The Pig Farm

A Memory of Old Windsor.

Just outside Windsor is a place called St, Leonard's Hill where beyond there was a massive pig farm. Wall's Pork Sausages bought all the pigs. It was owned and run by a man called Lovejoy. I worked there when I was twenty years old, both as a tractor driver and also a muck cleaner, cleaning pigsty after pigsty. My brother in law, was the head man and there was nothing you could tell him about pigs. He would carry a catapult with him at all times, and he could take aim at anything either standing on a branch or on a wall and if it were a pheasant or a small bird, their days were numbered! Down on the farm there was a slurry tank which was open to the elements. It consisted of a four square area built of breeze blocks in height of about four foot. The slurry stank vile, as well you can imagine, seeing that the slurry was only emptied out twice a year. It was full to the brim with only a few inches to spare. It was wintertime with a little frost on the ground. George, my brother in law spoke with a Wiltshire accent, and although I can imitate him to a tee, I'll spare you the dialogue. George had spotted a ruddy great big rat standing on the slurry wall some few feet away. Out came his catapult, he began to take aim, but the damn thing ran further down the wall. George got carried away in eagerness to put this rat permanently asleep, he was to get up onto the top of the wall and gradually step by step inch his way in getting a clearer shot! Not seeing that there was a loose breeze block, stood upon it and the block dislodged. George was then to drop feet first into the slurry tank. There being only five feet tall, had his head showing above the slurry. I hate to tell you who took hold of a brick and threw it at him, where upon he instinctively tried to avoid being hit on the head - he ducked his head! George was in a sorry state of affairs and was to make his way home. My sister, on seeing him walking down the garden path, came out with a brush and pushed him away from the house. He stood no chance in getting through the door and went down to the farm once more. There was a water tank, some eight feet into the air, the tank had a huge tap with a short hose, the width of a round drainpipe. One pull of a chain would send water down just like a flush toilet, except it wasn't two litres of water but twenty gallons in one gush. Almost freezing cold water flushed over his head and body. I believe he used a hessian sack to cover himself over, and then go home with his teeth chattering. Other things I recall, was that one day going for a walk. I was going past the straw and hay barn which was on the way to Bracknell, when two young boys came from within the barn. I'd say they were no older than ten or eleven. I was to confront them asking what they were up to? Having said that they meant no harm, I made nothing of it. I was to discover that these two lads had absconded from a Children's Home and that they were on the run and were to find their way home, which was quite a few miles away! I was concerned for their safety, but did not let them know of my intentions on phoning the police. I kept walking with them for above half an hour, to the next village of which I told the young lads that I was now leaving them, and said bye bye. On finding a public phone I pressed a button of which notified the police (phones in those years were not the type of phone where one could dial a number, one had to press a button to get through to enquiries). As I was to get through to the police there, I heard the sound of a coach being revved up. Knowing that those lads had gone into the coach depot and started up a coach, had then put it into gear and stalled it. I was quick to get the details to the police. It was to take some few minutes before the police arrived, and by this time the lads had come out of the depot. They'd no idea that the police were on their way. One of the lads had asked me for a smoke, of which I declined. Anyway, the police were to arrest the lads and do what they had to do. I got a bus back to St Leonard's and walked back home. The following morning when getting up and standing at the door, I saw fire engines going up the lane. Fire Engines had been trying to put out a fire within the hay and straw barn. I had given a statement to the police the day before, on how and where I met these young lads. On questioning one lad it was concluded that his mate had lit a fag up and dropped it on top of the straw, where it was to slowly smoulder and then catch alight in the early hours of the morning. All that work, gone up in smoke. Shortly after that I was to leave St Leonard's and go back to Yorkshire, but was once again to getting itchy feet

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