John Spreadbury Turns 90 July 2021

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John Spreadbury, who came to Stocks aged 19 when we first arrived there, turned 90 on 13th July 2021.  John became headman at Stocks on the retirement of Reg Whitear in the 1960s and remained on the farm while it expanded with the purchase of Harvestgate Farm from the Biles's in the 60's and Little Stocks Farm from the Henderson's in the 70's, until Patrick Lawford died in 2002 and the whole property was sold. John was gifted Little Stocks Farm in Meonstoke in the early 90's, so that he could build houses for himself and his family - his wife Peggy, and children Andrew, Rita and Shaun. John lives there still, but very sadly his son Andrew, who also worked in the farm from an early age, died in May 2021, and is buried in Meonstoke Churchyard.



This photo, in a silver frame, was presented to John by the family for his birthday. It shows Stocks and Harvestgate Farms in the valley under Old Winchester Hill, land that John spent his whole career looking after.


Note: In the June / July issue of The Bridge, the Parish Magazine, there was double-page spread about the Spreadbury family







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