The National Forest’s LANDshapes project interview with Rev. Len Haynes

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LANt011 Rev. Len Haynes
LANDshapes Oral History interview summary

Growing up at Clock Mill '…on the Measham to Leicester road halfway between Measham and Swepston' Len Haynes fondly remembers his childhood in the home that was owned by his family since 1873. Len tells us how his grand parents moved there and restored the mill to its 'original use'. Listen, as he recalls 'listening to the tick, tick, tick' of the water wheel and explains how one of his favourite childhood jobs was delivering the ground flour by horse and dray - a time when flour cost 'a shilling a hundred weight'. Find out what 'Deadna, the Big Deadna, the Plough Deadna and the Little Deadna' are and discover why farm horses were replaced with 'Fergies'. Learn about the differences in farming practices since its mechanisation: 'That was the most noticeable thing on the farm that you could see in the war', and hear the fascinating story of how a crop of flax cured Big Deadna's wireworm problem! Finally, discover how, at the age of 51, Len became an ordained clergyman, a calling which still keeps him very busy despite being retired and hear why he thinks that The National Forest 'Is wonderful'.

Interviewer: Roger Kitchen
Interview Date: 23/02/2005
Landshape Zone: Leicestershire and Derbyshire Coalfield
Parish: Swadlincote and surrounds
Location: Swadlincote, Derbyshire,
Date of birth: 1917
Location of Original: Originals held with The National Forest Company
Reference LANt011

Last updated: 15/9/2005
East Midland Oral History Archive Web maintainer
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