May 1901
Susannah felt so deliciously happy! As she fed baby Agnes in the early dawn light, dreams of their future life danced through her mind.
“Today is the beginning of our new life! Tomorrow I will be with Joseph for the first time in almost two months and we shall never be apart again!”
Since Lady Day, (March 25) Susannah and one year old Elsie had been living with her mother-in-law. Today, at last, Susannah, Elsie and baby Agnes would leave Welsh Frankton and the hated butchering business behind forever and join Joseph on their own farm. Joseph had taken possession of Cherry Orchard Farm on Lady Day, but Susannah had been too near full-term with Agnes to make the trip. Meanwhile, Joseph had started working the farm and preparing for Susannah’s arrival.
In 1901 a journey of over 40 miles for a woman with two very young children and a large amount of luggage was a huge undertaking! Joseph’s Uncle Frank had taken them to Gobowen by horse and cart and loaded them safely aboard the Shrewsbury train. In Shewsbury, Susannah had to call a porter to help her cross to the platform for the Severn Valley line. Frank had given her strict instructions as to the correct amount of the tip for his services. Soon she was safely aboard and watching for the Buildwas stop. Most of the luggage was to go on to Bridgnorth and be kept there in the left luggage office until her arrival in the next day.
The journey would take two days for she was using the opportunity to visit her mother and siblings who lived in Buildwas. It was a rare chance to visit family she had not seen since her own wedding two years before, to show off her new baby and introduce them to one year old Elsie.
Future meetings would be difficult as Joseph and Susannah planned a herd of milking cows. This would mean they would be unable to leave their new farm for more than a few short hours each day between milkings, (by hand of course), every morning and evening. In addition, all the milk produced would be made into butter or cheese and, with no refrigeration, must be set to process immediately. This meant that letters would be their main form of communication in the future.
Susannah`s sister Jenny, with the porter and his cart alongside, was waving as the train pulled in. Chattering non-stop Jenny shepherded them out to her horse and trap. Jenny’s husband was a wheelwright and they had several children so their trap was quite large.
A long lane wound along the banks of the Severn from the station to the junction with the Ironbridge-Wenlock road. Here they turned left and slowly creaked on up the hill towards Wenlock to the cottage where their mother and two brothers had lived since Susannah’s father’s death sixteen years before. Susannah and Jenny were quite surprised to realise they had arrived so quickly, so busy were they catching up on all the news!
The cottage was tiny, Elsie was put to sleep in a dresser drawer and Susannah`s brothers (Henry and William), bunked in together to provide room Susannah and the baby. Later that evening Jenny returned with her husband and all their children for a longer visit. Bedtime was way later than usual, and it seemed no time until Jenny was at the door once more to take Susannah, Elsie and baby Agnes back to the station where they boarded the Bridgnorth train again.
In Bridgnorth, Uncle John Preen (Susannah`s Godfather) was waiting to take them the rest of their journey. First he took the little family into the railway tearoom for a cup of tea and toast. The ‘Ladies Only Waiting Room’ afforded Susannah the opportunity to feed and change Agnes while porters loaded the luggage into John’s large wagon. Soon, they slowly began creaking through Low Town, over the river and up the steep hill called the Stourbridge Bank, towards their new home some eight miles distant in Tuck Hill.
Susannah had waited so long for this moment. Driving to Cherry Orchard Farm with one year old Elsie on her knee and baby Agnes tucked into her willow bassinette behind her in the wagon, she was longing to see their new home. Recommendations of several of Susannah’s relatives had resulted in Joseph being accepted as a tenant of Cherry Orchard Farm which was part of the Gatacre Estate. They had their own farm at last!
Susannah was especially pleased to be moving back nearer her extended family and she blessed the kind old couple who had bequeathed their worldly goods to the little girl they had taken in after her father’s death. This inheritance had become hers at the age of twenty-five and it was financing their venture into farming.
At last they turned into Gaol Lane and Cherry Orchard farm buildings appeared on the skyline. The house itself was hidden behind a ten-foot-high stone wall, a remnant of its life as a prison. Joseph was waiting for them beside the old heavy wooden door which led into the courtyard beside the house. As Joseph took little Elsie in his arms and proudly led them into the yard, Susannah saw her new home for the first time!
The old house stretched all along the far side of the yard and it seemed to have two doors! Joseph headed toward the left one and led them into a large living-room with a window which looked out across the Shropshire plain to the blue-grey Clee hills far away in the distance.
An ancient iron range was set in the right-hand wall. To the left were three large black oak doors. With a flourish Joseph flung each open in turn! The first revealed the black oak stairs which turned 90 degrees as they wound up alongside the wall. The usual boot cupboard filled the space below. Behind the second door was a large empty room yet to be furnished. This would be their parlour. The third door revealed cellar steps leading down to the old dungeons. This area would be shelved to provide a cool space for setting the large flat milk pans, the first step in making butter.
But it was to the large iron range that Susannah’s eyes were drawn! Liberally coated with rust and grime, it had not seen black lead for many years. Although the fire burned cheerfully, and Joseph had a large black kettle singing away with the teapot warming beside it, Susannah felt tears coming into her eyes! For the ovens were wired shut and there was a large crack in the boiler that should have been providing a steady supply of hot water. Every meal would have to be accomplished over the hob until a new range could be fitted!
“They have promised us a new range as soon as the estate workers have time“ Joseph declared.
John shook his head.
“For sure, that is sadly needed but I`m thinking you`ll be waiting awhile. But at least the summer is coming, which will be a help! “
– – – – – – –
Summer passed and several more summers saw the old range still sitting in the Kitchen. Thanks to Susannah`s efforts first with a wire brush to dislodge the rust and then liberal and regular polishing with black lead its appearance had improved tremendously but the oven was still unusable, and the water tank was still cracked.
Susannah was to deliver her third daughter, Gladys Mary, suffer a miscarriage and finally produce the longed-for son before Joseph learned one November day that the new range had arrived and would be installed the next morning. Tonight, there would be no fire in the family kitchen and it would be a cold breakfast too.
The three little girls, now 7, 6 and not quite 5 raced up the lane to school after a breakfast of bread and butter and a glass of milk. They were anxious to tell all their friends the news but, to their disappointment, two of the older boys acted very superior, declaring they already knew and had even seen the new range! Their father was an Estate workman and would be installing their new range later in the day!
Lunchtime was another cold meal coupled with great anxiety for as yet there was no sign of either the range or the workmen!
However, when school finally ended, they could hear the banging almost all the way home. Banished to play in the barn out of harm’s way, they waited until their father came to fetch the estate horses and help the men harness them up to their wagon before they crept back to the kitchen door and peaked inside. Mother was all smiles as she proudly showed off her new range. The tank on the left was already filled with water and the oven door opened to display 3 shelves. Father bustled in with kindling and everyone helped to wipe or sweep up the pall of dust that lay thickly over the room.
Mother declared “We must have a celebration! We will have a can of salmon for tea! You girls can go to Mr Legg’s Store to buy it.”
Three little girls gaped at Mother! The family never bought anything from the store, they lived off the farm.
“Elsie, you must carry the money. Tie it in your handkerchief and hold it tightly. You can run to Legg’s but you must walk back. We don’t want the salmon all shaken up!”
Thrilled with their mission, they quickly grabbed their shawls, and scampered off up the lane, chattering excitedly.
A new fall of conkers under the horse chestnut tree by the Church was a momentary distraction. While Elsie stood, clenching her bulging handkerchief Gladys and Agnes quickly gathered the best specimens and tucked them under the hedge for later collection. Having the largest conker carried enormous prestige at school.
The short stop had given them time to catch their breath and now it was a race to Mr Legg`s door where Elsie stopped suddenly!
“Shh! Mother told us to be quiet and ladylike! “
Suitably chastened they crept inside and Elsie reached up to place the money on the counter.
“A can of salmon if you please Mr Legg“.
“My, my! I spose you be celebrating that new range as the estate dun fitted today! Mrs Legg says we could do with a new un and all. She be in a fair state! But some folks have all the luck!“
He reached down the can and banged it on the counter. The girls cringed! Mother had said not to shake it!
“Thank you Mr Legg“ they chorused as they backed out and away from his scowling face.
Flanked by her sisters Elsie carefully carried their treasure homewards.
Mother had the supper laid and Father was holding the toasting fork to the fire. The kettle was beginning to sing, and the kitchen felt warm and cosy.
“ We`ll warm the salmon in the new oven. Let`s have it Elsie“ ordered Father. Placing the precious can in the oven he closed the door with great ceremony and the girls took their places at the table. Mother made the tea and buttered their toast as they waited for the precious salmon.
“ BANG! “
A huge explosion shook the room as salmon rained down upon and around them! Agnes started screaming and baby Harry awoke with a wail. Father started to curse, Mother sat down and wept into her apron. As Elsie rushed to comfort Harry, Gladys stared at the oven! Alas the new door hung drunkenly on its hinges and only an empty salmon tin graced an interior peppered with rapidly drying salmon flakes. What a disaster!!
Canned goods were such a rarity at that time that no one knew you had to pierce the lid before warming!
Eventually order was restored, and cold toast and tea was consumed in subdued silence.
Father simmered down enough to take a second look at the damage and announced
“I think I can fix it once the fire is out! Now you kids get yourselves to bed double quick and I don`t want to hear a peep out of any of you! “
Kissing their red-eyed mother, Elsie took the candle from Father and they crept up to bed after the most eventful day in their young lives!
In the morning, the oven was tied on at the broken hinge with strong wire. To open and shut the door required lifting but it worked!
“Remember! Don’t tell a soul about what happened! If the estate office gets to hear of it, we`ll be out on our ear! If any of you young-uns breathe even a whisper about it, I`ll tan yer hide with my razor strop“ Father brandished the feared leather strop with great enthusiasm!
Back then tenants could be ordered to leave their house or farm if the landlord thought they were not good tenants who looked after the land and the property very well. ‘Out on your ear’ was an expression which meant vacating your house or farm at the next Lady Day (March 25th).
Forty years later my mother broke her silence to tell me the story. The wire still held the oven door in place. Baby Harry had taken over the farm and it was his wife, Aunty Phyllis, who constantly complained that the condition of the kitchen range was absolutely disgraceful!
Ninety years on, the old chestnut tree continued to produce premium conkers for Susannah’s grandchildren and great- grandchildren to enjoy! Truly we are but a flash in the sands of time!