Farm:
Location:
Information about this Farm:
SHORTWOOD FARM, adjacent to Weights Farm and Brockhill Farm, was tenanted by Joe Beckett from January 1939 until 1946 when, following his part in the purchase of the Hewell Estate, he moved with his wife Janie and their daughter Elizabeth into the Home Farm at Hewell. During the war years Italian prisoners of war were employed on the farm.
Joe Beckett was one of four brothers who became farmers.
The owner of the farm was Mr Kunzle who lived at Ley Hill House nearby. Previous tenants had failed in the running of the farm, but Joe Beckett, through his hard work and enterprise, made a success out of his farming. He built up a dairy herd and started a milk round in the neighbourhood, and he marketed poultry, eggs and potatoes. He also built a piggery using offcut timber obtained free-
From 1946 to 1953 Shortwood, now owned by Joe Beckett, was farmed by Noel Arculus, who lived at the farm until 1949 when he moved to live and also farm at Butlers Hill Farm.
Source: A Hundred Years In Tardebigge – The Revd Alan White
Status:
LITTLE SHORTWOOD was a small farm of some 9 acres only, and its mid seventeenth century farmhouse may have been originally a gamekeeper's cottage. By 1900 it was probably a subsidiary of nearby Oxleasowes Farm, There are none of the usual farm buildings there except pigsties. As late as the 1950 the house was without mains electricity or gas. After several accidents using oil lamps a wind-
Source: A Hundred Years In Tardebigge – The Revd Alan White