Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 56

interview

Island Life - August/September 2010

Harold has seen it all - cattle,
horses and even a goat!
As one of the Island’s most respected

farming the 300 acres at Coppid Hall

worked for my father on a fairly large

farmers, and a keen huntsman, there

Farm, Havenstreet, where he has lived

wage of £1.50p and my keep.”

is little Harold George doesn’t know

all his life.

about cattle or horses.

When he was 16 he went to the IW

Harold’s family originated from

Technical College on a day release

But Harold is a little reluctant to

Hereford, but moved to Little Duxmore

to study agriculture, including crop

describe himself as one of farming’s

Farm in Rowlands Lane in 1928, staying

husbandry, farm machinery and

great survivors, modestly pointing out:

there for five years before Coppid Hall

accountancy. The three-year course saw

“There are still a few more like me out

came up for let, and they moved there

him emerge with his City and Guilds

there.”

with the Fleming Estate.

certificate. He smiled: “Education wise

The fact remains,however, that while

Harold was born in 1942, and as a

I think I learned more in those three

so many have buckled under the

‘war baby’ he remembers how he and

years than I did in the previous 15.”

pressures of such a difficult industry,

his family often had to leave the house

Harold and his family have managed to

and head for the air raid shelter in the

farming on a mixed farm of 30 cows,

buck the trend.

garden when German planes flew over

30 sows for pig breeding, and 400

the Island heading for mainland targets.

chickens, the latter looked after by his

Statistics speak for themselves. At
least two dairy farmers go out of

That set him up for the knowledge of

He recalls: “I went to school in

mother who sold the eggs at the front

business each week in the UK, and 25

Havenstreet until I was 11, and then

gate. They also grew 20 acres of mixed

years ago there were no fewer than

went to what is now Ryde High, but

corn which was used as cattle feed in

260 dairy farmers on the Island. Now

was called Upper Grade in those days

winter.

there are just 17, of which he is one,

on St John’s Hill. I left school at 15, and

56

“I took over the farm from my

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