas and potatoes were planted, and the poultry yard filled with new life. The first nightingales sang across the hedgerows, and the month ended with a family trip to The Dell to watch Romsey play Andover.
May & June 1949
May brought warmer days, growing gardens and an increasingly lively farmyard. The great excitement was the arrival of Smoky, a pony bought for Jennifer, although Mother enjoyed riding him too. More chicks arrived, the garden was planted and much-needed rain finally refreshed the dry fields. As May ended, Lassie began producing her new litter. June opened with seven puppies, but farm life soon showed its harsher side when a rat killed thirty-seven young chicks. Haymaking began at Flexford, Janet celebrated her birthday with strawberries and ice cream, and a cow recovered from milk fever after treatment by the vet. There were school interviews, sewing, tennis and a memorable visit to the Reading Show, where Norman’s Jersey cattle won several prizes.
July & August 1949
July brought blazing sunshine and long days of pea picking, haymaking and harvesting. There was a perfect family day beside the sea at Highcliffe and a memorable journey through the Cotswolds to the Shrewsbury agricultural show, including a night in Oswestry. Mother bottled raspberries and cherries, attended sheepdog trials and recorded the welcome news that the girls had been accepted into the convent school. August began with the final stages of harvest and the arrival of the first heifer calf from the Jersey bull. The family then escaped to Bracklesham Bay holiday camp for beach days, dancing and fancy-dress competitions, where Andrew won first prize dressed as a choirboy. Returning home brought washing, jam-making, summer storms and the gradual ending of another busy farming summer.
September & October 1949
September remained unusually warm as threshing continued and the farming year began its turn towards autumn. John won prizes for wheat, barley and oats, while Mother’s heifer calves also won at the Growmore Club. Jennifer and Janet began at the Convent High School, and Janet later took second place riding Patchy at a gymkhana. All twenty heifers passed their tuberculosis tests, bringing considerable relief. October began with record warmth but soon brought heavy rain, gales and the first hard frost. There was gardening, sowing, sloe-gin making, fresh pork from the farm and a cheerful “pig evening” with neighbours. The highlight was a coach trip to the Dairy Show in London, followed by dinner at the Strand Palace Hotel and a theatre visit to see Brigadoon.
November & December 1949
November brought winter fires, stormy weather and the final barley threshing, which produced a very good yield. A loose bull caused an early alarm, plans were discussed for new cow sheds, and the family sadly lost a calf. Christmas puddings were prepared before Mother and John celebrated their wedding anniversary. December filled the farmhouse with cakes, presents, decorations and Christmas poultry. A car crash involving John and friends caused a fright, although injuries were not serious. Christmas, Boxing Day and John’s birthday brought family gatherings before illness quietened the household. The year ended with everyone welcoming 1950 from bed.