Soft fruit sale (1918)

Post date: Apr 30, 2014 2:31:52 PM

Advert in South eastern gazette of 11th June 1918

WATERINGBURY SOFT FRUIT SALE.

Messrs. LANGRIDGE & FREEMAN

WILL SELL by AUCTION, at the

KING’S HEAD HOTEL, WATERING-

BURY, on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12th, 1918,

at 4 o’clock, the following

CROPS OF FRUIT :

WATERINGBURY.—8 acres Cherries,

Messrs. W. W. and F. Blest.

WATERINGBURY.--58 acres Cherries

Messrs. F. Leney and Sons, Ltd.

WATERINGBURY.—6 acres Cherries, for the

late Mr. R. H. Fremlin’s Successors.

WATERINGBURY.—Cherries, Apples, Pears,

Plums and Damsons, for General Sir G. B.

Wolseley.

WATERINGBURY.—1 acre of Mowing Grass

for General, Sir G. B. Wolseley.

[other non-Wateringbury crops on list ommitted]

Extract from Kent Messenger 15th June 1918

There was a large attendance at the "King’s Head Hotel, Wateringbury, on Wednesday, on the occasion of the annual soft fruit sale by Messrs. Langridge and Freeman, auctioneers and valuers, Tunbridge Wells. Nearly 250 acres of growing crops, principally cherries, situated in the parishes of Wateringbury, Mereworth, Yalding, East Peckham, East Mall­ing, Marden, Tonbridge, Hadlow, Snodland, Teston, Nettlestead, etc., were put up, beside nearly a hundred acres of mowing grass.

There was spirited bidding, for every orchard with a moderate crop of cherries. This fruit will be extremely scarce this year, and some high prices were obtained. Mr H. Waters paid £150 for 7 1/2 acres of cherries at the "Rocks,” East Malling, belonging to Mr. Geo. Phillips, and £34 for 2 1/2 acres in the young orchard on the same farm. Mr. A. Waters’ bid at £160 was accepted for 27 acres at Wateringbury, the property of Messrs. F. Leney and Sons; Ltd., who have been very successful growers of cherries for many years

past. Other lots of cherries changed hands as follows Messrs. W. W. and F. Blest’s eight acres at Pyzon Well and Wateringbury Hall to Mr. W. Milstead at £50; the late Mr. R.H. Fremlin’s six acres at Mill Farm, Wateringbury, to Mr. Wilcox at £66; Lord Falmouth’s seven acres at Mereworth Castle to Mr. E. Waters at £20; Mr. G. Manwaring’s ten acres at Green Trees Park (back of Golf Pavilion), Hadlow, to Mr. Gasson at £10; Messrs. Reader Brothers’ three acres at Brook Farm, East Peckham, to Mr. Remark at £60; the same

owners’ eight acres at Pike Fish Farm, oppo­site the Engineer Inn, Yalding, to Mr. Tomp­sett at £50; Mr. J. F. Wheeler’s three acres at Builen Place, East Peckham, to Mrs. Usher at £30; Mr. W. L. H. Roberts’ ten acres at Holborough Court, Snodland, to Mr. Charlton, at £14; Mr. J. Coveney’s 7 1/2 acres at Nettle­stead Green Farm, Nettlestead, to the same buyer at £8; Messrs. Smith. Bros. 15 acres at Congelow Farm, Yalding, to Mr. Semark at £40; and Mr C. B. Mercer’s seven acres at Heath Farm, East Malling, to Mr. Costen at £2.

Good prices were also obtained for several lots of mowing grass. About 17 acres and 20 3/4 acres in four meadows at Stoneham, Yald­ing (Messrs. Reader Bros.) were knocked down to Mr. Tapsfield ,for £66'and £78 respectively; while Mr. Pring paid £28 for five acres on Chapple Farm, Collier Street, Marden (Mrs. F.

Joy’s).

Strawberries appear to be the best crop among the soft fruits, but in the dryer and less cultivated plantations rain is badly needed. Raspberries also, promise well. Apples generally are a failure and plums also will be a very small yield. Some people class this as the worst fruit season for more than 30 years.

Extract from South Eastern Gazette of 18th June 1918

During the past week Messrs. Langridge and Freeman and Messrs. Ambrose and Foster have held their annual sales of growing crops of cherries in Mid Kent, and the results are reported below. An idea of

the shortness of the cherry crop as com­pared with last year is obtained by contrasting the prices for some of the principal lots. Thus, in 1917, Messrs. Langridge and Freeman obtained £330 for ten acres

at East Malling for Mr. G. Phillips, and this year the same lot realised only £184. Seven acres in the same parish, belonging to Mr B. Mercer, for which £125 was paid last year, was sold this year for £2. Eight acres at Wateringbury, belonging to Messrs Blest, realised £50 this year, as against £145 in 1917, six acres in the same parish belonging to the Successors of Mr. R. H. Fremlin going for £66 as against

£195 and seven acres at Mereworth, be­longing to Viscount Falmouth, for £20 as against £145. The differences in the prices realised by some large acreages sold by Messrs. Ambrose and Foster are stilll more marked. Twenty acres at Hall Place, Barming, belonging to the Exors. of the late Mr. W. L. Vinson, realised £240 this year as against £715 in 1917, and 28 acres at West Malling, for Captain Phillips, £150 as against £660. A better result was obtained for 11 1/2 acres at Allington for Mr. R. Stewart, for which £200 was paid this year as against £300 last year, but 4 acres at Ditton, for Mr. S. Lee Smith, which made £166 in 1917, brought in only £3 this year.