Brooker, John. Intelligent good witness. Looks well but waterworks wrong. Living at Copthorne Farm, Worth. Farmer and road surveyor for this Parish for 17 years past. Born 12th July 1806 on Ashdown Forest close to Colemans Hatch.

My father used two little places on Ashdown Forest. He had 2 horses and carried turf and peat and litter off the Forest for various people. (Did he turn out?) He also had litter turf and peat but did not cut himself. He also kept cows, and his cows and sheep went out on the forest. I can remember before I was breeched as far back as 5 years old I used to go with my Father on the forest. I went to work just before I was 8 years old. Before that I recollect frequently seeing the team of Colonel Young, who owned and occupied Holly Hill and Shepherds and what is now called Hartfield Grove but then Snow's Hole, carry litter off the Forest into Holly Hill and Snow's Hole and seeing it stacked and used in the yards there. The Holly Hill yard at that time was nearer Colemans Hatch Public House than it is now is. The Snow's Hole yard was beside a lane running from the Forest and I recollect the Carter was old Jack Buckman, now dead. Colonel Young turned out at that time as many as 30 or 40 head of cattle on the Forest. I used to see them coming along past Father's house; I knew them. I also saw Colonel Young's team carrying in peat dug by New Bridge. He used it for manure. Also some marl dug above Father's place and some in a pit opposite Suntings.

At that time Suntings was let to a gentleman who lived at the High Beeches. I forget his name but I believe the name of his foreman at Suntings was Partridge. Shawhurst was occupied at that time by old Joshua Tasker and I used to call for his boys to go to Hartfield School together. Suntings was at that time rather out of my way and I cannot say what they did but I know John Tasker had litter and turf regularly off the Forest. He used the turf for fuel. I used to see him carrying both and also saw them about his place. At that time what is now called Forest House my mother then called Ords. It was held by a Mr. Bradford who lived at Pippingford on a lease for 42 years. The house was not occupied and I used to go with my mother to open the windows. My Father used to do the laying for and buy the rowan off him and used to carry in litter for the foot of the haystack. Mr. Bradford kept no stock at Forest House. Colemans Hatch public house was then occupied by Hills who was bailiff to Colonel Young. His children were playfellows of mine and I was often about his place He used to have as many as 5 or 6 wagon load of turf a year off the Forest for fuel and I have seen 5 or 6 bushells of turf ashes in the fireplace at a time. They were very slovenly.

Clay Pits then belonged to one Foster but it was out of my way.

I remember going with my Father to carry litter and turf for William Hudson who lived near Tomsetts Bank. (This would be an enclosure on the Forest.) Father carried for many of the cottagers round the neighbourhood both litter, turf and peat.

What I mean by litter is anything that comes to the scythe and that the scythe could cut. There might be. young seedlings, oak and beech in it. When I was a boy there was one toll of full grown scotch fir called the Mount, but with that exception there are no firs on the Forest. In after years tolls of young Scotch firs were planted on the Forest .

In those days everybody had litter and turf and peat off the Forest, but I cannot name any other persons particularly.