1924 Diary of Elliot Woolford of Hook Farm, Lydiard Tregoze

1924

The car adventure, begun in 1923, continues in 1924. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the make or model, but Elliot gets maximum use out of the vehicle. He delivers the milk to Swindon and Wootton Bassett stations and on one occasion takes two calves to market in the car. On Sunday January 20, 1924 he writes in his diary:- ‘Rowlie and I took the milk with car. Rowlie (his young son) drove it part of the way home for the first time, did it very well.’

Background

In a meticulously kept and unbroken series of diaries, Elliot Woolford provides the reader with a no-nonsense view of farming life at Lydiard Tregoze spanning more than 45 years. His livelihood was forever at the mercy of the vagaries of the weather and fluctuating market prices.

Elliot and his brother Rowland acquired the tenancy of Hook Farm in 1899 from the 5th Viscount Bolingbroke. In 1930 Elliot was able to purchase the farm when part of the Bolingbroke estate was sold by the Viscount's widow, Mary. The Woolford family remain there to this day.