The BARN ELMS FARM, BARNES, SURREY; LITTLE WOODCOTE FARM, CARSHALTON, SURREY; WOODLANDS FARM, PUTNEY, SURREY, HESTON FARM, HOUNSLOW, MIDDLESEX, WORTON FARM, ISLEWORTH, MIDDLESEX COLLECTION

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Contains: Business correspondence of the Lobjoit family, 1866-1957; agreements of sale of a crop of seakale, dressings and tillages at Little Woodcote Farm, Carshalton, Surrey 1897; agreements of partnership for carrying on business as market gardeners and agricultural agents under the style of W J Lobjoit and Son 1900; produce market accounts of Little Woodcote Farm, Carshalton, Surrey 1888-1890; cash account of W J Lobjoit and Son, Heston Farm, Hounslow 1895-1896; balance sheet of W J Lobjoit and Son 1901; profit and loss accounts of W J Lobjoit and Son 1902-1904; balance sheet and profit and loss account of W J Lobjoit and Son 1905-1909, 1913-1914; miscellaneous loose accounts of W J Lobjoit and Son 1862-1915; priced sale catalogue of the live and dead market garden stock of Little Woodcote Farm, Carshalton, Surrey 1897; sale catalogue of the surplus farming and market garden stock of Heston Farm, Hounslow, Middlesex 1923; catalogue of the market garden livestock and implements of Heston Farm, Hounslow, Middlesex 1923; sale catalogue of crops, livestock and implements of Worton Farm, Isleworth, Middlesex 1930; cropping book of Little Woodcote Farm, Carshalton, Surrey 1883-1919; cropping statement of Worton Farm, Isleworth, Middlesex 1883; estimate for business premises installations at Heston Farm, Hounslow, Middlesex 1905; leases for land in Barnes, Surrey 1876, land in Woodcote estate, Surrey 1883, a cottage and garden in North Field, Wandsworth, Surrey 1886, Barn Elm Farm, Barnes, Surrey 1889, land in Heath Road Isleworth, Middlesex 1904;minutes of National Farmers Union, Covent Garden Sub-Committee 1926-1927; general notebook of W J Lobjoit c1896; petition of standholders in Covent Garden to the Duke of Bedford's agents for the supplying of additional gaslight 1858; petition to the National Farmers' Union and tenants and users of stands in Covent Garden Market against a Bill proposing the removal of the market 1927; plan of Covent Garden market, with a schedule of the rents, tolls and sums of money to be payable and paid 1828; plan of farmhouse at Worton Farm, Isleworth, Middlesex 1904; insurance policies 1898, 1920; report of the proceedings of the Market Gardeners' Nurserymen and Farmers Association 1851-1960; valuations of land in Surrey and Middlesex 1845-1924; notice of meeting to receive a report on proposed alterations to Covent Garden Market 1860; memorandum and articles of association of the Market Gardeners, Nurserymen and Farmers Association 1889; programme of annual united sports of the employees of Wild and Robbins, W J Lobjoit and Son and A J Robbins 1903; programme for distribution of long service awards to employees of W J Lobjoit and Son 1912, 1919; survey of land by the Middlesex Agricultural Executive Committee 1918; miscellaneous notes on horticultural matters c1852-1959; farm account book of Woodlands Farm, Putney, Surrey 1834-1847

Administrative / Biographical History

The LOBJOIT family (Huguenot refugees) settled in Kent in the early 17th century. In the 1820s, a W. J Lobjoit became head gardener to the Rothchilds family and in 1828 founded the firm of W.J. Lobjoit and Son Ltd, market gardeners. At first, the firm operated from 12 acres of ground at Hammersmith, Middlesex, which later became the site of Harrod's Depository. Produce was normally taken from Hammersmith to Covent Garden. In 1840, W.J. Lobjoit took over Gypsy Lane Farm, Upper Richmond Road, Barnes,Surrey and at the beginning of the Crimean War assumed the tenancy of Bell Farm, Putney, Surrey (now the site of a church), which became the home of his son W.J. Lobjoit junior (born 1835 April 13). Putney Park Farm, otherwise known as Dulleys, which adjoined Gypsy Lane Farm, was taken over in 1856. Although W.J. Lobjoit junior lived there for a time, it was later rented by George Armstrong, his uncle whose sons Walter and George married into the Lobjoit family.

In 1843, the new South-Western Railway from Waterloo to Windsor was built through W.J. Lobjoit's land. In the 1860's he became overseer for the poor of the joint parishes of Barnes and Putney, Surrey. When he died in March 1868, the market garden business was extended by his son to other farms (Southfields 1865-6; Middle Field 1871; Harrod's Field 1874-5; Collis 1874-5; Park Fields 1874-5; Little Woodcote Farm, Carshalton, Surrey 1883; Barns Elms Farm, Barnes, Surrey 1886; Heston Farm, Hounslow, Middlesex 1894; Osterley Park Gardens 1897 and Worton Farm, Isleworth, Middlesex 1903). Harrod's Field and Middle Field were given up in 1886 and Bell Farm in 1892. The Government selected Barns Elms Farm during the Fashoda crisis of 1898 as a site for waterworks to supply London in case of war with France. A series of misfortunes affected the Lobjoit family in 1894: meningitis, typhoid, and consumption carried off various members of the family and trade was poor.

Lord Jersey heard of these troubles and offered part of Heston Farm to W.G.Lobjoit. Heston Farm and Osterley Park Gardens were occupied until 1923, a year after the death of W. J. Lobjoit junior. 'Park Fields and Collis were relinquished in 1903 and Worton Farm in 1930. Other farms held by the family include Ryvers Farm Langley, Buckinghamshire (1924-1953), Raymond House Langley (1930-1953) and Mungells Farm, Winnersh, Berkshire (1946-1958). Priory Farm, Burnham, Buckinghamshire was still in occupation at the date of the presentation of the records

Farm size etc: The farms were invariably held on lease until 1924-1925; Ryvers Farm and Mungells Farm were both owner-occupied