A fabulous little farmers notebook belonging to Thomas Goddard of Eastcombe Farm, Batcombe, Somerset.

Entries in the notebook – which contains a printed almanac for 1868 – commence in 1874 when Thomas Goddard was 20, and list the quantities and prices of cheese sold to Mr Allen. The notebook goes on to list the “Cows to Bull” in 1874 with wonderfully evocative country names: Daisy, Handsome, Snowdrop, Darling,Young Prosper, Tinker, Blacksmith, Primrose, Fillpail, Cowslip, Tidy and Cherry amongst others. The notebook goes on to list the Hogheads of cider sold throughout the years, the births of young animals, animal sales and details, along with various comments throughout the years (“June 15th. Went to London to be examined before a Judge & Counseltouching my means of paying a judgement debt”).

Thomas Goddard was born in 1854, son of James and Elizabeth Goddard of Batcombe. in 1871, James Goddard was a farmer in Batcombe with 150 bulls, 3 men and 1 Boy, and his story is told in “A Journey from Somerset to Ohio” by Sue Hawkins Bell.

This item will be of interest to decendants of Thomas Goddard, as well as local historians of Batcombe or those interested in Victorian Farming. A lovely and evocative item.