Geoff and others pulled the seed drills out to save them.
They found a trail of sweets leading into the barn here, leading them to believe that children might still be in the barn.
But in fact the two lads who had caused the fire were hiding in a nearby spinney: Neil Woolnough and ??? Saunders.

Geoff restored the engine from this David Brown 995, which is still running in our loading tractor today (2024)

Tractor restoration

16 Jan 1985

Engine removed from burnt out David Brown 995

Removed engine on hoist

Removed engine

Removal of engine from another David Brown 995 with loader

Continuing removal of engine from the other David Brown 995 (with loader)

Rebuilt and painted engine before fitting into the other David Brown 995 (with loader)
It is still in that DB 995 to this day (2024), still running as a loading tractor.

Renovation of a David Brown 996

May 1989

Cab lifted off

PTO unit lifted off

Gearbox lifted off

Removal of final drives

Removal of gearbox

Removal of differential drive

May/June 1989
Geoff looking over his removal of the gearbox from the David Brown 996 (hedge-cutting tractor)

Elm Farm

21 Aug 1983

Geoff Rogers & family had lived here for about three years and these photos were taken as they were readying to move out.
They moved over the Green to 12 North Green Cottages.
In March 1984 Elm Farmhouse & Elm Farm Cottage were sold away from the farm to the Cottons

Front (West) of Elm Farmhouse

Elm Farm Cottage from South

Elm Farm Cottage with bore pump in foreground

Elm Farmhouse from East


Moving out of Elm Farm Cottage, 24 Aug 1983 - Sue and Lisa Rogers with DB780.

Elm Farm barns from West (25 Apr 1983)

Elm Farm pond from West (25 Apr 1983)
The oak in the next picture is just visible behind the pond

Lone oak in meadow behind Elm Farm pond (11 Oct 1983)
The slot had had to be widened with a chainsaw around the head of a bullock that had got stuck.

Baling and Hedge Trimming

Autumn 1983

Baling on Sandpit field, looking West
David Brown 1490 with New Holland Hayliner and Cooks Flat Eight

Baling on Sandpit field, looking in the direction of Home Farm

Geoff taking a break on Sandpit field (self-taken)

Geoff with baler on Sandpit field (self-taken)

Trimming the hedge between Mayweed and Butlers End fields (looking in the direction of Oak Farmhouse)

Trimming the hedge between Mayweed and Butlers End fields (looking in the direction of Oak Farmhouse)

Trimming the hedge between Mayweed and Butlers End fields (looking in the direction of Pound Farm land, which is just over the hedge)

Contract baling for Mick Reeve at Gatewood Farm, Framlingham, with new Claas round baler (28 Aug 1984)

A Hard Winter

21 Feb 1986

Frozen field drain

Back of Geoff's cottage, 12 North Green Cottages, from the West

View towards Sandpit Field from the North, along the grassy strip by the Gull

Aftermath of the 1987 Gales

11 Oct 1987

Collapsed shed beside Dutch barn, with Smyths seed drill inside

Newly fitted roof stripped from straw barn and willow fallen on chicken shed

Close-up of willow fallen on chicken shed

Home Farm Yards

Feb 1993

Pump House, Loose Box and Flint Stable (L to R)

Wickers cart shed and implement store (rebuilt after 1987 gales, but blown down again later and demolished)

Behind the implement store and Wickers

Dutch barn, Silo and Todor Barn (L to R)

Gehl feed grinder in Lean-to of Tudor Barn, and silo

Dutch Barn, Wood Store and Silo in front of Tudor Barn

Dutch barn with Ford Whitlock digger, slurry tank, David Brown 995 loading tractor, combine head and Cooks flat eight bale accumulator (L to R)
Peter Kindred bought the digger, and I still use the loading tractor (2024)

Mole plough, New Holland baler, saw bench on David Brown and Claas baler (L to R)

Saw bench on David Brown and Claas baler

Straw barn, chicken shed, old tractor shed and lean-to (L to R) all in front of Home Farmhouse

Farm machinery auction

March 1995

Lyndsay Gooch, Geoff Rogers & Bob Briscoe
Sid Bloomfield is visible behind Geoff's head

Geoff with fork-lift on the back of the David Brown 996 loading the combine head onto a buyer's truck

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