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A DAY
WITH A DIFFERENCE
Nearing the end of the
half term week, I had the chance to accompany Graham Viant to
Padstow to look at something quite special and even unique.
Tucked away off the main road into Padstow is Dick Wood's farm
where he manages some 500 acres. Here, along with crops and the
management of dairy cows, corn is grown for thatching.
The sweeping drive led us through an avenue of trees and then
meandered through the beautiful farm past the large granite farm
house tucked away to our right. We then entered a mowhay where
several people were revealed, hard at work.
On certain days of the year, about four at the most, this farm
reverts from modern machinery to that of a bygone age. Today was
no exception and we found Graham Viant's Robey portable steam
engine of 5 n.h.p. No. 37958, Jill, hard at work with her belt
attached to a threshing machine owned by the Woods family.
Closely being tended to by Alan Caple, (Pasty), who had
evidently been there since the early hours of the day, this
exquisite engine stood in all her glory doing a job which she
was originally built for. As I stood and marvelled at this
magnificent piece of machinery, all that could be heard was a
gentle chug coming from this patient engine and an awareness
that each and everyone in the barn was hard at work.
A portable engine's principal use was for working the threshing
machines. As they were not self moving, these steam engines were
always towed to their place of work either by horse, steam
engine or tractor. Although they were invented before the self
driven steam engine, they continued being made just into the
20th century and played a major part in farm work during the
threshing season. Jill's date of manufacture was 1918.
The threshing machine was being fed manually with sheaves of
reed corn and as this happened soothing chugs and clicks could
be heard as she gently worked her way through the hundredweights
of corn.
Many hands were needed to help with this sort of work and there
were several neighbours and friends who had joined the Woods to
make this day possible. For me the scene evoked a timeless charm
tinged with a sense of nostalgia.
A living van nestled in the corner nearby with its stable doors
half open. I half climbed the wooden steps and peered inside.
Empty cups lay scattered across the table along with deserted
crib boxes almost licked clean after the hard day's work. From
where I stood I glanced north across to the opposite side of the
valley, trying to gather my whereabouts. I could see St Issey
clearly with its church steeple peeping from the centre of the
surrounding roof tops. The rolling fields seemed to drop away
down the hill and out of sight into a valley. I thought of
Padstow and how it nestled in that dip not so far away, and
realised then that we must be fairly high above sea level.
Perched on a couple of bales of straw beside the heat from the
portable sat two elderly chaps, whose faces I’m sure were
familiar to many, quietly nattering away, probably reminiscing
about those good old steam working days. Glancing round, I
noticed Brian Johns had appeared. He was passing by and just
happened to drop in on his way home to have a look!!! He was
soon lending a helping hand, stoking up the portable and
appreciating those very special moments.
These busy people at long last finished their task and came to
the end of an extremely long day. The belt was disconnected from
the threshing machine, the soothing sounds slowly dwindled away
and suddenly all was tranquil apart from that gentle chug coming
from the portable. The end had come all too soon and we had to
head for home. I think I shall remember it as one of my perfect
days out.
Penny O’Keeffe
Penny O'Keeffe is Heavy Horse Section Secretary for the WESES
Ltd. Over the past three years, Penny has been instrumental in
developing the Heavy Horse Section at the St Agnes Rally. She
lives in Mount Hawke, Cornwall, and has been involved with the
Society for the past seven years. As well as bringing up two
teenage children, Penny owns Welsh Cobs, and has a special
interest in Heavy Horses. |
