Holyfield/Bowles collection - from Marion Allen

Marion Allen (née Bowles) has lived in Badsey since 1980. She donated the items in 2010 following the death in 2007 of her father, Richard Bowles. The tools belonged to Richard and to his father-in-law, Harry Hunt of Sedgeberrow. It was Marion’s maternal great-grandfather, Charles Holyfield (1855-1931), an Oxfordshire farmer, who came to Sedgeberrow at the beginning of the 20th century (arriving by train with all his animals!) and bought a farm at Sandfield and later Blakes Hill because he had two sons, Charles Henry and Albert Guy. However, Albert was killed in the First World War, so the farm was split between the family. Charles’ daughter, Ethel Rosa (Marion’s grandmother), married Harry Hunt (1877-1958) whose family had been living in Sedgeberrow working as agricultural labourers since at least the beginning of the 19th century. Harry Hunt took over Blakes Hill Farm. His daughter, Joan (Marion’s mother), married Richard T Bowles (1925-2007), who also farmed at Sedgeberrow. Because of ill-health, Richard retired early but took a job looking after the kitchen garden at the Seymour House Hotel, Chipping Campden. Richard and Joan retired to a house on Seward Road, Badsey, and then a bungalow at Wickhamford. Marion cleared out his tool-shed after his death.