COUNTRY LIFE
Countryliving
Family memories
Sam Biles shares
some family
memories from
140 years ago
My great grandfather Charles Henry
(‘Fred’) Biles 1870 –1943 dictated
some notes in the 1940s. Born in 1868
in Gunville, his father Mark was killed
in a gravel digging accident on St
George’s Down in 1870. From humble
beginnings Fred became a successful
cattle dealer, though he could not read
and signed his cheques with an X;
married twice he had seven children
including, Donald who died after
being charged by a Bull at Week Farm,
Ventnor in 1934.
He recalled: “Aged 8, I gathered and
sold watercress and blackberries, wild
flowers, marl and freestone saving £32
by the time I was 10, which I lent to
my stepfather who lost it all. I was
beaten and summoned for defending
myself with a stick.
“At Black Mill I cracked chalk for
the wash mill, picked flints and heated
water for the men's breakfasts for 3d
a day. At Stark’s at Froglands I carried
water for the threshing machine, from
dawn till dusk for 6d.
“Hillier of Plaish Farm, Carisbrooke
had me picking turnips up for sheep,
and raking stones for 6d per week. I
sold fish, salt, and chalk. At Browns
at Kitbridge I sold 1/- fish to Mrs
Brown; I went to the field to see
Mr Brown and sold him another 2/more! He employed me, asking me to:
‘drove 100 sheep, from Kitbridge to
Freshwater – it’s only about 12 miles’.”
“I took them to Coates of Hill Farm,
Freshwater who fed us with a spare rib
of pork, butter and milk (it was the
best meal I'd ever had) he gave me 2/I thought I was a millionaire.”
“At Easter I sold Hot X Buns for
commission of 4d per shilling. A beast
knocked me down at Kitbridge. I said
I would not feed him again and was
sacked; then I worked for Mr Brown’s
son, a Newport Butcher. Another steer
knocked me down; I was sent to Ryde
Hospital for 11 weeks and on crutches
for 19 months. I slept in a stable for
12 months on straw; I took the pony's
rug to cover me and covered her with
a bag.”
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