A time for the Animals

My husband first worked as a lad of thirteen, that was in 1908, he earnt a bob a day at Sparkers Lane leading up to Pollum Farm scaring the crows in the fields. His dad used to take over on a Sunday so that he could have a day off. Later when we were married he started working with horses on the farm and how he loved those horses - I don't know who he loved most them or me: We lived in the cottages on Gauk Street and the horses were kept in the stables on the farm which now belongs to Mr. Swales but was owned by Guy Bramley's father in those days. My husband used to get up at 5.30 in the morning to feed the horses - he was always feeding the horses - "you have to feed them little and often" he used to say. I would get up about the same time boil the kettle on a stick fire for him coming in for his breakfast at 6 o'clock.

Then in the winters he'd have to wait for daylight and then they'd be off to the fields. They used to take their "drink-ins" to have while they were out working and then they'd be home at twelve for their dinner. He'd have his first course then he'd be off out to feed the horses again and then come back for his pudding. They'd be back in the fields for one o'clock and usually return home for tea about five-thirty. After tea he'd be out again to see to his pair and then he'd leave them until about nine-thirty when he'd"supper 'em up and bed 'em down". In August I can remember them coming back on the old Great North Road with the harvest, swinging the stable lamp as there were no lights on the carts. And even though they were so late the men still kept to their routine with the animals when they arrived back at the stables.

Mr. Bramley had three horsemen on his farm and each had a pair. bob with "caddis" a coarse ribbon, to keep them out of the way as they worked.
When it came to the time to take the horses to the shows my husband used to spend hours grooming them and I would polish the brasses until they shone. Oh, he was so proud of them. It was hard work - but they had to care for the animals as they were their livlihood.