Author Topic: Reversion of common land.  (Read 5867 times)

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Offline Eric Hardy

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Reversion of common land.
« on: December 01, 2009, 06:00:34 PM »
I have just dug out an old picture I took over our common, soon after we built our house in 1955. I needed a bit of fresh air today so out of interest I walked roughly to the same spot to take the same view. Look at the difference! The common is reverting.

Here is the old photo: -



And here is the one taken today. You can see the old Wellingtonia is still there but it seems to have lost its top. I can see the gable end of the chapel on the bottom left (but even that is changed because there was a fire and now you see brickwork instead of white paint.



Of course in those days we had animals on the common. We bought a donkey "Susie", partly for the children and partly to nibble off the thistles and quick seedlings that soon grew up on the common. Here she is with our three boys sitting on her in 1964



Susie had four foals over the years we had her. Please note Phil, that we called them Seamus, Sean, Bridget and Siobhan  :). We had an Irish plumber at the time called Seamus and he was pleased as punch because he thought we had named the donkey after him  ;D The father was a jack donkey called Jacko belonging to the local market gardener. Susie and Jacko used to call to each other over a distance of about 1/4 mile, and you know what?  :o.

Seamus was born almost on Christmas day, very seasonal, and this little woolly thing, three days old came indoors when we had our Christmas party. I telephoned the wife of the the market gardener to tell her the news. She was terribly on the defensive, I thought she thought I was going to file a paternity suit  ::)  I eventually thought perhaps I should suggest a stud fee and her reply was "What? Just for Jacko having his little bit of fun!!"  ::) Here he is with our little Tom and another one about four years later of Siobhan. Definitely a family likeness (Seamus and Siobhan, I mean, not Tom  ;D)



 Later we had two horses, not finely bred, Welsh Cobs which were fine on the common and I used to have early morning rides before going to work. One, called Cedar we only had a couple of years but Sabrina (we didn't choose the name) we had for 25 years. Here she is outside our gate: -



I can't resist posting  two more, one of me in the snow and one of Anthea in a lane near us with the autumnal tints.



I am sorry, this seems to have turned into the reminiscences of an old man when I meant to be talking about the natural reversion of commons. What it comes down to is commons need animals to keep the seedlings from growing. The common was almost like a bowling green outside our house after grazing by Sabrina in particular (We do have commoner's rights of grazing over the common, only 15 other properties have that !).

I hope my little ramblings will interest some of you. Perhaps someone else will provide some more serious thoughts on common reversion.

Eric H.




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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2009, 08:02:52 PM »
Its almost Christmas, a time of happiness, and that little story put a smile on my face (and I has a wee giggle at a few of the naughty things).

Its a beautiful account, Eric, and thank you so much for sharing it with us on the forum.
Point the boys to that link. They will love those photos! That photo of the boys on the donkey is priceless :)

I hope that little picture show will make Anthea feel better at this time, Eric. Those photos of you and Anthea on horseback will make you both feel much better - ready for the outdoors again!

It was very good thinking to have those enjoyable days of the past captured on camera.


Offline roiphil

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2009, 08:38:19 PM »
very interesting eric (i am pleased that you name your animals), the daughters boyfriend he has about 12 horses and each one has a name

When we had our farm animals most had names, strim and trim the first 2 goats, cockerals we have had henry, ronnie and reggie  ;D, the present goats are jack, mrs jack and baby jack, well they all seem to come running if you shout jack, the horses one was called buddy, the other dash this has inspired me to find some pics out on photobucket for all to view

strim and trim when little


mother hen and babies


dash


and seeing as it xmas time dash in his hat


these 2 are dash and lulu which is one of the daughters horses




the geese rounding up strim and trim the geese had names but for the life of me i cant remember them


regarding donkeys i read or saw on tv that the cross on the donkeys back is meant to have something to do with jesus, maybe someone will know what

Phil

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 10:14:24 PM »
Thank you for introducing us to your animals Phil. It is wonderful how animals and humans can have a special bond. Sabrina knew my footsteps from 200 yards away when she couldn't see me and would whinny until I came in site.
regarding donkeys i read or saw on tv that the cross on the donkeys back is meant to have something to do with Jesus, maybe someone will know what
I think the cross is supposed to be a reference to Palm Sunday when Jesus rode in to Jerusalem on the back of an ass.

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2009, 10:17:55 PM »
Its almost Christmas, a time of happiness, and that little story put a smile on my face (and I has a wee giggle at a few of the naughty things).
I am glad you liked the little stories George, I didn't start out to do that, I was meaning to start a more serious debate but memories took control  :)

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2009, 10:29:36 PM »
Yes, I did that with Phils Magic seeder picture show. Sometimes these things just fall into place. Its nice when they do!

Offline 3fren

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2009, 11:14:50 AM »
Beautiful memories Eric.

What do you do with the poultry ?  Do you eat them ?
Giving them names, they became part of the family  ;D

My husband kept some chicks and ducks in his little farm
in Malaysia.  They followed him whenever he is at the farm.

He cant bear to eat the eggs, and of course not the chickens.
So he give them away to the villages after they are grown.
(any meat in the supermarket is not a living thing  ;))

Now he has 40 chicks and ask me what to do  :(
And, the farm is in the middle of a muslim community,
so he cant have a dog (taboo for muslim), so he kept
a goose ..to....to..chase away the snake?? to guard the chicks ??? I think.

Offline roiphil

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2009, 03:07:39 PM »
Beautiful memories Eric.

What do you do with the poultry ?  Do you eat them ?
Giving them names, they became part of the family  ;D


I had the same problem, but when you get them ready for the oven do more than 1, that way you dont know if its bill or bob or your plate  ;)

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2009, 04:05:48 PM »
I know I shouldn't have,but I burst out laughing when I read that :-[ :-[

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2009, 07:09:26 AM »
Beautiful memories Eric.
They were, Jessie. I just wrote another long reply with photos and when I came to post it I got a message "Can't link with Ideas Genie" and it vanished into thin air!  ??? >:( When I get a moment I will redo it.

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #10 on: December 06, 2009, 07:42:13 AM »
Here is what I was saying before it vanished into thin air!

As George knows, Anthea is a bit immobile at the moment and I thought up this little project to take me into the fresh air for short periods, have fun with my camera and not to be far way if she needs me. In my first post I got a bit carried away when memories took charge  :).

Over the years I have borrowed old photos and postcards from villagers and scanned them. They represent views around here going back 100 years or more. I have been going out for short periods and trying to take photos from the same spot to show how, without the animals that used to graze the common is in danger of reverting to woodland. Goats, donkeys and horses kept the grass short helped by rabbits. I have been making combined pictures and here are some: -

No 1


The bottom picture is pre 1929 because the houses in the small field have not been built. The middle one I took myself in 1956. The top one I took on the 1st December 2009.

No 2


In the valley just below us is the Methodist Chapel. The lower photo is pre 1926 because that is when the foundations stone of the chapel extension was laid. The top photograph was taken (in dull conditions) from the same spot on 4th December 2009. This really shows what is happening. The slope below the cottages has the lovely name of Butterfly Bank.

No 3


The early photo shows the dells which where clay was removed for making local bricks. These were filled in in the 1960's when the builders of a local housing estate disposed of spoil  for the purpose of levelling the ground to form the local cricket pitch.

The top photo taken December 2009 does not differ greatly. The cottages look very similar and the blacksmiths smithy is still there.. The cricket pavilion has appeared. Two red kites are flying on the right hand side of the picture which are a great addition to the scene (when seen large). The large tree on the right died of Dutch elm disease and there are conifers instead.

This part of the common is in no danger of reverting now that it is being used as a playing field.

Here is a view from our bedroom window taken in the morning light. I was standing on that mown piece of grass to take No 3.



I also copied an old 1840 Ordnance Survey map and put it side by side with a Google Earth view. The view point for No 3 is marked with a red arrow. On the old map there is an orchard shown above the "E" of "DOWNLEY". Our house is in the bottom left hand corner of what was that orchard..



And I must show you my favourite among the old photos I borrowed for scanning. These horses and carts belonged to the local baker and were photographed about 200 yards from here.



I don't expect anyone to study these deeply but I thought it would be fun to show you what I have been up to recently.

Eric H


« Last Edit: December 06, 2009, 08:09:23 AM by Eric Hardy »

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2009, 08:44:15 AM »
Eric, this is a brilliantly fascinating topic you've started here.

Although I don't have any knowledge of your particular area, I can still enjoy seeing the changes that have taken place there over the years.  Sometimes changes are not always welcomed, but a rural setting is usually less prone to destruction by modern man.

Many years ago I purchased old maps and books of the area we live in, just to compare the 'before' and 'after' looks, but I don't have any of these any more so I can't share them here.

Anyway, I enjoy seeing your presentations, so keep them coming.

Laurie.

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2009, 10:59:29 AM »
Excellent topic Eric and fabulous photos. They really do have very significant historical interest.
Perhaps you can arouse interest with young crusaders locally to take action.

Its very nice to have something like that documented, and its a very good plan to help cheer Anthea. How is she, Eric?

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2009, 11:58:57 AM »
Perhaps you can arouse interest with young crusaders locally to take action.
There is now in existence the Downley Common Preservation Society who meet up occasionally with a few volunteers to do a bit of clearing or tidying up. I must say without them I think we would be living in the woods now. They have done things like put wooden posts to stop vehicles getting onto the common and that sort of thing. They are sometimes a little mistaken in what they do, for instance they actually planted a clear area which I thought was a mistake. Of course I should go to the meetings if I thought that but I have spent my life going to meetings and I opt out of as many as I can. I am still the trustee of three things which need my attendance. Occasionally I go out with a pair of secateurs in my pocket so that I can snip off the young oak seedling or quick bush that I see. It is surprising how many I find. They have now bought themselves a second hand tractor and here it is trying to push the November 5th bonfire together. This was taken in 2007 and the blue "Guy" on top is Benji  :)



Quote
  its a very good plan to help cheer Anthea. How is she, Eric?
Anthea is a little better, thank you George but still pretty immobile. The main thing is she has cheered up a bit.I took her to a physiotherapy session last week which although painful made her happier because she saw there could be light at the end of (possibly a very long) tunnel. I am getting quite domesticated and  made a delicious (although I say it myself) Thai curry under tuition. Anthea sat at the kitchen table and chopped things up while I attended to the wok  :). Things like, "wait for the onions to go clear", "turn it up now", "quick give it a stir", "now put in the mushrooms", "time to put in the coconut milk" and all that sort of thing helped of course  ;). I think I would remember on my own now.


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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2009, 04:44:02 PM »
I wasn't aware that Anthea was in ill health at the moment Eric, so please pass on our my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Laurie.

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2009, 06:46:14 PM »
Thank you Laurie, I will pass on your good wishes. About a month ago she fainted in the bathroom and had such a bump it seemed to trigger her inflammatory arthritis. It did not come out at first but she has had a lot of pain. Injections, pain patches and a physiotherapist between them have made her much more comfortable but she is just shuffling at the moment. Hence my being more or less confined to barracks. Thank God for the Internet and the friends I have made!!!  I still feel in touch with the outside world  :) It was getting her down to start with but she is beginning to get back to her usual cheery self.

Offline roiphil

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #16 on: December 06, 2009, 08:46:38 PM »
I know I shouldn't have,but I burst out laughing when I read that :-[ :-[

 :D  ;D

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2009, 08:51:31 PM »
Quote
she is beginning to get back to her usual cheery self
That is very good news Eric. We can follow the progress on this thread, and heres wishing Anthea a very speedy recovery.

Offline Eric Hardy

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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2010, 01:14:44 PM »
Some time ago I started this topic on the reversion of common land.

In June 2000 I took a picture looking across the common from a position not very far from our side gate. Today, the weather being much the same I went out at the same time (7:30 am) and took another shot from as near the same spot as I could manage. I have combined the two shots. The top one is June 2000 and the bottom one is June 2010

The pink house and the white ones to their left have become almost hidden by trees within 10 years. The gable end seen above the pink house in 2000 was the Downley Combined School which was demolished to allow Barretts to build houses on the school site. The new houses can be seen above the roofs of the cottages on Commonside.

Photos taken in the 1920s show no trees in the valley at all.




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Re: Reversion of common land.
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2010, 02:32:43 PM »
An interesting comparison there Eric.

I think it's fascinating to see how landscapes change over the years.  Sometimes the results are good, sometimes they're not so good.

Many, many years ago I bought some map books of the area where I was born, and still live, to see how things developed.  It showed old plans, photographs and written history over the years to the present time (as it was to the point I bought the book anyway.)

It started with farmers fields then slowly transformed to urban development.

I don't remember those earlier days (I'm not that old  ::) ) but it still brings a certain nostalgia to see the changes.  And sometimes makes you wish you could go back to those times, when there weren't so many people around.  :D

Anyway, thanks for sharing that bit of history with us Eric - well done.  8)

Laurie.