This website, created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

FINDON FARM PHOTO ALBUM — Albert Short Junior

 

c. 1900 Harvesting group from Findon Farm in the field north of Gore Cottages. Albert Short Junior is in the centre in the straw hat.

 Copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

First published in Along the Furlong in March 2000.

I have discovered that in 1911 Albert Short Senior retired from Findon Farm. Young Albert Junior, now married to Alice, took over the running of the business. The couple had previously lived on School Hill and also at the Running Horse in Nepcote (now Nepcote House overlooking the Green), and had two children, Ellen (Nellie) born 1899 and Ernest born in 1900.

Ian Short the grandson of Albert Junior has helped me unravel the past daily life at Findon Farm and has supplied me with many family photographs —

Alice Short — wife of Albert Junior.

These were the days when the villagers had to fetch their milk from "Short's Farm".  On some occasions they had to stand and wait for the cows to be milked in the afternoon — or alternatively they could pass the time of day watching the milkmaids at their long and wearisome task of turning the butter churns.

I have not come across any photographs of oxen working in the Findon environs but c. 1920 — ox-drawn wagon on the downland near near Arundel.

 

 1910 — A double-harnessed team of black oxen toiling on the South Downs with a heavy roller.

 

1910 —  Double-harnessed team of oxen working on South Downs pulling a plough.

 

I have been told that Albert Junior would drive his pony and trap over the downs to Steyning on market day. When the work was done he would retire for refreshments to The Chequers Inn before setting off for Findon. Another stop would be made at The Arms in Washington en route. He then slumped in the trap and the pony would dutifully make its own way home to Findon Farm. Albert Junior would still be asleep and the pony stood in the yard until someone appeared to take it to the stable.

Albert Short Junior

Further development took place in Findon in the 1920s and 30s which included council houses to the north of Findon Farm, and an increasing number of private properties were built.

Harvesting at Findon Farm in the 1920s. The main road (A 24) runs along the line of the near hedge in the background.

I believe that Findon Farm was for many years the focal point of the village. The chickens were let out at the break of dawn and pecked around the farmyard all day taken in again for safety at dusk. At 6 a.m. each day the cows were driven for milking from pastures beyond the racing stables and down through the area which is now Beech Road. The procedure was repeated again at 1 p.m.

Findon Farmhouse pre 1926.

 

Harvesting at Findon Farm. Albert Short Junior is on the right.

 

Christmas 1999 — A24 looking north at the turning to Nepcote. The area where The Triangle stood until 1931.

 

I have been told that The Triangle was a regular meeting place for Albert Junior and his friends.  One of his drinking partners was Fred "Punch" Burcham who was born at Elder Cottage in Nepcote around 1880.   His first employment was as a farm carter at the Cissbury Estate under his father, James, who was the Farm Bailiff there.  

By 1910, "Punch" had moved to Maxwell Cottages on the Findon Road (A24) ..... and by 1934 was a tenant farmer on his own account and farmed part of the Cissbury land.   He was short in stature and rather portly, and wore a cap above his round face.  He was well known as a "dribbler" and the front of his grubby waistcoat was witness to his dribble stains.   He died in 1954.

click on pic to enlarge

The above photograph has been forwarded to me by Gill Alexander... she thinks this gentleman could be Fred "Punch" Burcham.

The third member of the drinking party was Walter Brown who owned the cycle shop and the three men sat perched on the wall of The Triangle and discussed worldly matters while having a tipple. In time they would gently collapse backwards on the raised soil of The Triangle. All that could be seen of the men were three sets of legs poking up over the flint wall.

Albert is said to have only visited a cinema once in his life, to see a silent film.    He said —

"I am very happy as I am, and would rather go and see my bullocks".  

 

 

Albert Short Junior's daughter, Ellen (Nellie) feeding lambs in the rickyard in the late 1920s. Downs House at the top of Stable Lane can just be seen on the horizon on the left.

 

Ellen (Nellie) next to the wattle hurdles in the rickyard of Findon Farm in the late 1920s.

 

c. 1937 Albert Short Junior is entering Findon Farmhouse (now the back entrance of the Post Office).

Albert Junior's son, Ernest, was a member of the Findon Parish Council and a special constable as well as running the dairy side of the farm and looked after the distribution of milk.

Ernest Short on the lane leading to Cissbury Ring.

After a short illness, Ernest Short died in July 1938 at the age of only 37 years.

 

 

Findon Farm with Downs House in the distance.

Albert Junior died in 1945, leaving only his sister, Ellen (Nellie), living at Findon Farm. The farm was eventually put up for sale and Nellie moved to Elder Cottage in Nepcote opposite the chapel.

 

Pre 1954. The farmhouse has been converted to The Farm Hotel and Restaurant run by Victor Hayward.

 

Nellie Short in the back garden of Elder Cottage. Millbrook Cottages in Nepcote can just be seen in the background.

 

Nellie Short at Elder Cottage — Ockenden's woodyard in the background.

In 1984, the West Sussex Gazette received this picture from Northern Alberta in Canada....

Ian Short (the grandson of Albert Short Junior of Findon Farm) said that after he had emigrated the highlight of each week was receiving the West Sussex Gazette and reading all the Sussex news.   Ian was born and bred in Findon......happily, Ian is now back and has been living in Findon for many years.

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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com