ID: PH01_LDM / Linda Di Mizio

TitleRolls Farm and Malting Farm Peldon - Recollections of Linda di Mizio née Starling
AbstractI don't have much in the way of photos of historical interest, although I could probably contribute some memories of people and places in the village when I grew up. As far as wartime information is concerned I never heard my parents mention the land girls building but my mother used to recall regularly providing tea and cake (difficult with rationing) to the soldiers from the anti-aircraft battery nearby when they were off-duty. I don't know exactly where the battery was but this may be common knowledge. My parents lived at Rolls Farm, on the edge of the village, living in a pre-fab bungalow on the farm during the war, until the house was built in 1952. All the farmers were required to help each other out at harvest time and I recall that my parents also helped on a fruit farm locally. My father (John Starling) and Will Nicholas both served in the Home Guard, a photo of the unit always stood in the Peldon Rose, in a corner by the bar, perhaps it still does.

The Nicholas family lived at Malting Farm, just up the road from Rolls Farm, and my aunt Barbara (known as Bar) married Will Nicholas in 1956 and they moved into Malting Cottage, then later into Malting Farm house. William and Philip (always known as Will and Phil) were the sons of Edgar Nicholas and worked on the farm. Edgar died many years before I was born but I do just remember Mrs Nicholas senior from frequent visits to the farmhouse as a very little girl. Phil Nicholas married Margaret and moved out of the village, and later had a son, William.

I'm attaching a few photos:

Malting Cottage showing damage from the 1884 earthquake.  I don't know who the man and boy are in the photo, although I suppose it could conceivably be Edgar Nicholas's father and Edgar

Malting Cottage taken in 1957, with my aunt [ Barbara Nicholas ] working in the garden

Malting Farm probably dating from the late 1960s or early 1970s

Special Constables outside the Plough after the Zeppelin came down in Little Wigborough in September 1916. Edgar Nicholas on the left

Will and Phil harvesting with the binder and horses, I would guess in the 1930s

Will on a tractor, probably from the 1950s

Geoff Gonella,
Peldon History Project

AuthorLinda Di Mizio
SourceMersea Museum
IDPH01_LDM
Related Images:
 Malting Cottage showing damage from the 1884 earthquake.   PH01_LDM_001
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_001
Title: Malting Cottage showing damage from the 1884 earthquake. 
Date:cMay 1884
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio
 Malting Cottage taken in 1957, with Barbara Nicholas working in the garden. Barbara married Will Nicholas in 1956 and they moved into Malting Cottage.  PH01_LDM_003
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_003
Title: Malting Cottage taken in 1957, with Barbara Nicholas working in the garden. Barbara married Will Nicholas in 1956 and they moved into Malting Cottage.
Date:1957
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio
 Malting Farm probably dating from the late 1960s or early 1970s.  PH01_LDM_005
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_005
Title: Malting Farm probably dating from the late 1960s or early 1970s.
Date:c1970
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio
 Members of the Peldon Special Constabulary, who were presented with watches in recognition of the part they played in the capture of the crew of Zeppelin L33 which came down in Little Wigborough 24 September 1916. On the far left is Sergeant Edgar Nicholas.
 Photographed sitting on the wall outside The Plough in Peldon.  PH01_LDM_007
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_007
Title: Members of the Peldon Special Constabulary, who were presented with watches in recognition of the part they played in the capture of the crew of Zeppelin L33 which came down in Little Wigborough 24 September 1916. On the far left is Sergeant Edgar Nicholas.
Photographed sitting on the wall outside The Plough in Peldon.
Date:c25 September 1916
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio
 Will Nicholas on a tractor, probably from the 1950s. The Nicholas family were at Malting Farm.  PH01_LDM_009
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_009
Title: Will Nicholas on a tractor, probably from the 1950s. The Nicholas family were at Malting Farm.
Date:1950s
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio
 Will and Phil Nicholas harvesting with the binder and horses, probably in the 1930s. The Nicholas family were at Malting Farm, Peldon.  PH01_LDM_011
ImageID:   PH01_LDM_011
Title: Will and Phil Nicholas harvesting with the binder and horses, probably in the 1930s. The Nicholas family were at Malting Farm, Peldon.
Date:1930s
Source:Peldon History Project / Linda Di Mizio