1917 – A
meeting of Stalham Farmers’ Club
Railway Hotel, Stalham (by kind
permission of Capt Mattie, during military occupation)
at 6.30pm, January 9.
There were 37 members
present.
Mr E G Cubitt presided.
The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following
two new members were elected – Mr R Cubitt, of Palling, and Mr Loveday of
East Ruston. Mr Bird proposed and Mr WP Cubitt seconded Mr Edgar Faulke, of
Dilham, and Mr J W Smith, of Wayford, Stalham, for election at the next meeting.
The following officers
were unanimously re-elected for current year with thanks for their past
services.
President – Mr E G Cubitt.
V.Ps: Col B Petre and Mr W P Cubitt. Hon Sec: Rev M C H Bird and Capt F C Neave
and Mr J Littlewood as representatives of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture.
A sincere vote of
sympathy, feelingly proposed by the chairman, was passed to the families of the
late Messrs W Durrell and A Labrooke, two of the oldest and most and most
regular of our attendant members. The hon secretary was instructed to convey
this resolution to Mrs Durrell and Mrs Ladbrooke.
The result of the root
competition was reported as follows –
Best two acres of mangold
– 1 Mr A Neave, Catfield. Estimated yield 38.5 tons per acre; 2 Mr W P Cubitt
35.5 tons; J Howlett, Sutton 35 tons
Best two acres of Swedes –
Mr W P Cubitt, Bacton, 41.33 tons per acre; 2 J Love 35.75 tons; 3 Capt
Jickling, Smallburgh 33 tons.
Best whole root crop – Mr
J Love, Walcott 30.8 tons. Mr WP Cubitt and Capt Jickling being only a fraction
of a ton behind. The average weight of 27 pieces of mangold inspected was
reported to be 27 tons an acre against 34 tons p.a. in 1915. Of 20 pieces of
Swedes, 26 tons against 29 tons last year.
There was a record entry
this season and the judges took two and a half days to complete their task.
On the motion of Mr WP
Cubitt, seconded by Mr A Neave, and supported by Mr J Love, a hearty vote of
thanks was passed to Messrs RWA Slipper, J Bygrave, P Green and Rev M Bird for
their services and to Mr Bygrave for motoring the judges round.
Several members
corroborated the Hon Sec’s remark upon the unusual growth made by roots after
October 17, on which day the judging had taken place.
After a long .. . .
discussion upon present day agricultural topics, the following resolutions were
directed to be forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture and the county war ag
committee. “In the Stalham district the land is all occupied by competent
farmers who are only too willing to get the most out of their land, especially
at the present time when prices are remunerative, the one difficulty being the
shortness of labour. We ask for a sufficient supply of skilled labour and that
where there are large number of military in the neighbourhood, some of these
men might be allowed to help farmers in an emergency. We are also of the
opinion that unnecessary and unremunerative work should be stopped through the
country.”
WEDNESDAY,
March 7, 1917
Minutes
of meeting held at Stalham Railway Hotel, 6pm.
Mr
E G Cubitt presided and 30 other members were present. The Hon secretary, the
Rev M C H Bird, read letters from Mrs Durrell and Mrs Ladbrooke thanking the
club for their expressions of sympathy.
The
following new members were elected – Messrs E Faulke, Mr J W Smith, and Mr H
Thompson. The names of the following gentlemen were brought before the meeting
for subsequent election – the Rev C Stookes, Messrs W Sands, E Lawrence, and H
Legg, proposed by Rev M Bird and seconded by Mr J Durrell. Mr J Draper
proposed, and Mr Faulke seconded, the name of Mr H E Copeman.
It
was agreed to send a resolution to the local War Agricultural Committee asking
them to take the necessary steps to have rats, moles and sparrows,
systematically destroyed throughout the district.
(In
a report in the EDP, it noted that the president had opened a discussion on
pigeon shooting. He said that there was a great difficulty in getting the guns
to go out. Tuesday had been fixed in the district for simultaneous pigeon
shooting. In some districts they simply swarmed. He had received many
complaints about the large number of rats and moles that infested various
districts since gamekeepers had been called up. It was agreed to send up a
resolution. Mr Cubitt also informed the club that the law in respect to the
poisoning of sparrows had been withdrawn but this matter would be left to the
sparrow clubs.)
Prof
Amos, of Cambridge University, gave a most interesting lecture on clover
sickness, illustrated with beautiful diagrams and preserved specimens of eelworm
and clover fungus. The lecturer said that clover sickness (which is caused by
one or other of these two pests is not brought about through soil being sick of
carrying a clover crop) might be mitigated by the application of 6cwt of lime
per acre applied in the autumn, and by grazing and spraying with Brimstone or
other fungicides had been recommended. Clover fungus attacks beans alike and
sainfoin occasionally and lucerne in first year only. As beans are susceptible,
do not grow clover after bean wheat. As to eelworms, there is no known cure,
the eggs are very retentive of life surviving over a year without hatching and
feed on other plants besides clover and other legumes.
A
hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Amos.
(signed
June 26 Mr EG Cubitt.)
JUNE
26, 1917
Minutes
of meeting held at the Railway Hotel, Stalham.
Mr
E G Cubitt, president, was in the chair and 32 other members also attended.
To
meet war prices, the cost of teas was increased to 3s (three shillings or 15p)
per head.
The
minutes of the former meeting were read and confirmed.
The
following new members were duly elected – Rev C Stookes, Messrs W Sands, G
Lawrence, H Copeman and H Legg.
Mr
J Littlewood proposed, Mr E Wilson seconded the proposition that Mr J P Hudson,
assistant agricultural commissioner for the county, be elected a member of this
club, which was carried unanimously.
Rev
M Bird proposed, Mr R Gibson seconded, the nomination of Mr H Plummer for
future election. (Mr W Wright, R W A Slipper, W C Green, and the Rev M Bird
were elected as root judges for the coming season).
Mr
J P Hudson addressed the members on the duties of agricultural war committees,
the responsible position of parish representatives and the importance of securing
as much grassland as possible for the production of corn.
Signed
E G Cubitt – January 22, 1918)