THURLBY – 1912
A century ago, Thurlby was very different from the modern village we know today. Most of the community was involved in agriculture. Thurlby was truly self-supporting, with farmers, butchers, bakers, a dairy, grocery shops, pubs and blacksmiths. There was a Post Office from which, after sorting, the mail was delivered.
The Railway Station provided a passenger and goods service; as did carriers by road.
There was a Board School – and St. Firmin’s Church and two Methodist Chapels provided places of worship for villagers.
In 1911, the Wesleyan Methodist congregation decided that a new chapel was needed. The building contract was awarded to Mr Frederick Charles Brutnell of Thurlby. The Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1912, remains as a place of worship and village landmark to this day.
The Brutnell family were well-known farmers and builders, with their home and farm on Thurlby High Street. A unique record of village life, Fred Brutnell’s work and business diary, from 1912, has passed down to the present generation.
During the next year, a selection of entries from the diary, recalling work through the seasons/ on the farm, in the Fen and around the village, will appear on Thurlby Village. We thank Joyce Stevenson for editing these and the Brutnell family for allowing them to be posted.
Brutnell’s Diary – January 1912
Monday, January 1.
“Tom (Brutnell) & 2 horses ploughing at Smiths. C.Brown & 2 horses carting manure onto Short Drove field. One load from home.” Various 6 to 15 foot lengths of timber and “4 buckets, to Rural Council for cleaning out Carrdyke”. This was followed by an entry on the 5th for more timber, buckets and “1 pair yokes for Carrdyke”. The wooden yoke across the shoulders would be used to carry two buckets when clearing the dyke.
Carting and spreading manure, and ploughing, mainly on their own fields in the Fen, continued throughout the month, with an additional entry (29th): “Tom & C.Brown & 2 horses – 2 loads manure Golden Well for W.Corten“.
Pig killing took place at the farm (6th) and mangolds were carted home (9th) ensuring that the family had meat and their animals had food during the winter months.
Tom & C.Brown and 4 horses spent several days carting granite to Wytham, Toft & Toft main roads; and “Slag onto Fen Droves”. Straw was carted from the station for Mr.Sneath; mangolds to T.Holland and two loads of faggots (bundles of sticks) for Mr Griffin.
On the 22nd Fred supplied pipes to repair the drain in Water Lane; and on the 23rd he noted: “T.Rds. (T.Rhodes) rep. and fixing copper at Mr.Hollands“.
During January John (Brutnell) also completed a variety of jobs which included fencing trees in the Fen, repairing doors, ploughing and carting soil. With Fred he made a gate which he hung the following day at the entrance to a field in Short Drove.
On the 5th, 6th and 24th Fred recorded that the weather was “Very snowy & wet”, and on the 29th & 30th of the month, it was “Very sharp”. In spite of the snow and hard frost, work continued as usual with the exception of Sundays. Other than tending the animals there was no work on Sunday – this was the day when all the family was expected to attend Chapel
February 1912
Thursday, February 1.
“Tom & 2 horses moving machine for Mr.Osborn. 1 load mangolds to T.Holland. Part day carting slag to own yard. Fixing iron tie through barn for Mr.Sneath. Holland’s pony to Ringham’s field.”
Another load of mangolds was delivered to village butcher Mr.Holland, on the 17th of the month.
Tom Brutnell, horseman on the farm, and C.Brown, spent much of February carting manure from the “Beast Shed” to the manure heap and potato land in Short Drove.
Tuesday, February 13.
“Tom, C.Brown & 4 horses carting granite Main Road. Self taking load 8.9 inch pipes to Baston Hedge Drove from Green. Fetch 6 Street-Frames & Grates from Bourne to Northorpe – 2 to Roadman Smith.”
Wednesday February 14.
“Tom, C.Brown & 4 horses carting granite Main Road. 7.9 inch pipes to Baston Hedge Drove. T.Rds (Tom Rhodes) taking off old wood Frames, rep. cesspools, fix new Street Frames in cement & paving round with blue pavors in cement. 88 bricks, 1 1/4d each (a penny-farthing each).l bag cement,5/6 (five shillings & sixpence). Sand, 2/- (two shillings). Pony, 2/-.”
Granite carting to Toft & Thurlby Main Roads continued throughout the month. On February 21st there was a record of “1 man & horse & cart moving roadstone from near Kate’s Bridge Cottages to Cross Roads”, and on the 26th: “C. Brown & 2 horses finish stone carting, Main Road”.
Following an entry on 22ndt “Self at Mr Sneaths Tennis Ground”, Fred Brutnell spent several days working at Mr.Sneaths.
The month ended “Threshing Oats & Barley. Cutting Chaff etc” (28th & 29th). The arrival of the Threshing Machine marked one of the most important activities of the farming year. The stacks of harvested sheaves were threshed to seperate the grain, chaff (grain husks) and straw. Following the threshing various deliveries of straw, chaff, oats and barley were made to Mr.Sneath, T.Holland, Jno. Needham, J.Chambers & S.Harvey
