Home Farm

Then
Now
Image not available Image not available
Home Farm in 1938
Home Farm in 1995

[PICTURE GALLERY]

[PLANS OF HOME FARM]

The Enclosure Award map of 1802 and the Ordnance Surveyors Drawing of 1806/7 clearly show a farm on theHome Farm site. The sale catalog for 1819 states that there were two "Capital Farmyards" on the estate, and one of them was probably the "New Farm Homestead" on the Chobham road. There is a detailed plan of all the farm buildings, including an estate Bailiff's House, in the 1859 sale catalog but the layout of the buildings at this time differs from earlier plans of 1802 and 1819 and it is likely that some rebuilding took place during the intervening period.

According to census records for 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 this house was occupied by George Coleman and his family. George Coleman had been cited as bailiff in the 1851 census but it is not clear where on the estate he lived at this time. He probably became Bailiff in about 1849 according to Payne-Gallwey, 1886. According to Stratton (1990) George Coleman was succeeded by Mr Fagence in 1900 having been a bailiff on the estate for 53 years. By 1930 it appears that the Bailiffs House had become the Electricians House occupied by Mr J Dunton (or Duxon according to 1931 sale catalog).

The 1907 sale catalog asserts that drinking water was obtained from a spring on the hill behind Home Farm and pumped to storage tanks on the roof of the Mansion. It also notes that water was supplied to the entire estate including Bonsey's and Scotcher's farms and two cottages on Horsell Common.

In 1910 an artesian well was sunk at Home Farm by Duke & Ockenden. According to the Geological Survey Memoir for the area,the borehole penetrated Lower Greensand at 1585 feet and flowed water at the rate of 5500 gallons per hour. The water initially overflowed 75 feet above the surface with a temperature of 80 degrees F and supplied water to the estate for many years. The sale catalogs of 1930 and 1931 note that the well was disused, and in 1941 a water authority inspector noted that although it was practically unused it supplied a tank in the grounds. By 1946 it was totally disused.

From the 1930's until after WWII Joe L Mann stabled racing ponies at Home Farm and a local girl, Myrtle Latham, rode for him in Pony Club events from the age of 13, regularly winning many prestigious events. She was from an early age fond of horses and earned the distinction of being the youngest trainer in England. The Lathams ran The Otter public house in Ottershaw until 1936 when it was taken over by the England family. Myrtle later married the landlord's son, Victor England, in 1942. Mr F C Smith was a tenant at Home Farm in the early years of WWII but by late 1942 the farm appears to have been owned by Mr Baker. Home Farm was requisitioned by the MOD in 1943.

The Bailiff's House and parts of the farm including a Fowl's Fattening House, Tool House and Meal House were sold off for accomodation in the early 1970's. The 1970 OS map refers to the farm as Otterbourne Farm, while the Bailiffs house was called the Cottage (now Otterbourne Lodge) and the other house as The Flat (now Otterbourne House).

By the early 1980's the remaining parts of the farm had fallen into disrepair and the other buildings were sold off for the development of Home Farm Close. Many of the barn style buildings were erected on the foundations of the existing farm premises.

Home Farm is not part of the modern Ottershaw Park Estate.

Occupants of the Bailiff's House, Home Farm:

Date
Occupier
Reference
Comments

1861-1900

George Coleman
Censuses 1861-91
Kelly's Directories 1882-99
Electoral register 1900
Farm Bailiff
1901
Thomas Carey
Census
Farm Bailiff
1908-1910
Edward Thomas Wade

Kelly's Directory 1909
Electoral registers 1908-10

Farm Bailiff
1912
George Moger
Electoral register
1913-14
John Brooking
Electoral registers
 
1918-31
John Richard Duxon

Electoral register 1918-31
Sale catalogs 1930, 31

Electrician
1933-35
Henry F Perkins
Electoral registers
 
1936-39 Sydney John Jones Electoral registers  
1946 - 48
Harold Coombes
Electoral registers