1941 MAFF Survey
MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) FARM SURVEY 1941
With the outbreak of war in 1939, the Government implemented food rationing, to ensure precious foodstuffs were equitably distributed and nutritional standards maintained. The country depended too much upon imported goods, supplies of which were endangered. So the Government undertook a thorough and nation-wide survey of all farms to discover how productive they were and what potential they had for increased yields.
The information shown here is drawn from the returns from (almost all) the farmsteads in Warmington parish. Several pasture fields were directed to be ploughed up for crops. The inspectors were also empowered to seek the eviction of inefficient farmers, so many farmers really dreaded this inspection. No Warmington farmer suffered this fate, but it is understood that some farmers along the Coventry road, towards Southam, were dispossessed.
WARMINGTON
1. Braggins Farm
Owner: Sidney Young, Service Garage, Banbury and tenanted by HT Hughes for past two years.
Land usage: Acreage, 62 + 3; arable, 32; grass; 30.
Labour: One female part-time, two male and one male (casual).
Lifestock: Cattle 32 (including milk); no sheep; pigs 3; poultry 75; horses 3.
Other land: Ratley fields, 50 acres.
Water: Well for house and buildings; stream for the fields.
Electricity: None.
Management: B – lives too far away, beyond steep hill.
Ordnance Survey (OS) field numbers directed to be ploughed: 161, oats; 159, roots; plus in Ratley 158, wheat; 26, oats and roots.
2. Harbages
Owner: E Elkington for past 20 years
Land usage: Acreage, 203; arable 44; grass 159.
Labour: Two male family members.
Lifestock: Cattle 83 (including milk); sheep 179; no pigs; poultry 20; horses 6.
Other land: Slad Barn, Shotteswell included in the return.
Water: Well for house and buildings, stream for the fields.
Electricity: Yes for house and farm.
Management: A
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 113, wheat; 119, wheat; 116, oats.
3. Glen Farm
Owner: A Seage, 134 Oxford Road, Banbury; tenanted by Wm Brooks, a new tenant formerly of Manor Farm, Horley.
Land usage: Acreage, 155; arable 58; grass 97.
Labour: Two male, casual.
Lifestock: Cattle 42 (mostly male); sheep 45; no pigs; poultry 29; horses 1.
Other land: None
Water: Piped water to the house and buildings; stream for the fields.
Electricity: Yes for house; no for fields.
Management: A.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 66, barley; 65, oats; 85, oats; 7, barley; 64, oats;
124, barley.
4. West View
Owner: AJ Kitely for two years.
Land usage: Acreage, 8; arable none; grass 8 including orchard.
Labour: ‘hobby’ farmer.
Lifestock: Cattle 5 (all female); sheep 16; pigs none; poultry 20; horses none.
Other land: No.
Water: Well for house and buildings; stream for fields.
Electricity: Yes for house; no for buildings.
Management: A
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: None.
5. Hill Farm
Owner: Stockton and Fortescue, Solicitors; tenanted by G Pearson for 29 years then Edgar Brooks for past 3 months (E Brooks also a ploughing contractor).
Land usage: Acreage 73; arable 19 and 6 bare fallow; grass 48.
Labour: One male.
Lifestock: Cows 37 female; sheep none; pigs none; poultry 40; horse 1.
Other land: None
Water: Piped water to house and land; stream for the field.
Electricity: Yes for house; no for buildings.
Management: B- (lack of experience, new tenancy).
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: None
6. Edway Farm
Owner: c/o Stockton and Fortescue; tenanted by C Jarvis, Home Farm, Balscote (part tenant since 1926, sole since 1933).
Land usage: Acreage 40; arable none; grass 40.
Labour:
Lifestock: Cattle 12 female; sheep 73; no pigs, poultry or horses.
Other land: Yes – Home Farm, Balscote.
Water: None to buildings (no farmhouse); stream to fields.
Electricity: No
Management: A
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: No.
7. Fir Tree Farm
Owner: GE Stranks.
Land usage: Acreage 103; arable 40; grass 63.
Labour: One full-time; one casual.
Lifestock: Cattle 16 male; no sheep, pigs and poultry; 2 horses.
Other land: Dassett Fields, Avon Dassett.
Water: Piped water to the house; none to other buildings; stream to the fields.
Electricity: No
Management: C – lack of experience.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: No.
8. Huggins Farm
Owner: Banbury Ironstone Co. Banbury; tenanted by FM Bawcutt for 41 years until 25/3/42.
Land usage: Acreage 114; arable 27½ + 4 bare fallows; grass 82½.
Labour: One male.
Lifestock: Cattle 25 (mixed); sheep 77; pigs 4; poultry 15; horses 2.
Other land: No.
Water: Piped water to the farmhouse, none to other buildings; stream to the fields.
Electricity: No.
Management: B+ – lack of interest, about to terminate tenancy.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: None.
9. Glebe Farm
Owner: Rev Simpson; tenanted by C Gibbs for 21 years, a full-time farmer.
Land usage: Acreage 75; arable 14; grass 61.
Labour: No entry.
Lifestock: Cattle none; sheep 90; pigs 1; poultry none; horses 5.
Other land: No.
Water: None to buildings (no farmhouse); stream to fields.
Electricity: N/A.
Management: B – lack of capital.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 154, crop not entered.
10. (School Lane Farmhouse)
Owner: A Seage, Easington, Banbury; tenanted by TH Jarvis, School Lane, 22 years on 26 acres and 10 years on 14 acres (part owner). Full-time farmer.
Land usage: Acreage 40; arable 11 + 4 bare fallow; grass 25.
Labour: One casual male.
Lifestock: No cattle, sheep or pigs; poultry 6; horses 2.
Other land: Yes – Gun Barrell, Ratley; Turnpike Ground, Warmington.
Water: Piped to house, none to buildings; stream for the fields.
Electricity: None
Management: B+ – personal failings and lack of technical knowledge.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: (Data missing)
11. Rectory Farm
Owner: Rev Simpson; tenanted by R C Pick full time.
Land usage: Acreage 96½; arable 11, grass 75½.
Labour: One young male.
Lifestock: Cattle 35 (including milk); sheep 94; pigs 2; poultry 30; horses 3.
Other land: No.
Water: None to the farmhouse, piped to the other buildings; stream for the fields.
Electricity: Yes to the house; no to other buildings.
Management: B+ personal failings, lack of technical knowledge.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 20, wheat and oats and for 1941, wheat in 10 acres of field 12.
12. Manor Farm
Owner: Owned by WE Neal for past five years, full-time farmer.
Land usage: Acreage 80; arable 23; grass 57.
Labour: None
Lifestock: Cattle 24 (most in calf); sheep 56; pigs 5; poultry 420; horses 1.
Other land: No.
Water: Well supplies water to house and buildings; stream to field
Electricity: Private supply to house only.
Management: A
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: Not directed; 202, wheat and barley.
13. Grove Farm
Owner: RH Holbech, Farnborough Hall; tenanted by Jonathon H Keyte for 13 years; full-time farmer.
Land usage: Acreage 220; arable 75; grass 145.
Labour: Two full-time men
Lifestock: Cattle 35 (including milk); sheep 89; no pigs or poultry; horses 7.
Other land: No
Water: Piped to house and buildings; stream to fields.
Electricity: No
Management: B+ – personal failings, short of labour.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 194 and 204, oats.
14. Owner: Rev Simpson; tenanted by EJ Phillips for 2¾ years, full-time farmer under 21 yrs of age, taking over 40 further acres next March.
Land usage: Acreage 23½; arable ½; grass 23.
Labour: None.
Lifestock: Cattle 13 (mixed); sheep 70; pigs 5; poultry 63; horses 1.
Other land: No.
Water: No farmhouse; no water supply to buildings; stream to fields.
Electricity: No.
Management: B – personal failings, lack of experience.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed:
15. (Data missing)
Owner: John T Bachelor, The Green; 1½ acres for 26 years; 2 acres for 9 years
Land usage: Acreage 3½
Labour:
Lifestock:
Other land:
Water:
Electricity:
Management:
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed:
16. Council House
Owner: R Holbech, Farnborough Hall; tenanted by C Taylor, 64, part-time farmer and gardener; lives in council house and rents two fields of grass; some milk production.
Land usage: acreage 12 (8½ for 10 yrs, 3½ for 4 yrs); arable ¼; grass 12.
Labour: None
Lifestock: Cattle 8 (mainly female); sheep none; pig 1; poultry 70; horse 1.
Other land: No.
Water: Piped to farmhouse; stream to buildings and fields.
Electricity: Yes to house; no for farm.
Management: B+ – personal failings, lack of technical knowledge.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: None.
17. Sunny Cottage
Incomplete return.
ARLESCOTE
18. Home Farm
Owner: Stockton Son and Fortescue, solicitors; tenanted by HR Tompkins, full-time farmer.
Land usage: Acreage 127; arable 27; grass 56 (mowing) and 44 (grazing).
Labour: One male under 18, one female.
Lifestock: Cattle 44 cows and 1 bull; no sheep, pigs or poultry; horses 5.
Other land: None
Water: Piped to house and farm buildings; stream to fields (seasonal shortage of water).
Electricity: None.
Management: B+ – personal failings, fences very bad.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: 69, wheat.
19. Primrose Farm
Owner: T Holloway, solicitor, Knebworth, Herts; tenanted by John Wilfred Groves, full-time farmer resident at Hardwick Farm, Kineton.
Land usage: Acreage 134; arable none; grass 40 (mowing) 94 (grazing).
Labour: One male.
Lifestock: Cattle 67 (mixed); sheep 71; pigs 2; poultry none; horse 1.
Other land: Hardwick Farm and Oxhill House Farm.
Water: Piped to farmhouse and buildings; stream to fields.
Electricity: No.
Management: B – personal failings, has too much to do on the farm where he lives without this ‘off’ farm.
OS field numbers directed to be ploughed: None – farm not suitable to plough. The Ironstone
Railway cuts through nos. 73, 78 and 79 and reduces the acreage of these three fields by about 8 acres and three acres of 80A.
20. Brickyard House
Owner: Occupier is executor of G Haines.
Incomplete return – addressed to Mr Joseph Haines, Ratley.