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Manx Radio programme interview with the Garrett family of Ballaglonney, Grenaby and Howard Jones about farming

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Date(s): 1994

Creator(s): Manx Radio

Scope & Content: The Garrett family of Ballaglonney, Grenaby and Howard Jones talk to David Callister about farming. The interview starts with mention of a fundraising walk for Hospice. John, George and Nancy Garrett then talk about the tholtan (cottage) lived in by Charlie Preston in 1921; Arnold Corlett; article written by Frances Garrett; Mike Goldie series; Willy Preston, shoe maker and scything for farmer Maddrell; scythes; superstitions and rats; killing of rats in the 1940s and payment for the tails taken to Ballasalla smithy; a tale of Guinness and lemonade; disposal of the rats; pay for working on the threshing mills; picking blackberries for Rushen Abbey; Howard Jones picking strawberries after school at Rushen Abbey; Johnny Big Foot, Jackie Square Foot; George Quayle book on wheat inducing hallucinations known locally as ‘The Smote’; superstition of not starting new jobs on a Friday known locally as ‘Hangman’s Day’; Howard Jones cutting down a tramman tree; making of elder flower and elder berry wine; Manx sayings and expressions.

They talk about Tommy Leece and Robert Kinvig, Manx speakers; names and uses of old farm machinery; shipping of turnips to Liverpool; free range hens; ‘Thie Veg’ on the river bank at Grenaby bridge; smithy opposite and the Corrin's blacksmith; Eric Corrin working with Frank Oates at Ballabeg smithy; Jimmy Teare at Cross Four Ways smithy; Billy Watson’s Chevrolet; Albert Maddrell’s Bull Nose Morris and how he took his produce once a week to his sister’s shop in Douglas; farmers taking produce to Castletown; decrease in number of local farmers; residents of demolished cottages including Harry Keggin; Ernie Pemberton taking stone from demolition of cottages to build hedges; Preston tholtan (cottage) on footpath from bridge to Ballamodha; site of corn mill, joiner's shop and saw pit; site of flax mill and when demolished the stone being used to build Grenaby Farm barn; Harry Sloane miller from Silverdale and his wife Maude; Harry Sloane working with his mother on Ronaldsway Farm; Willy Preston, cobbler and his brother who was a cobbler in Castletown.

Language: English

Extent: 41 min. 51 sec.

Item name: cassette tape

Collection: Sound Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: SA 0530

Access conditions: All reasonable attempt has been made by Manx National Heritage to trace and request permission (where needed) from the copyright holder(s) in this sound recording. If however you think you are a rights holder then please contact Manx National Heritage.

Subject tags : #UOSH

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