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During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:
Mepham, James. 59. Taylor's Farm, Fletching. Have occupied this farm of 15 acres for 27 years last past and succeeded Henry Smith who occupied for 30 years. I lived in the neighbourhood all my time and was on intimate terms with Smith (dead) and used frequently to come to see him for many years before he died here. I know Smith turned sheep out on Ashdown Forest at times and he used to have litter and turf for fuel off it. He was a great man for turf fires and he had stone for making a bank and repairs. Since I have used the farm I have had litter regularly every year including last year and this. I used to have turf for fuel but we do not use it now. I have never turned out on the Forest.
The owner of the farm is Mrs Lusted, South Park, Reigate.
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William Meopham | m: c 1820 | Mrs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c 1800 | b: c 1800 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1819 Newick, Sussex d: Nov 1897 Fletching, Sussex bur: 11th Nov 1897 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Meopham farm labourer | m: 13th Apr 1842 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | Ansley Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: 1819 Newick, Sussex d: Nov 1897 Fletching, Sussex bur: 11th Nov 1897 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | b: 1823 Fletching, Sussex ch: 9th Feb 1823 St Andrew & St Mary Church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jane | Emily Esther | James | William | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
b: c Jun 1842 Netherhall, Fletching, Sussex ch: 10th Jul 1842 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1844 Netherhall, Fletching, Sussex ch: 11th Feb 1844 St Andrew & St Mary Church d: Mar 1844 Fletching, Sussex bur: 31st Mar 1844 St Andrew & St Mary Church, Fletching, Sussex | b: 1849 Spratts, Fletching, Sussex ch: 9th Sep 1849 St Andrew & St Mary Church | b: 1864 Piltdown, Fletching, Sussex ch: 6th Mar 1864 St Andrew & St Mary Church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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