Barrow Hill Farm
The farm had been in the tenancy of the Brown family, for at least 57 years prior to 1918, with Jonathan, and his wife Caroline, listed as the tenants in the 1861 census.
In the previous census Jonathan and Caroline are recorded as living at the Ring, along with their eldest son Jacob, with Jonathan farming 36 acres.
Jonathan, born in 1820 at Stalbridge, and Caroline (nee Jeans) were married in 1846. They had five children, Jacob born in 1850, Matilda 1854, Jehu 1856, Walter born 1860 and Alice 1862.
Jonathan passed away in 1882 and Caroline in 1893.
Their eldest son, Jacob, had married Mary T Sheppard in 1881. They had four children, Sylvia born in 1882, Allan 1886, Howard 1888,
In 1911 their son Jacob is listed as the tenant, with his two sons Allan and Howard both working on the farm. Jacob’s sister Matilda is also listed as living with him, along with her three children, so it must have been a crowded household.
Howard enlisted in the Dorset Yeomanry and was killed in action in the February of 1916.
Mary passed away in 1919 and Jacob in 1929
Barrow Hill Farm was purchased at the 1918 sale, by Mr V. Freeman, for a sum of £5,500.00d, including the cottage fronting Barrow Hill.
Phil Knott 2021