Dodson of Windy House and Crabtree Farms. Sheffield Park

[Sidney Taylor]

Just joined this site. I am researching my maternal ancestors ,Dodson who farmed at Crabtree and Windyhouse Farm from 1851 to 1903. Prior to they came from Handsworth and Rawmarsh. I see that Sheffield swallowed these farms in the 1930s. In fact I stayed in the Travelodge on the site of Crabtree Farm last August.

I am keen to find out more about the area in the 19thC and to discover if they were landowners or tenants.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Ponytail]

Link to:

Odd House. 

Edward Dodson, Crabtree Farm mentioned. 

 

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/7636-odd-house/

 

[Ponytail]

Link to: 

More Parkway Questions. 

Crabtree Farm discussed. 

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/18137-more-parkway-questions/

 

[Ponytail]

Link to:

Manor Road Names. 

Question asked how did Windyhouse Lane get its name. 

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5470-manor-road-names/

 

[Edmund]

In 1878 Joshua Wigfull junior, aged 36, the previous occupant of Crabtree Farm decided to leave the district.  His father had died the previous year, so there may have been an inheritance. He sold all his live and dead stock in March 1798 and his furniture in May. By August, Edward Dodson was the occupant and showing his exceptionally large mangolds and turnips at the Handsworth Horticultural Show. Edward Dodson farmed at Crabtree Farm from 1878 until 1903. In April 1903 Edward was giving up farming, selling off 9 horses, carts, harness, implements, fowls, and some furniture. By October 1905 John Heward was the occupier.

With capital of £200 Edward began a Hay and Straw Dealer business. There is no record of the farm itself being advertised for sale, and being only able to raise £200 it would seem that he had only rented the farm. The hay and straw business failed due to bad trade, sickness and pressure from creditors, who sued him in May 1904. In August 1904 he was living at Sherwood House, Dover Road at the corner with Bristol Road (off Ecclesall Road) and trading from Sutherland Street, Attercliffe. He told the Official Receiver that his furniture shouldn't be included in his assets as it all belonged to his wife, to whom it had been given by her parents before her marriage.

(The first tenant of Crabtree Farm was John Cawthorn, who in the mid 1600s planted a row of crab apple trees from which he supplied verjuice to the local doctors, for use as a medicine.)

[Sidney Taylor]

Thanks, but

Edward Dodson, my great grandfather, retired to Hathersage in Derbyshire after leaving Crabtree Farm. His four sons all went into teaching but sadly two including my grandfather Joseph were killed in the First World War.

[Edmund]

5 hours ago, Sidney Taylor said:

Thanks, but

Edward Dodson, my great grandfather, retired to Hathersage in Derbyshire after leaving Crabtree Farm. His four sons all went into teaching but sadly two including my grandfather Joseph were killed in the First World War.

Is this a related Edward Dodson of Crabtree Farm? Could your Edward have had a failed business before moving to Hathersage as a commission agent?

[Edmund]

William West occupant of Windy Hill Farm, gave up farming in November 1864, he died aged 69 at the Shrewsbury Hospital in June 1867. In 1865 W Hodgson was the occupant (no sign of any sale of the farm itself). In March 1868 William Dodson was the occupant (he had some brasses from a threshing machine stolen by an employee). In November 1890 the Norton Ploughing Association met at the Bagshawe Arms to present William Dodson with a silver cup, as first prize for the best cultivated farm within six miles of Norton. In October 1891 William decided that he was leaving the neighbourhood and advertised all his live and dead stock for sale - this included 4 horses, 18 cattle and 20 sheep. In 1892 J.H. Bryars, a veterinary surgeon, was the occupant of Windy House Farm. Again there was no notice of sale, so the farm was presumably rented.

In January 1891 William saw a man in his brother Edward's field in Strawberry Lane, Darnall, with a gun. He challenged him and the man presented a game licence in someone else's name. The man raised his gun and looking along the barrel said "If you come a step further I shall blow out your brains". The muzzle of the gun was about a yard from William's chest. He swept his stick up and knocked the gun upwards, whereupon it went off. In May, the man (William Siddall) was fined 30s and costs for the trespass and for threatening Mr Dodson he was bound over to keep the peace for 6 months,

On leaving Windy House, William Dodson went to farm at Sprotbrough ("The Shires"), with his brother (?) John an agricultural horseman on the farm. William became a Justice of the Peace, Chairman of the Council in 1915-16 and was prominent in the foundation of the National Farmers Union. He died in a Doncaster nursing home in March 1929. He was twice married (Eliza died aged 44 in June 1877), and he left a widow (Elizabeth) and one son.

 

[Sidney Taylor]

Edmund, you have found out quite a lot in a couple of hours. It certainly looks like it is the same Edward Dodson, Sometimes facts come out of the woodwork that one might want to stay hidden. However it seems as though he might have picked himself up because by the 1911 census he was, as you have said, a commission agent living at The Gables, Hathersage a reasonably sized residence. He died in 1913. His wife was Selina Howard, daughter of a master cabinet maker in Bawtry so that could explain where the furniture came from, Somehow I would like to find out what happened between 1904 and 1911. Do you have any suggestions where I should start.

William Dodson was Edward's younger brother.

[Edmund]

Some more snippets are contained in Edward's 1913 obituary.  Trade Directories may illuminate his business life: Trade Directories at Leicester University

[History dude]

Crabtree farm 1930.

[History dude]

More Dodson info:

SDT 17 Aug 1885

SDT 15 July 1890

[Sidney Taylor]

Many thanks for all these snippets. There were two fires at Windy House farm at the same time, A stack fire and one of farm buildings. Arson was suspected.