Diary's insight into 1900s farmer

A diary revealing the day-to-day duties of a Wolverhampton farmer in the early 1900s has been uncovered by an amateur historian.

James Cope ran Newbold's Farm in Fallings Park and writes in his 1906 journal of sending pigs to auction, delivering goods to Butler's and Springfield Breweries and transporting vegetables in carts along dusty tracks.

The document, which also records the weather for each and every day and how much produce Mr Cope sold, was unearthed by Frank Spittle.

The 82-year-old, of Victoria Road, Fallings Park, also has a painting of the farm in its heyday.

The watercolour, which shows the thriving farm set in acres of rolling countryside, was created by Mr Cope's late son Ken, who passed both it and the diary on to Mr Spittle before he died.

"I remember the farm as a boy," Mr Spittle said today. "As you walked up the road, you would see the apple trees and people coming and going. It was the only thing for miles around, everything else was fields. It was a world away from what it is now."

Mr Cope kept his insurance policy taped in the front of his diary and recorded the details of his life for every day of the year.

The 1906 Christmas Day entry reads: Return of frost with slight fall of snow.

"Dinner was served at 1.15pm, roast turkey, plum pudding, mince pies, custard, preserved fruits and nuts of all kinds.

"Beat Watson 1-0 at ping pong and 2-0 at draughts, also Dean Mary 2-0 at draughts.

"Polished off what there was left of the turkey and topped up with 3lbs of stilton, ham and a nice pork pie from McGregors with sherry, port, whiskey, gin and beer at convenient intervals."

The farm has long since disappeared and the area is built up, although the farmhouse still stands today in Bushbury Road.

Mr Spittle, who used to own the famous Frank Spittle Guns shop in the city, said he loved delving into the past and had not been able to put Mr Cope's diary down.

He said: "It would be great if people got in touch to tell me more about Newbold's as I don't know what happened to Mr Cope senior or when it closed down."

l Do you have memories of Newbold's Farm? Call our reporters on 01902 319688.