Hay making in Chorlton ............ or almost

Now here is an image which could have been so easily taken in Chorlton.

Hay Making in Furness Vale, date unknown

The picture is labelled on the reverse "Haymaking, Furness Vale" but the date and location are not recorded although the buildings in the background look familiar.

Now it is a scene which could so easily have been taken here in Chorlton,.

And given that 56% of the land here was pasture and meadowland and that some of the 40% of arable land was used for growing barley I rather think these men and boys could have so equally stepped off one of our own fields.

Man with pipe and rake

What I like about this picture is the way that George Tomlinson has isolated sections of the image  and  explains the sorts of detail most of us would pass over.

So  "the man in the centre carries a large wooden handled rake. Behind him can be seen the ownership plate on the cart. The name is Charles Saxby of Disley.  Saxby was owner of Furness Vale Printworks".

All of which puts the picture into a context and demonstrates the power of local knowledge to unlock a photograph

But as I often say it is not for me to lift another’s research so to see all of George’s comments you will have to visit the site at http://furnesshistory.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/haymaking.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+FurnessValeLocalHistorySociety+(FURNESS+VALE+LOCAL+HISTORY+SOCIETY)

And for those in Chorlton who wondered where we are in Furness Vale, David Easton who kindly gave me permission to use the image, says, "The location is probably Lodge Farm in Furness Vale which was owned at the time by Mr. Saxby".

Location; Furnes Vale

Picture; courtesy of the Furness Vale Local History Society