Once An Idyllic Dorset Village.

A Memory of Child Okeford.

Since about the 1960s, Child Okeford became a totally different community from the one I first got to know in the early 1930's. The Watts (Harry and Dorothy) had farmed out of Laurel Farm for many decades and Jo(sephine), the daughter, was my cousin by marriage.

Laurel Farm, as it is today in the late 1900s, is shown to the left of this memory. Sadly, the main characteristics - with the exception of the thatched roof - have gone. Also gone, are the numerous attached and detached buildings and facilities, which made the place a farmhouse.

I stayed at the farm on many occasions, during the 1930s and 1940s. As I grew so did my various responsibilities on the farm - but I must say the 'unskilled' labours were my forte - I had few real farming skills. Nevertheless, my broad back and great willingness to work were a welcome addition to the everyday workforce. In particular, these physical attributes were much in use during harvesting. I could use a pitch-fork and a rake as well as almost anyone!

The farm was normally worked by Harry and Jo, with Reg a hard working farmhand. Horses were much used - indeed, in the early 30s I was met at Shillingstone Station by Jo in the milk-float - always with Loo the Welsh Collie. Loo worked, herding the 'loose' cattle - mainly at milking time but, also, if they had to be moved. In those days, cattle were a constant sight on the roads and Reg often took the bull for a stroll as exercise. A stout pole hooked to the animal's nose-ring provided a degree of security. All milking was done by hand and the Home Farm herd ambled up to the farmyard to await admission to the milking shed which ran alongside Shillingstone Lane to the south of the farmhouse. The northerly end of this shed was utilized as stabling for the horses. At the southerly end of the milking shed, was a covered platform on which the milk churns were kept. The full ones were picked up by a dairy lorry each morning - and clean churns left. Of interest is the fact that, in the warmer weather, the evening milk was kept in churns, in a suitably constructed roofed 'cooler' in a small stream down the adjacent lane - now called Melway Lane.
The farm, was mixed. Cattle, pigs, horses, chicken were tended - along with turkeys, geese, ducks at various times. Fodder for the animals was grown along with corn (usually wheat) and, its indispensable by-product, straw for the bedding - and other sundry uses. Opposite the farmhouse, across the road, was a large orchard. Besides the fruit, this orchard was used for the various poultry. Carrying water to these, and the other creatures, was almost a full time occupation - especially in the summer months. To the east of the farm buildings and garden, was another large orchard also used for animals and poultry.

The farmhouse was without indoor plumbing. The primative lavatory was up the garden - some 100 feet from the house. Pumps gave access to an underground spring which produced water of nectar quality. However, the kitchen was the only place hooked into this water supply. Downstairs was a delightful parlour, a large kitchen/dining room (which is largely remembered for the huge table which groaned under the weight of food placed upon it - three times a day!), a scullery (dominated by a huge old fashioned clothes wringer - called a mangle) and a buttery where butter was churned, cream made, cider stored and everyday 'perishables' were kept. A small room off the scullery was the gun-room - and clothes storage. Upstairs, up the very steep narrow staircase, were four bedrooms. Due to the home's construction and in particular the thick thatch, the windows let in relatively little light. Sadly missing, from the property today, is the thick laurel hedge. This wonderful hedge once gave complete privacy to the house occupants, even though the street was mere feet away. The absence of this hedge, is noted with great sadness.

Water troughs were placed strategically in the farmyard, for animals and general use, while the cattle were grazed in fields bordering the Stour river at Shillingstone. Some 20 head were milked in the open fields, night and morning, by hand. Morning milking was done, first in the open fields and then up in the milking sheds at the farm, starting about 6am  - and before breakfast! As a youngster, I helped keep the milk churns 'available' and cleaned out the flies that always littered the milk-strainer. Although Shillingstone was not a busy station, I always enjoyed the sight of the occasional train, as it arrived and exited the station across the river.

Moon's store, at the top of the road, was a favourite place of mine. Moon's was a General Store, but mainly groceries and confectionery. Here, for half an old penny, I could buy 'Orange Balls' - a small round hard candy sweet - sufficient with care to last a couple of days. Cadbury's 2oz chocolate bars were tuppence each.  Seldom, on my pocket money, could I afford chocolate!  Diffey's was more central in the village and, beside being another General Store, it was the Post Office and local Telegraph Office. Few people had telephones, in the days of which I speak, so telegrams were very much in vogue for transmitting urgent messages. The village smithy worked at his forge, just at the back of Diffey's store.

A search of a turn of the century ' Kelly's Directory' shows that, outside
the 17 'Gentry' (Vicar, J.P.s, Doctors etc.), there are listed 44 people engaged in 'Commerce' within the village.  There were 9 people farming, 13 shop/store keepers, 2 innkeepers and a beer salesman, sundry farm equipment makers or repairers, boot and shoe makers, 4 bakers, a tailor, a carrier, a music teacher (church organist), a saddler, 2 plumbers and a painter.

It was, truly, an idyllic Dorset village!