The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex

The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882
by Professor Brian Short
published by Sussex Record Society in 1997
Excerpts from this work have been reproduced on this site with the kind permission of Professor Brian Short

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William Augustus Raper
Henry Heasman

Heasman, Henry. Living at the house called the Chequers in Forest Row. Retired laborer. I was born 14 July 1805 at Little Parrock Farm. I was not baptised till I was grown up. My maternal grandfather named Turk used the Farm and my Father worked for him. When I first recollect anything I was living half way between Little Parrock and Forest Row. When I was about 8 years old, my Father moved to a cottage in the Forest close by Quabrook Common. The house is pulled down now and the land is used by Dick Card. My Father and Mother died there and I continued to live there with my grandfather till I married.

The first job I ever did was to rake up the litter my Father cut on the Forest. That was before I left going to school when I was about 10. I worked with my Father till I was about 15. He used to work as a sawyer in the summer and also cut turf and peat on the Forest and in the winters he used to go out on the Forest litter cutting. I went to live with Mr. Holland at Fairlee Farm the Michaelmas after I was 15. This farm is near East Grinstead town and belongs to the Cranstone Trustees. I remained there a year working as carter boy and going with the ox team. I then went to Little Oasted Farm close by, used by Mr. Shoebridge and lived with him a year as a carter boy. Then to Kennards at the White Horse at Holtye Common and worked on the farm as carter boy for the winter 1/2 year. Then I went home and worked with my Father till I married, sawing and cutting turf in summer and cutting wood and litter in the winter. I married when I was 24 or 25. A few months after I went to live at a cottage at Quabrook Common belonging to old Master Heaver who had Tablehurst Farm and Mill.

For 11 years I worked about in the summer and cut litter in the winter. I then moved to Pigstyes Farm house close to the station used by Mr. Turner and lived there about 17 years working at sawing and litter cutting. I then moved to a cottage by the school on Forest Row Green for about a year. I then lived in an old house in Forest Row under Mr. Isted 11 or 12 years and worked for Kidbrook Park about 12 years. Then I moved to the Chequers at Forest Row for about 3 years and have lived there ever since.

Before I went to service when I worked with my Father he used to cut litter for the Hon. Anne Fuller at Ashdown House which used to be called Lavertye. He cut a great deal for her, also for Mr. Jeffery who then owned the farm now belonging to Colonel Moor what was and still is called Pixtons and for old miller Heaver who used Tablehurst. He used to have a great deal of litter. Also for General Ivory who lived at Thornhill and used a good deal of land by Ashurst Wood. Great Surrys belonged to it. He used to send 2 teams after it. Also for Godly at Upper Parrock and Fry, who then used Lines Farm and Ricelands. Also for Colonel Young who used Holly Hill and Snow's Hole and afterwards for Captain Hall and for Major Falconer who used Forest House. Also for old butcher Isted at Forest Row who used Pigstyes Farm. Also for Mr. Burt who had Stonehouse. Also for old Mr. Payne who lived at Leggs Heath. I used to see Parkhurst cutting. He lived at Furnace Farm now belonging to Mr. Melville. Also old Foster who lived at Clay Pits, belonging now to Mr. Hale. I saw his sons cutting after him. Hills at that time had Colemans Hatch Public House and I used to see his boys out cutting brakes for his pigs.

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