1902 Diary of Elliot Woolford of Hook Farm, Lydiard Tregoze

1902

The year 1902 was a momentous one on both the national stage and for the Woolford family at Hook Farm. The anticipated Coronation of Edward VII was dramatically cancelled when the King was taken ill.

Elliot wrote in his diary:

Thursday June 26, 1902.

The King & Queen had decided this day for their Coronation. The King was taken ill some days previous which necessitated an operation therefore could not be crowned to the dissapointment to all his people. Every parish in England had prepared for great rejoicings and decorations was erected everywhere to be pulled down at once. Food was prepared for the public, bought by cash received by subscriptions. In Swindon they decided to sell it by auction, which nearly caused a riot mounted police being called to the affair. It has decidedly upset the country to some extent.

As life settled down at Hook Farm following Rowl’s (Roland's) marriage and move to Great Somerford, tensions arose between Elliot and his elder brother Charl (Charles).

With Charl planning his own wedding he presented Elliot with an ultimatum. He wanted out of the business established in 1870 by a previous generation of Woolford Brothers and it would cost Elliot.

And then the day before Christmas Eve, Elliot’s mother died suddenly.

Background

Elliot and his brother Rowland acquired the tenancy of Hook Farm in 1899 from the 5th Viscount Bolingbroke. In 1930 Elliott was able to purchase the farm when part of the Bolingbroke estate was sold by the Viscount's widow, Mary in 1930. The Woolford family remain there to this day.

The 1902 diary was transcribe by Frances Bevan in 2023.