The good old days when my aunty was paid 12p a week

• Frank Farr

• MEMORY LANE? Frank Farr’s great-grandfather helped plant these monkey puzzle trees at Bicton. Ref.08-06-966884

Eighty-eight–year-old Frank Farr is a familiar face in East Budleigh. Apart from 1939-45, when he was in the army, he has lived and worked in the village all his life. Over the years, Frank has jotted down memories of what village life was like during the past century, and over the coming months he will be writing about his recollections for your Journal

In Lord Rolle’s time the working hours at Bicton were 6.30am to 5.30pm.

On the west wall of the house and gardens was the private zoo. One can still see parts of the brick arches to this day.

The late John Clements buried the last cheetah in Baker’s Brake at the rear of the house.

There is a large stone slab placed where it was buried and is still there today.

When the deer in the park were culled, the head keeper and the second head keeper would climb on to platforms in the large trees and, armed with rifles, pick out the deer they wanted.

A keeper on horseback would herd the deer between the trees.

The unfortunate deer to be shot would be taken to the slaughterhouse (still standing today) to be skinned and cleaned.

The carcasses were cut up and the keepers would take a lot of the meat to the poor of the parishes around Yettington, East Budleigh and Otterton.
In January the keeper would be shooting rabbits in heavily infested areas. These would also be given away to the poor.

My aunt and uncle lived in Flint Lodge at the end of Bicton’s Monkey Puzzle drive.
My aunt was paid 9d (about 4p) a week to feed the ducks on the lake and one shilling and sixpence (about 8p) a week to open the gates to let the horse and carriage out.

My great-grandfather helped to plant the monkey puzzle trees along the driveway.
The seeds came from Chile and were sent down from Kew through the late Sir Robert Veitch-owned nursery in London.

Every third year, while attending East Budleigh School, we went to Lord and Lady Clinton’s party.

The following year was Otterton’s turn.

We were treated by Lord and Lady Clinton to a good tea and a large bag each of apples, oranges, nuts and sweets, and we were also given a garment to wear.
Those were the good old days.

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