101 years ago today, on the 22nd April 1922, the Valuation for the sale of Bradfields Farm from Mr Thomas Rayner to Mr Richard AJ Lambert was drawn up by Messers Ramsey of Rochford.
Our great grandfather bought the farm for our grandfather to run. The valuation shows the farm growing a wide range of crops including Lucerne, Wheat, Peas, Spring Oats, Winter Oats, Winter Beans and Roots. The details show that some fields had been cultivated using a steam engine.
With the farm came a Chestnut Suffolk Punch mare called Smiler who my father remembers well, and three other horses Gispy, Jumbo and Blossom. The farm was home to 1 blue heifer, 1 white heifer, I red heifer and black polled cow, and a red and white shorthorn cow and heifer. With them there were 10 shorthorn yearlings and 11 calves.
The final animals listed as being on the farm were a sow and piglets and 68 Rhode Island Red chickens, 3 leghorn cockerels and 3 guinea fowl.
