Annual Steam Plough Club Winter Visit and Lunch
The Annual Steam Plough Club Winter Visit and Lunch will take place on Saturday 22nd November 2025.
Further details have be published in the Steam Plough Times September 2025 issue.
Events
Steam Plough Club Winter Visit and Lunch 2024 Updated
Steam Plough Club Winter Visit and Lunch 2024
The Steam Plough Club has organised a Winter Visit and Lunch on Saturday 23rd of November 2024.
Visit Address: Curls Farm, Bromley Road, BS39 4DP
The visit will be hosted by Alan Sparkes at his premises, Alan has kindly agreed to host the visitors from 10.30 at his yard in Stanton Drew, Somerset. The full address will be confirmed closer to the date.
Lunch Address:
The Druids Arms, Stanton Drew, BS39 4EJ.
A for a pre-booked lunch has been organised for 14.30.
Hands On Weekend 14th-15th September 2024
We are pleased to announce a Hands-On event for 2024 over the weekend of the 14th-15th September 2024 near Uppingham in Rutland by kind permission of Joe and Mary Nourish. Participants will be given expert tuition on the handling of steam ploughing engines and the implements. Camping and caravan space is available on site, lunch packs and soft drinks are provided, and an evening dinner will be arranged for the Saturday night.
The weekend will conclude at 5pm on the Sunday. There will be two sets of BB1 tackle working a plough and cultivator with space for eight participants.
The cost for the event is £200 with all fees going to the cost of coal and transport for the engines. For new participants, the cost includes an instructional DVD – “An Introduction to Two Engine Cable Cultivation” that provides detailed information in preparation for the weekend. Places can be secured for a deposit of £75 which will be returned in full should the event have to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. The event is open to all experience levels, the only requirement is that all participants must be current members of the Steam Plough Club for insurance purposes, the cost is £30.
If you or someone would be interested in taking part, please apply as soon as possible to George Hawkswell, 189 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8QX, email: ghawkswell@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 07512181212.
George Hawkswell,
17 April 2024
A Review Of Barry J. Finch’s Publication “Memories Of John Patten’s Ploughing Engines” By James Hodgson.
A review of Barry J. Finch’s publication “MEMORIES OF JOHN PATTEN’S PLOUGHING ENGINES” by James Hodgson.
“This is a great record both of ploughing engines in their ‘working clothes’ – the chains hanging off the back of the tender, the mole draining rope laced through the back wheel hub, the straw bale on the steersman’s stand ready for lighting up the next day – and of the ploughing crews – the clothes, the caps, the cigarettes!
The photographs also reward close study – the bent handrail on Prince and the later shot showing the plough pulled in so close that it probably happened again, the makeshift toolbox behind the crankshaft, the coiling gear always running true, the cultivator with all bar one point removed (why was that?), the plough with only two people on board.
The pictures of the dispersal sale are quite poignant and bring back memories of the Philp sale 36 years later. It is always interesting to look at the prices fetched. The pair of Windsor and Sandringham made £460 – this is equivalent to £13,980 in today’s money. The cultivator from the set of BB’s made the highest price of the day of £420, equivalent to £12,800 now. And to close, Barry’s original, smaller book ‘Ploughing Engines at Work’ was priced at 3 shillings and sixpence which is now £5 – so for a little more money you get more pictures of a larger size at better resolution – bargain!”.
James Hodgson
MEMORIES OF JOHN PATTEN’S PLOUGHING ENGINES is priced at £12.00 including P&P and now available from the shop.
Memories Of John Patten’s Ploughing Engines By Barry J. Finch
MEMORIES OF JOHN PATTEN’S PLOUGHING ENGINES
Author: Barry J. Finch
Content: 63 B&W previously unpublished photographs with captions, introduction & notes on the June 1960 sale of the late John Patten’s engines and tackle at Little Hadham, Herts.
Format: A5 portrait, 76 pages.
Priced £12.00 including P&P and now available from the shop.
Greetings Cards
A variety of Steam Themed Greetings Cards have been added to the shop.
These are priced at six cards for £10.00 including P&P.
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Annual General Meeting
The 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 22nd April at 2:00 pm, in the Conference Room of the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX. A meeting of the Trustees of the Steam Plough Property Trust will follow the AGM.
The Museum opens at 10:00am and closes at 5:00pm. Members are free to tour the Museum facilities before or after the meetings within these times.
We have the offer of a guided tour of the museum before the AGM, and, a presentation by the Principal Archivist together with a display of objects of interest. Details will be available on the day. George King, Woodturner, will be displaying his scale model ploughing engine and implements which he showed at the Great Dorset Steam Fair last year. A selection of publications, books and DVDs may also be available for purchase.
Refreshments will be available from the café in reception. They stock a range of sandwiches & cakes. If you want something more substantial, hot and cold lunches are also available in the University of Reading bar “The Dairy” next door. Please note that “The Dairy” operates cash-less tills. Also, everyone is welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the MERL garden where several picnic benches are available for your use.
Please let the Secretary know if you are coming along so we can arrange seating and advise the café staff. Looking forward to seeing you.
Dick Eastwood,
19 February 2023
Hands On Weekend 9th-10th September 2023
Arrangements are well advanced to hold a Hands On event over the weekend of the 9th-10th September, 2023, at Goblands Farm, Hadlow, Tonbridge, TN11 0LT by kind permission of the Pierce Family.
Participants will be given expert tuition on the handling of steam ploughing engines and the implements to be used. Numbers will be limited to 12 participants so everyone has the opportunity to drive and crew the engines, ploughs and cultivator. A note seeking expressions of interest was sent out in early January by email and social media with a healthy response back. Those who responded to this note should receive an email in the coming days.
Caravan space is available on site, lunch packs and soft drinks are provided, and an evening dinner will be arranged for the Saturday night. The weekend will conclude at 5pm on the Sunday.
The cost for the event is £250 with all fees going to the cost of coal and transport for the engines. For new participants, the cost includes an instructional DVD – “An Introduction to Two Engine Cable Cultivation” that provides detailed information in preparation for the weekend. Places can be secured for a deposit of £75 which will be returned in full should the event have to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
This year, the Steam Plough Club has partnered with the Steam Apprentice Club to offer subsidised places for steam apprentices aged 16 and over to £25. It should be noted that membership of the Steam Plough Club is required for insurance purposes for all participants of the event.
If you would like to attend, or know someone who would, please apply as soon as possible to George Hawkswell, Gonville & Caius College, Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TA, email: ghawkswell@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 07512181212.
George Hawkswell,
18 February 2023
Hands On Weekend 2022
Arrangements are in hand to hold a Hands On event over the weekend 3 rd -4 th September, at Brineton, Near Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8NH, with grateful thanks to hosts Michael and Karen Stokes. (Please note that the original dates of 17th-18th September have been changed)
The event will take place subject to there being no restrictions on social gatherings and travel in place at the time, and of course, weather permitting.
Participants will be given expert tuition on the handling of steam ploughing engines and the implements to be used. Numbers will be limited so everyone has the opportunity to drive and crewthe engines, the plough and the cultivator.
The weekend starts with a safety briefing followed by an explanation of the working of the engines and implements. After raising steam, the participants will attach the implements and set off to the
working area for the day’s work. All activities are done under supervision.
Camping and caravan space is available on site, lunch packs and soft drinks are provided, and an evening dinner will be arranged for the Saturday night. The weekend will conclude at 5pm on Sunday.
The cost for attending the event is £250. This includes an instructional DVD – “An Introduction to Two Engine Cable Cultivation” that provides detailed information in preparation for the weekend.
Places can be secured for a deposit of £75 which will be returned in full should the event have to be cancelled. Alternatively, the deposit will remain valid for a place at a future Hands On.
Places are still available. Please apply as soon as possible to George Hawkswell, Gonville and Caius College, Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TA, email: ghawkswell@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 07512181212.
George Hawkswell
[Message to Members 26 th April, updated by Dick Eastwood 1st July]