Sly's - Odam's - Manor Farm

Sly's farm

See William Sly for the early history.

"..Mr Thomas Parker, who was a Wesleyan of the old school – a Methodist Churchman- had services on Sunday evenings in one of his cottages. He then farmed at Sly Farm which stood on the spot where the imposing residence of Mr and Mrs W T Wilson now stands." (The Manor Nursery building opposite Tesco's)

"It was the eldest son, (also) Thomas Parker who took over the farm and carried it on successfully. In the year 1879 he died, and his wife continued to live there until February 16^th 1904, when , after her death, the old farm was sold and subsequently demolished.

The farm comprised a large quantity of land, and with it Thomas Parker took over the brickyard and pottery works and sold plain and fancy pots, tiles, bricks and pipes."

This is confirmed by the 1891 Census, which shows the occupants of Sly's Farm as:

Alice Parker 62, widow.
William 30 Fitters labourer.
Agnes M 23,
Alice M 20,
Alfred E 18 Harnessmakers apprentice. All born in Dogsthorpe.

From this information I was able to locate Sly's Farm on the 1871 Census:

Thomas Parker, 50, Land owner and Farmer, born in Dogsthorpe.
Alice Parker, 42, his wife, born in Dogsthorpe.
Mary A Parker, 3 daur, born in Dogsthorpe.
Alice M Parker, 5 months, born in Dogsthorpe.
Harriett E Price, 22, servant, born in Sawtry Hunts.
Emma Abbott, 19, servant, born in Timberland Lincs.

In the 1841 Census I found both Thomas Parkers (junior and senior):

Thomas Parker 60, farmer, not born in county
Sarah 50, not born in county.
Jane 25, not born in county.
Phoebe 20, born in county.
Sarah 20, born in county.
Thomas 20, born in county.

From where they were born it would seem Thomas Parker had not been at Sly's Farm for more than 25 years. The younger children were not triplets the 1841 Census rounded their ages.

By going back to the 1851 Census I found out where the family had come from:

Thomas Parker 70, Farmer 178 acres employing 4 labourers, born in Skittington, Lincolnshire.
Sarah Parker 59, born in Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire.
Jane Turner 36, married daughter, born in Dogsthorpe.
Phoebe Parker 34, single daughter, born in Dogsthorpe.
Thomas Parker 30, single son, born in Dogsthorpe.
Elizabeth Porter 26, house servant, born in Helpston.
George Cole 19, servant, farm labourer, born in Helpston.
Wright Culpin 21, farm servant, born in Castor.
Sarah A P Turner 6months, grand daughter, born in Dogsthorpe.
George Turner 41, son in law, Farmer 46 acres employing 1 labourer, born in Dogsthorpe.

I looked up the parishes of Croxton Kerrial, which lies just 8 miles east of Grantham (Lincolnshire), and Skillington (the name nearest to Skittington in Lincolnshire), and found that although they are in different counties they are less than 5 miles apart.

Cambridge Independent Press Sat 13 February 1841

Deaths

On the 3rd inst, in her 67th year, Ann, the wife of Mr John Parker, farmer of Dogsthorpe, mother of Mr T Parker of Saxon Barns, Peterborough, and of Mrs H Johnson, of Walton. She was a woman of an amiable disposition, unassuming manners, and truly christian deportment.

I found this newspaper cutting and with a bit of detective work decided it must have been Sly's Farm house which was referred to.

Newspaper Cutting Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 23 Sep 1905

A staircase taken from a sixteenth century house at Dogsthorpe in process of demolition, was sold at firewood price to a Peterborough dealer, who has renovated it and resold it at a handsome profit to an American for erection in his mansion.

Courtesy of Margaret Faulkner from the Guest Book we learn that Sly's Farm had eventually changed it's name to Odam's Farm by the 1950s.

"Odams farm was in Welland Road opposite the garage and old school.There was a large house which Joseph Odam lived in and several tied cottages. I believe the farmhouse is now a childrens nursery. The farm actually backed on to our house in Western Avenue and when we first moved there is was a regular occurance to find a pig had found it's way into the garden."

Probate Notice

Odam Frank Moore of Manor Farm Dogsthorpe Peterborough died 17 July 1953 Probate Peterborough 4 November to Edna Jessie Maud Odam widow, Joseph Odam farmer and Pamela Martha Elizabeth Whittome widow. Effects £1594 4s 10d.

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