John West
From Lacey Green History
also click John & Joan West for their life story
OBITUARY. JOHN WEST by Joan West Printed in Hallmark magazine 2010.
John was one of those now rare people who lived in the same place all his life. He was born at Stocken Farm, lived in a farmworker’s house for just over nine years after we got married. Our three children, Trisha, Caroline and Richard, born there. Then he moved back into the farmhouse, as we moved in and his parents moved out to a new bungalow. Thirty five years later we moved into another house on the farm, called 'Arcadia' and our son Richard, his wife Maxine and their children moved into the farmhouse. We had lived in the new house, which he had grown to love, for there was a good view of the farm and the animals in the fields nearby, for over four years before he died, after a short unidentified collapse of his system.
STOCKEN FARM
John's parents, Dick and Hilda had taken Stocken Farm in September 1934. John was born in April 1937. Hilda had a weak heart after rheumatic fever and had been advised not to have children. This she ignored, but John was to be an only child.
WW2, the FAMILY and PRISONERS OF WAR
1939 saw the outbreak of WW2. Every spare room at Stocken Farm was taken by Bomber Command to accommodate officers and their families. Young John was not short of comrades. Also into the house moved his mother’s father (Grandad Crook) and Harry Floyd, who came temporarily to recuperate from bronchitis. Both were still with them thirty years later. John got friendly with the prisoners of war who worked on the farm. The bread they were given to bring for their lunch was often green with mould. They longed for crusty bread from the village bakery of Sid Janes. They begged worn out hessian sacks to make rope shoes to sell, for they were not given money. John secretly bought bread for them with the cash they made.
YOUNG FARMERS CLUB
He joined Princes Risborough Young Farmers Club when eleven or soon after. He remained a member till obliged to leave at twenty five, having been many years on the committee, acted as treasurer for years and represented them in local and national competitions. He was then a vice-president all his life. John was friendly with a number of girls in his teens. There was one he recognised, but hadn’t really met, when he came across her by the pig pens at Wycombe Agricultural Show. He engaged her in a friendly chat up. He was on holiday from college eighteen moths later, when she turned up at the Young Farmers Club. It has a reputation as a marriage bureau! We were married in 1961.
R. M. WEST & SON
After the Royal Grammar School at High Wycombe he went to Harper Adams Agricultural College in Shropshire from where he achieved the award for 2nd- best student. Back home it was not long before his parents made him a partner with them in the farm business, and “R.M.West and Son” was born.
THE BUSINESS GROWS
Over the years the business grew out of all recognition. Later, Richard and Maxine joined the Partnership. John never retired and went to the farm every day. In latter years he confined his input to buying and selling and the cattle passports and other requisite document filling. He enjoyed consultations with Richard. They had a great respect for each other, as he also had with his father before.
FARM CAME FIRST
His personal life always had to consider the farm first. Before we were married, if I were to see him at all, I would join him wherever he was working. Usually on some machine or other. He would come to play tennis at my home but we never knew when. We had to fit our wedding in between harvest and drilling. Later with the children we would deliver picnic teas to the fields, having ours with John. The summers always seemed to be sunny then. On rare days out and even rarer holidays with the family he relaxed and had fun, for which we all remember him so well. His plan was to work really hard until he was forty and then to travel. Actually he was nearer fifty when he really got the second ambition under way after which he always had the next place lined up. And as for the farm, he was still going there daily whenever we were at home, right to the end.
OTHER INTERESTS
He had always grown superb vegetables, flowers for cutting and wallflower plants, in the farm back garden, many of which he gave away. For three years he belonged to the local horticultural society enjoying showing in the competitions. A summer Saturday afternoon would find him watching the cricket at the Sports Club He was an honorary local insurance assessor for the National Farmers Union for many years; on committees of local farming organisations including the liason meetings with the District Council. He somehow found time to visit friends who were ill which with the passing years became ever more frequent. He enjoyed reading obituaries, amazed at other peoples’ achievements. He would not accept that the growth of his farm and close family was notable in any way. But I believe he will be most remembered for his reputation. He would not agree so I am taking the liberty of quoting from some of the letters I have received, the better for you to know the man as others knew him :---
“He offered so much encouragement and advice in my early years of farming”
“John was such a lovely man. His visits to see Warren were always appreciated by us both and I miss my flowers” “I admired John as a businessman, a skilled farmer and horticulturist and a kind friend”
“He has always been a great encouragement to me in my job, and also appreciative and supportive to the Chiltern Arable Group” “He was a lovely man and a great inspiration to Pete in Young Farmers and a great support to me in Bucks’ Farmers’ Club” “We have lost such a dear man, a friend to us and our parents over so many years. Happy memories of cheerful smiles and greetings, all those charity events, and of course the C.F. Group meetings, especially the A.G.M. dinners so ably organised.”
“I have always had the highest regard for John. His ability to navigate all the difficulties faced by farming and to take advantage of opportunities was exceptional. His behaviour set an example to us all and his character was a blend of kindness, common sense and prudence, determination and consistency.”
“A long standing, valued and respected committee member raising money for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. He was a ready volunteer with ideas and suggestions”
“I have very fond memories of John-- fetching, carrying, washing up after a fund raising event at the Sports Club - supporting whatever challenge he was given. What a zest for life”
“Having become a much respected senior figure in the farming community, his lovely sense of humour, companionship and good advice will be greatly missed.”
ENOUGH SAID
I could go on, for I received over two hundred such letters and cards. I beg forgiveness if I have put too much but I was lost for words to sum up. Suffice to say he leaves his wife, two daughters and a son and seven grandchildren.