The Story of Piddlehinton

Cyril Green was born in Kingrove House, Piddletrenthide, the youngest son of gamekeeper Harry Green and his wife Harriet. On leaving school, he helped his father farm Hope Farm, Piddletrenthide, being too young to enlist to fight in the war. He married Christobel Chaldecott whose parents farmed at White Lackington. Their first home was Myrtle Cottage but they moved to Bournemouth to run a shop.

Two years later, they came back to Piddlehinton to farm. They rented the Laurels from Eton and leased Kiddles Farm from Colonel Belgrave and Higher Heave Farm as a sub-tenant, from Rex Lovelace. They also took over Hope Farm and eventually White Lackington Farm. These farms totalled 600 acres [242Ha] between them. Animals and machinery all moved between the different farms. They lived for many happy years at the Laurels, eventually buying it from Eton.

Their children, Philip (seen Left working an old combine) and Rosmond were raised there. There were always several dogs in their home which accompanied Cyril round the farms. He was a good shot.

He employed local people on his farms, Percy Teversham was his dairyman and Arthur King, Herbie Trevett and the younger Ivor Spracklen also worked for him. During the war, 2 land girls joined his workforce. Cyril is seen here talking to Barbara, his Land Girl.

The upside-down tractor, rats running from the thresher, and chasing the bull are among the memories of his farming days.

.

As well as running his farms, Cyril was both a Parish District Councillor, actively representing the community until shortly before his death in August 1977

Bill Gregory was born at Black House and the family moved to Rectory Road when he was 3 months old. He was one of 9 children. Bill's mother acted as the local midwife, and young Bill was pressed into service as guide during darkness, holding a candle in a jam jar for a lantern to guide her to confinements. His father worked for Mr Mayo at Little Piddle farm; his duties included maintaining the water meadows along the Piddle. Bill used to catch trout and eels stranded when the hatches were opened. Bill worked at Manor Farm for Mr and Miss Riggs until he was 18. then he went into the building trade as a bricklayer. He worked on many local houses. Bill married Emily Woodland in 1932. She had come to live in the village in 1916 when only 8 years old. Her father, Mr Woodland, was a carter. He had a disagreement with his employer, Lady Debenham, at Briantspuddle who required him to work on Sundays, so he sought a new position. He was too late for the hiring fair held in Dorchester each February for a new job starting the following 5th April, so he advertised in the Western Gazette. Mr Walter Lovelace who farmed at East Farm, Piddlehinton, came in a pony and trap, interviewed him and gave him a job as carter.

The Woodlands moved to East Farm Cottages where her parents stayed until her father retired in 1931. They then moved to West Lane (the cottage is now gone). Emily was the youngest of the family of 8 children. She attended the village school until she was 14 years old. The school had some 90 pupils at that time. On leaving school she went into service, first for Canon and Mrs Helps in Puddletown as 'between maid' for £12 per year. 'Between maids' divided their time, in this case assisting the cook and the parlour maid. She later worked as a housemaid at Tolpuddle and for this she was paid £14 per year, three months in arrears. She had to find her own uniform.

In 1932 Bill and Emily Gregory were married. They set up home at No 14 High Street, next to the shop. Their eldest son, John was born that year and the very next day the next door house caught fire, but fortunately the damage was not serious. Bill saw the smoke as he bicycled home from his work in Briantspuddle and was afraid it might be coming from his home. In 1941, when his mother died, Bill and Emily and their family moved to his parents' house in Rectory Road. Bill's brother Charlie lived with them. Two other brothers, Leonard and Bob, also lived in the village with their families but later moved away.

In 1939, Bill joined the LDV (later the Home Guard) where his skill as a bricklayer was put to good use. In 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Engineers and was trained as a stevedore, working in the London docks. During the invasion of Normandy he worked in the Mulberry Harbour, the floating harbour towed to Normandy to land supplies. He later helped build and repair bridges and buildings for the advancing army. When he left the army in 1945 he joined the Reserve. He was a very keen supporter of the British Legion for the rest of his life. He and Emily celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1982.

Another of Mr Rex Lovelace's farmhands in his later years was Jack Groves (Right, with his mother and brother Walter). The Groves family lived in Piddlehinton for many years, first at Muston, where Mrs Groves (senior) worked for the Churchills. They moved to the cottage in Piddlehinton opposite the forge, by the bridge over the mill leat. This burnt down in 1925. They found a cottage at Egypt, Piddletrenthide, later moving to Ivy House (1934). RG (Jack) Groves had fought in the 1914-18 war. He was badly burnt and spent three years in hospital. Before he enlisted, he had worked as a roadman. After the war he became a postman, cycling round the area. It was while he was on his daily rounds that their house caught fire.

Together with his wife, Mary Ann (left, aged about 18), and children, Nora and Les, their family photograph appears in Chapter 11. He continued as postman but later became a farmhand for Rex Lovelace.

As far as we know, Jack Groves was not related to Alfred Groves, the thatcher and hurdler.

Heave Farm (the name Heave is derived from a heap or hillock) was part of the demesne farmland. At this time it was sublet by Rex Lovelace to Cyril Green.

Tom Jeanes Jnr was the other last farming tenant of Eton. Born on 14 May 1894 he farmed about 90 acres [36.5Ha] with his Uncle Tom Jeanes (as had his grandfather William Jeanes before him). The Jeanes family has lived in the village since John Jeanes arrived with his wife Sarah to work on the land. From the census records we know this was before 1841. The holding in 1871 was of 41 acres and 2 men and a boy were employed. They kept sheep and grew corn. The family lived at Whites Dairy House and in the dairy cottages.

Haymaking was a family occasion in the late 19th century. This postcard was sent to Bess and showed "Uncle Tom's family, with Ern marked with a cross". Uncle Tom was the elder Tom Jeanes. Ern Yeatman, marked with a cross, lived in Surrey but came to Dorset for his holidays to visit his Aunt Laura Dyke and his cousins (one of whom, Elsie Dyke, he later married).

Tom Jeanes Jnr had two brothers and five sisters. One of his sisters, Mabel, married Bert Saint, the carpenter and funeral director. Other sisters moved away. The elder brother Walter was killed in the First World War. Younger brother William returned to work on the Manor Farm and later for Woodsford Farms.

Their elder son, Ted, worked as a butcher for Wightmans in Piddletrenthide. He joined the navy during the Second World War. He died in 1965 leaving a widow and children in Dorchester. Younger son Terry and daughter Fay still live in the village and take an active part in village life. Terry was sexton at the church and captain of the bellringers. Fay was married to Geoff Lord (1932-2000), the church organist.

When his Uncle Tom died, Eton passed the tenancy down to Tom Jnr, a bachelor. Terry Jeanes and Joe Damen worked for him. He always kept a barrel of home-made cider in his barn by the churchyard, for social pleasure.

Many men and boys from the village spent time helping him on his farm, as in the days of his uncle.

Tom Jeanes retired in 1966, the end of the Eton era! He was the last yeoman farmer to farm in the village! He died in 1978.

Five generations of the Lovelace family have farmed in Piddlehinton. Joseph Lovelace was one of Eton's copyhold tenants in Piddlehinton in the early 19th century. His name first appears as an official in the manorial court in 1836. In 1830 he established one of the first registered flocks of Dorset Down sheep. In the Tithe award of 1838 he is listed as having 5 holdings totalling 152 acres.

By the time of the 1851 census, James Lovelace his son, aged 31, appears as the farmer/miller. Like his father before him he frequently held office in the manorial court. In the 1861 census James is described as farming 560 acres [226Ha] employing 20 men and 8 boys. He and his wife Susan had 8 children aged between 14 and 2 and two servants. In 1858 he is recorded as having been elected a Juror at the manorial court. He probably held this office several times. In the 1861 census he is listed as farming 450 acres employing 12 men, 8 women and 5 boys on a yearly tenancy. By 1881 he was a widower farming 420 acres with 12 men and 3 boys.

Walter Lovelace, his son, took on the tenancy. He was a churchwarden from 1900 until his death in 1927. After his death, the pulpit in the church was given in his memory by the people of the village. On the death of his wife Millicent, many years later, the family gave the gates and lamp arch at the entrance to the church path in her memory.

After his father Walter's death, Rex Lovelace, then a young man, succeeded to the tenancy of East farm. In 1942 he bought the 44 acres [17.8Ha] of Glebe land. After the Second World War he also took over the tenancy of the Manor Farm. He was for some years Chairman of the South Dorset Hunt and also Chairman of the Piddlehinton Parish Council until it merged with other parishes to form the Piddle valley Parish Council in 1977. He died in 1978.

His son Bill, who took on the tenancy, died in 1981. He and his wife Jane exchanged their tenancy for the freehold of part of the property, which she still farms today.

To qualify for a combine harvester in the war, a farm needed 400 acres [162Ha] of corn. Between Rex Lovelace at East Farm and Edgar Tory at Bourne, the requisite total was held. They arranged to share the first Massey Harris combine. It arrived in kit form from Canada for a cost of £1058 plus an extra £80 for the pick-up reel. Reg Cosh used to drive it.

Thomas Meggs was the tenant of Eton's Manor farm for 33 years from 1786 until his death in 1819. In 1794, when he was 54, he joined the Dorset Volunteer rangers, the newly formed force raised privately by Lord Milton, son of the Earl of Dorchester, to defend the county against invasion by Napoleon. They agreed to receive no pay and to clothe and horse themselves, receiving only a sword and a pistol from the government. They undertook to attend training and exercises not more than twice a week and not during harvest or sheep shearing. In 1794 there was a plan for the Prince of Wales to attend an exercise on Muston Down which was cancelled due to a royal death. In 1797 when the danger of invasion increased, Lieutenant Meggs became a captain and raised his own troop. The whole force numbered 380. It was reviewed by King George III with the rest of the corps on Fordington Field in 1798 and again in 1799 and 1801. The king was 'highly pleased and gratified with the whole appearance and performance'. The queen and princesses were present. They were probably on their way to Weymouth, one of the king's favourite resorts. When peace was signed in 1802 the Dorset Volunteer Rangers were disbanded. They were the forerunners of the Dorset Yeomanry.

Thomas Meggs is listed as having held office in the Manorial Court of 1816. He died when he was 83. There is a tablet in the chancel of the church erected to his memory and to that of his wife Susan, who died two weeks after her husband, and to his only son Harry who died in 1821.

Her father, Bill Riggs, had come to Piddlehinton from Chine Hill (between Piddlehinton and Puddletown). He married Mrs Alice Hoskins, a widow living in High Street, whose husband had been killed in the Boer War. Before joining the army, Mr Hoskins had been a postman, walking daily from Piddlehinton to Cerne Abbas with the mail.

On his arrival in the village, Mr Riggs worked for Miss Riggs (they were not related) at Manor Farm but later he worked as groom and gardener for Mr Walter Lovelace. Mrs Hoskins had two young daughters when she married Mr Riggs. The family continued to live in her home for a while. They later moved to a cottage across the bridge by the New Inn, now demolished. They had five more daughters, the youngest of whom, Wyn, married Jack Gerrard, and still lives in the village today.

Her father, Bill Riggs, had come to Piddlehinton from Chine Hill (between Piddlehinton and Puddletown). He married Mrs Alice Hoskins, a widow living in High Street, whose husband had been killed in the Boer War. Before joining the army, Mr Hoskins had been a postman, walking daily from Piddlehinton to Cerne Abbas with the mail.

On his arrival in the village, Mr Riggs worked for Miss Riggs (they were not related) at Manor Farm but later he worked as groom and gardener for Mr Walter Lovelace. Mrs Hoskins had two young daughters when she married Mr Riggs. The family continued to live in her home for a while. They later moved to a cottage across the bridge by the New Inn, now demolished. They had five more daughters, the youngest of whom, Wyn, married Jack Gerrard, and still lives in the village today.

PC James Searley was stationed in Piddlehinton from 1885-1888. He lived in a cottage in the village which served as both home and Police Station. He was a single man who during the course of his duties had to travel miles to other villages and towns. All this was done on foot. Only the superintendents in charge of divisions were required to provide themselves with a horse. The bicycle was not used by Dorset police until 1894; the Dorchester Division possessed just one bicycle. PC 89 was graded as a first class constable, his wages were £1. 3s. 4d. per week. He kept a very interesting Duty Journal - here are just a few quotes from it:

Other officers living and serving at Piddlehinton until 1926:

• Richard Lane Hann (1863-65)
• Theodore Ironside (1870-1871)
• Joseph Marsh (1871-1873, went on to become Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset)
• Thomas Cooper (1873-1874)
• James Snelling (1884-1885)
• John Matcham (1875-1881, rose to the rank of Superintendent at Sherborne)
• Francis Larcombe (1874-1885)
• James Powell (1882-1884)
• John Chaplin (1881-1882)
• John Shepherd (1892-1895)
• William Pond (1894-1899)
• Walter Bagg (1905-1910)
• Ernest Elsworth (1899-1900)
• George Samways (March 1901-Oct 1901)
• Basil Jay (1913-1919)
• George Clothier (1919-1922)
• Ernest Gale (1922-1926)

Clement Tory bought Muston Manor and its 980 acres of farmland from the Trustees of William Churchill in 1906. Although he did not live in the farmhouse, he took an active part in the farming of the land.

These photographs of steam threshing and binding were taken on Clement Tory's farm about 1918. The Overtine tractor shown here was later buried on land, now part of Lea Farm. Rex Lovelace later dug it up to retrieve the large water tank, but the rest remains buried to this day.

When Clement Tory died on 4th February 1940 he left 2700 acres stretching from Dorchester to Melcombe Horsey, including Muston, Alms and Bourne Farms. All the land was sold off and this advertisement from the Dorset County Chronicle on August 15 1940 shows its location. It sold for £7 an acre. Clement Tory's sons Philip and Edgar bought part of the estate at Piddlehinton, Edgar Tory buying Bourne farm (which he and his wife Freda, farmed for 23 years). Philip Tory married Nancy Lovelace and they lived at Mulletts, just over the boundary into Piddletrenthide. Edgar later bought Philip's land.

Doles Wood Plantation, where these photographs were taken in the 1950s, was bought by Clement Tory and when sold to a Mr Pentelow in 1940 it made £325. Edgar Tory bought it back five years later for £1 more! The first combine harvester was bought during the Second World War. To qualify for a combine 400 acres of corn had to be cultivated; Rex Lovelace and Edgar Tory between them had the required acreage and together they bought a Massey Harris for £1058 and paid an extra £80 for the pick-up reel. It arrived in boxes from Canada and was assembled by Reg Cosh who also drove it. It was petrol driven and needed two people to operate, one behind the driver was the 'bagger' who had to place and remove bags from 4 outlets - two for the main corn, one for tailings and one dustbag. One time this dust ignited and the combine caught fire. After 6 years Edgar bought out Rex's share and the combine eventually finished its days in the trees at Doles Wood.

From 1944 the boys from Poole Grammar School helped with the harvest, the Torys were issued with pots, pans, blankets etc to help cater for them. Enough barley was cut to make 41 ricks, these were thatched. Sam Stockley was the hedger and thatcher.

Mrs Tory can remember the water meadows being maintained and used. Using a system of hatches the rivers were dammed in the early spring and the flooding filled the ditches, allowing early grass to grow. Puddletown was renowned for its water meadows and those in the 'Puddletown' parts of Piddlehinton are far superior to the others.

Clement Tory bought Muston Manor and its 980 acre farm from William Churchill in 1906. Although he did not live in the house, he took an active part in farming the land. He was a very keen hunting man. He died in 1941. Many of the mourners at his funeral wore hunting dress, and earth from a fox sanctuary was sprinkled on his grave. After their father's death, two of his sons, Edgar and Philip, took over Bourne Farm and Alms Farm respectively, both of which had been part of their father's Muston property.

Philip married Nancy Lovelace, sister of Rex and daughter of Walter Lovelace. They continued farming in Piddlehinton for a few years living at Mulletts, just over the boundary into Piddletrenthide, before moving away.

Edgar had known Bourne Farm all his life, coming over there often with his father from their home at Sturminster Marshall. He bought it and came to live in the village of Piddlehinton with his new bride Freda in 1941. He later bought his brother's adjacent land (Alms Farm) as well. Edgar and Freda farmed at Bourne for 23 years and raised their three daughters there. The photograph is from 1958.

In 1964 they sold Bourne Farm to Mr Ingram Spencer of Hanford Farms and moved to Higher Waterston where they farmed a smaller acreage. Although outside the parish boundary, they kept their connection with Piddlehinton. Edgar Tory served as a ChurchWarden from 1972 until his death in 1989. He was a Joint Master of the South Dorset Hunt from 1965 to 1980. He was a keen sportsman and naturalist and knew all the country around Piddlehinton like the back of his hand. Seen here with Freda Tory out hunting with the South Dorset Hounds.

Five generations of the Way family ran the blacksmith's business from the 1830s until the 1940s. George Way was born in Tolpuddle in 1799. He brought his wife and three children from Puddletown (where their youngest son James was born in 1827) to settle in Piddlehinton. As a master blacksmith, George employed two hands. James Way became a blacksmith journeyman, and at least two of his five sons, John and Alfred, entered the family trade. John was apprenticed in 1871, aged 15 and presumably took on the responsibility of the village forge on the death of his grandfather George on 10th March 1874. Alfred became a blacksmith journeyman like his father (in the 1881 census, aged 17).

John and his wife Emma also had three daughters, Kate, Agnes and Rose. All three of them became pupil teachers at Piddlehinton School at the turn of the century and went on to train as teachers. Rose Way returned to Piddlehinton School as assistant teacher in 1907, teaching the infant class. She was very musical and was the church organist for 29 years. She helped train the choir and taught local children to play the piano. She played a very active part in village life. She ran the Youth Club and taught the members folk dancing. She was for many years president of the Women's Institute. She formed and ran an adult theatrical group 'The Bright Sparks' who put on various entertainments. They were in great demand and performed in many other places as well as Piddlehinton.

John Way [Left] died in 1927. The newspaper report of the time says

Fred Way's son Bill [Right] outside the forge in the 1930s.

Some of the family still lives locally.

Ann Winzer (née Keats) 1794-1873

(Nb. Her surname is spelt both Winzer and Winzor on her headstone, which is in Piddlehinton graveyard!)

Ann was born in Fordington, Dorchester, in 1791 according to her gravestone, but as she was baptised in 1795 it is more likely that she was actually born in 1794.

At aged 17, she married James Winzor in 1811 and they quickly had a son, James - who unfortunately died aged about 5 and was buried in Fordington in 1817.

James (Senior) was a soldier in one of the Light Dragoons Regiments stationed in Dorchester and was posted abroad to fight at Waterloo and in Paris.

Ann accompanied him and acted as a nurse to the wounded at the battle of Waterloo in 1815, many years before Florence Nightingale's famous days pioneering the nursing of the sick and wounded in the Crimean War.

After returning to England to collect James (junior), she also looked after the sick in Gibralta before returning to Dorchester with the family.

Ann had a scond son, Joseph, who was baptised in 1824 and worked wih his father for a while before moving away. He had an illegitimate daughter, Carloine Collins, in 1853 and later moved back to live with his parents in Dorchester. Sometime after 1861 James, Ann, Joseph and Caroline moved to Piddlehinton. It appears that James was one of the many Chelsea Pensioners who did not live at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, as it seems that Colonel Astell, who came to live at West Lodge in 1862, took steps to ensure that Ann also got a pension in recognition of her service to the army. He also employed Caroline as a housemaid.

In the census of 1871, both James & Joseph give their professions as a plasterer journeyman.

Ann died in 1873 and is buried in Piddlehinton churchyard. Her tombstone near the north boundary tells her story. Her husband died two years later.

Mr Frank Woodland came to the village in 1916. He had a disagreement with his employer, Lady Debenham, at Briantspuddle who required him to work on Sundays, so he sought a new position. He was too late for the hiring fair held in Dorchester each February for a new job starting the following 5th April, so he advertised his services in the Western Gazette. Mr Walter Lovelace who farmed at East Farm, Piddlehinton, came in a pony and trap, interviewed him and gave him a job as carter.

The Woodlands moved to East Farm Cottages where her parents stayed until her father retired in 1931. They then moved to a cottage in West Lane (no longer standing). Emily was the youngest of the family of 8 children. She attended the village school until she was 14 years old. The school had some 90 pupils at that time. On leaving school she went into service, first for Canon and Mrs Helps in Puddletown as 'between maid' for £12 per year. 'Between maids' divided their time, in this case assisting the cook and the parlour maid. She later worked as a housemaid at Tolpuddle and for this she was paid £14 per year, three months in arrears. She had to find her own uniform. In 1932, she married Bill Gregory and they lived in Piddlehinton for the rest of their lives.

This Story of Piddlehinton is copyright © 2014 by Piddlehinton History Group.

It may not be reproduced in part or in whole without the written permission of the Group.

The Group does not accept liability for any inaccuracy or omissions or anything arising therefrom.

Website construction & maintenance by Whitepuppy. Contact: webmaster@whitepuppy.co.uk