1941 Farm Survey – 31

Farm Details

MAFF Farm Number	31
Name of Holding	Crown Farm
Name of Farmer	Mr Frank B Law
Address of farmer	Hingham Nurseries
Number & edition of 6-inch OS Sheet containing farmstead	LXXIII S.E. 1907
— Arable (acres)	140.25
— Pasture (acres)	29
Total (acres)	169.25
A. TENURE	–
Is occupier a tenant or owner?	Tenant
If tenant, name and address of owner	Mrs F.B. Law Same address
Is farmer full or part-time?	Full time
Does farmer occupy other land?	No
Does farmer have grazing rights over land not occupied by him?	No
B. CONDITIONS OF FARM	–
Proportion (%) of area on which soil is medium	70
Proportion (%) of area on which soil is light	30
Is farm conveniently laid out?	Yes
Proportion (%) of farm which is naturally	100
Situation in regard to road	Good
Situation in regard to railway	Good
Condition of farmhouse	Good
Condition of buildings	Good
Condition of farm roads	Fair
Condition of fences	Fair
Condition of ditches	Good
General condition of field drainage	Good
Condition of cottages	Good
Number of cottages within farm area	3
Number of cottages let on service tenancy	3
Is there infestation with rabbits and moles	No
Is there infestation with rats and mice	No
Is there infestation with rooks and wood pigeons	No
Is there infestation with other birds	No
Is there infestation with insect pests	No
Is there heavy infestation with weeds?	No
Are there derelict fields?	No
C. WATER AND ELECTRICITY	–
WATER SUPPLY	–
— To farmhouse	Spring
— To farm buildings	Roof
— To fields	Spring
— Is there a seasonal shortage of water?	No
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY	–
— Public light	Yes
— Public power	Yes
— Is it used for household purposes?	Yes
— Is it used for farm purposes?	Yes
D. MANAGEMENT	–
Is Farm classified as A, B or C?	A
Condition of arable land	Good
Condition of pasture	Fair
Use of fertilisers on arable land	Adequate
Use of fertilisers on grass land	To some extent
Field information recorded by	P. Radford
Date of recording	9.12.41
F. GRASS FIELDS PLOUGHED UP	–
For 1941 harvest	–
— Field OS No	1906 O.S. 136
— Parish	Deopham 7.549 nett acres
— Crops Sown	Oats
— Under WAEC’s Direction	Yes

Crops & Livestock

MAFF Farm Number	31
CROPS & GRASS	–
— Wheat	7.75
— Barley	18
— Mixed Corn with Wheat in mixture	6.25
— Mixed Corn without Wheat in mixture	14
— Mangolds	6
— Sugar Beet	16
— Vetches of Tares	1.5
— Flax, for fibre or linseed	3
— Orchards, with crops, fallow, or grass below the trees	2
— Small Fruit, not under orchard trees	6
— Vegetables for human consumption , Flowers & Crops under Glass — (see detailed return of small fruit below for the breakdown of this figure)	24
— All other Crops	12
— Clover, Sanfoin amd Temporary Grasses for Mowing this season	23.5
— Permanent Grass for Grazing, but excluding rough grazings	29.25
TOTAL OF ABOVE ITEMS	169.25
LABOUR actually employed on holding	–
WHOLETIME REGULAR WORKERS	–
— Males, 21 years old and over	8
— Males, 18 to 21 years old	1
— Males, under 18 years old	3
— Women and Girls	7
CASUAL (SEASONAL or PART-TIME WORKERS	–
— Women and Girls	1
TOTAL WORKERS	20
LIVE STOCK	–
CATTLE	–
— Cows and Heifers in milk	1
— Cows in Calf, but not in milk	1
OTHER CATTLE	–
— 1 year old and under 2 – Male	8
— 1 year old and under 2 – Female	3
— Cattle Under 1 year old, for rearing (excluding Bull Calves being reared for service)	13
TOTAL CATTLE and CALVES	26
POULTRY	–
— Fowls over 6 moths old	9
TOTAL POULTRY	9
HORSES on holding on 4th June	–
— Horses used for Agricultural purposes (including Mares kept for breeding) or by Market Gardeners – mares	1
— Horses used for Agricultural purposes or by Market Gardeners – geldings	2
TOTAL HORSES	3
Name and address	Hingham Nurseries Ltd Crown Deopham

Small Fruit etc

MAFF Farm Number	31
SMALL FRUIT (acres)	–
— Strawberries	2
— Currants, black	4
Total acreage of Small fruit	6
VEGETABLES FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, FLOWERS, CROPS UNDER GLASS (acres)	–
— Cabbage, Savoys, Kale & Sprouting Broccoli	2
— Asparagus	0.25
— Rhubarb	0.5
— Tomatoes, growing in Glasshouses	0.25
— Daffodis & Narcissi, not under glass	3
— Tulips, not under glass	4
— Other bulb flowers, not under glass	2
— Other flowers, not under glass	12
Total	24
STOCKS OF HAY & STRAW ON HOLDING ON 4th JUNE (Tons)	–
— Hay	1
— Straw	5
Name of occupier	Mr F.B. Laws Mgr
Address	The Crown Farm Deopham

Labour, Motive Power, Rents & Length of residence

MAFF Farm Number	31
LABOUR	–
Regular Workers	–
— Male	1
MOTIVE POWER	–
Oil or Petrol Engines	–
— Number	1
— Horse Power of each	3.5
Electric Motors	–
— Number	3
— Horse Power of each	7 5 0.5
TRACTORS	–
Wheel Tractors for field work	–
— Number	1
— Horse Power of each	25
— Make or Model of Tractor	Fordson Utility
Wheel Tractors for stationary work	–
— Number	1
— Horse Power of each	21
— Make or Model of Tractor	Titan
RENT ANNUAL RENT PAYABLE FOR THE HOLDING TO WHICH THIS RETURN RELATES	–
— Actual rent payable during the current year (£)	300
If the holding is partly owned and partly rented, state	–
— Acres as tenant	169
— Rent (£)	300
LENGTH OF OCCUPATION OF HOLDING	–
— How many years have you been the occupier of the holding to which this Return relates?	0.5
Name on return	Hingham Nurseries Ltd
Address on return	Crown Deopham

Map

The farm is shown in pink and is labelled 194/31 on the map below. According to this map, it included Shaw’s Farm which appears to be a cartographer’s error. The area coloured yellow on the second map below should not therefore be included in Crown Farm.

© National Archives, Kew. Their refs: MAF 73/28/73+85

The Forms

© National Archives, Kew

Date	Change
1/12/23	Map excluding Shaw’s Farm
16/11/23	Map
3/11/23	Copies of forms
24/7/23	Added photo of farm sign
12/7/23	Published