life - COUNTRYSIDE & FARMING
End of an era
Den Phillips has lived at Compton Farm, Brook
for the whole of his life. He has seen many things
throughout the years, and at the age of 79 he
has taken the decision to part with some of his
beloved tractors and farm equipment. Even after
the sale he will remain at Compton Farm where
he will continue beef farming and in his spare
time will tinker with his Burrell Traction Engine.
Den Phillips was born in a nursing
home at Freshwater on the 12th May
1928. After being born Den returned
home to Compton Farm a fortnight
later and has remained there to this
day. His father, a farmer since 1907
originated from Barnsfield. He came
to live on the Island in 1926. Den
was one of 9 children and he has
fond memories of sitting round the
table, all 12 of them (including his
fathers sister) before the war. Dens
father unfortunately died in 1956,
and gradually all Den’s brothers and
sisters got married, most of them
deciding to move off the island.
In 1956 the family were not sure
what was going to happen due to
the death of senior Mr Phillips, and
that’s when the National Trust
stepped in and purchased the farm
in 1957 and Den took on a tenancy.
“At that time all the family went
off to different locations and I was
left on the farm with my wife Jane.”
Den who was the youngest only
has one brother (who is now in a
home) and one sister remaining,
who lives in Freshwater.
Den has spent his whole life in the
valley adjoining Compton Farm,
“years ago we used to have a small
herd of cows approx 25, when cows
were profitable, but nowadays they
are far from profitable, back in those
days we used to earn a nice little
living from them, but not any more.
“One funny story I remember
was when my father asked the
Sealey family to build a tunnel
across the Military Road at the
time it was being built. This w as
so dad could bring his cows in from
the fields on the opposite side of
the road. I remember my father
specifically asking Mr Sealy to
build the tunnel by the cottage so
the cows went down the lane and
through the tunnel, however when
the tunnel work was started they
put the tunnel up the hill towards
Freshwater, at the time the tunnel
Main Picture: A very young looking Den Phillips (79) from Compton Farm
54
cost about £600 to build. When they
had finished Mr Sealy said there you
are Mr Phillips there’s your tunnel.
My father was a real awkward old
devil and turned round to Mr Sealy
and said lock it up, I’m never going
to use it, you built it in the wrong
place! The tunnel was never used
from 1932 to 1956.
“When dad died I opened up the
gates and built a fence up one side
and have used it ever since. It’s very
handy because the cows can go
down on their own and come back
on their own.”
Eventually Den was forced to stop
producing milk when milk hit an
all time low of just 12p a litre. The
herd was then sold off, and that was
the end of that.
Nowadays Den has turned to beef
farming,
“today beef cattle can make an
enormous amount of money,
however I don’t know if there is that
much money made over the whole