William Gardner (Uncle Billy)
Billy and Doris Mackereth (nee Mountain) were married on 18 August 1928 at Marcham, Oxon.
The people behind Billy and Doris are from left to right: Doris's father Tom Mountain, her brother Jack Mountain, her sister Myra Mountain and her mother Lottie Mountain (nee Gegg).
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William Gardner trained as a farm manager at Woodstock in Oxfordshire, before taking up a position as farm manager at Northern farm on North Hayling Island. Afterwards he farmed at Chestnut Farm In the village of Morton, near Thame, Oxen. and established a pedigree herd of shorthorns for the sum of £200, or at least that is what the newspaper article states. Once more the Mackereth's seem to have established a name for their farming expertise.
"I remember that Uncle Billy, like dad, purchased a Ford Ferguson tractor and there was a friendly rivalry with a fellow neighbour farmer as to whether his Fordson tractor was better or not ."
"They had a daughter Janet Valentine, who trained to be a nurse, following in the footsteps of her mother.
"I seemed to remember that Auntie Doris was called on to help if any one was sick in the village of Morton.
"Auntie Doris and Janet were a TB victims and both spent a lengthy treatment in hospital . Janet always maintained that they had had bovine TB but her mum disagreed.
"I remember many good holidays staying with them, exploring the area, taking the footpath to Thame and being allowed to help out in some of the farm jobs .
"Auntie Doris' illness occurred late in life and affected Uncle Billy's farming and probably had a direct affect on his premature retirement as she helped with some of the farm chores as well as her house work. On his retirement I am not sure exactly as to what the arrangements were, but I do know his farm hand was involved and I have the impression that Uncle Billy did not have the full financial benefit that he could have had.
"His retirement address was a bungalow 'Long Acre' at Chinnor, near Princess Risborough followed by a house, at 8 Chinnor Rd, Thame, Oxen.. In his retirement he was a keen gardener and grew excellent vegetables for the house and took a great pride in his success . He had no ambitions to grow superior size specimens, as his father had done, and did not have a Green House.
"His other principle activity was rabbit shooting since at that time they were considered to be vermin. Eventually Mixemotis was introduced, and whilst it was extremely effective, it was very unpopular with the 'animal rights' movement.
"As I put these notes together, I remember that Uncle Billy had a keen interest in his family history and would have appreciated very much these memories
"One particular event which stands out in my memory of Auntie Doris, was when she took Marjorie and myself along with Janet to pick blueberries on Frilford Heath, after the last war, in 1946.
"They had a daughter Janet Valentine, who trained to be a nurse, following in the footsteps of her mother.
"I seemed to remember that Auntie Doris was called on to help if any one was sick in the village of Morton.
"Auntie Doris and Janet were a TB victims and both spent a lengthy treatment in hospital . Janet always maintained that they had had bovine TB but her mum disagreed.
"I remember many good holidays staying with them, exploring the area, taking the footpath to Thame and being allowed to help out in some of the farm jobs .
"Auntie Doris' illness occurred late in life and affected Uncle Billy's farming and probably had a direct affect on his premature retirement as she helped with some of the farm chores as well as her house work. On his retirement I am not sure exactly as to what the arrangements were, but I do know his farm hand was involved and I have the impression that Uncle Billy did not have the full financial benefit that he could have had.
"His retirement address was a bungalow 'Long Acre' at Chinnor, near Princess Risborough followed by a house, at 8 Chinnor Rd, Thame, Oxen.. In his retirement he was a keen gardener and grew excellent vegetables for the house and took a great pride in his success . He had no ambitions to grow superior size specimens, as his father had done, and did not have a Green House.
"His other principle activity was rabbit shooting since at that time they were considered to be vermin. Eventually Mixemotis was introduced, and whilst it was extremely effective, it was very unpopular with the 'animal rights' movement.
"As I put these notes together, I remember that Uncle Billy had a keen interest in his family history and would have appreciated very much these memories
"One particular event which stands out in my memory of Auntie Doris, was when she took Marjorie and myself along with Janet to pick blueberries on Frilford Heath, after the last war, in 1946.
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"I remember it as on escarpment from which one could see an airfield with aeroplanes taking off, which if I am right were American. I often wondered how Auntie Doris new about the blueberries, but on reflection she must have picked them in her youth since she came from the village of Marcham nearby.
"In 1960 /1965, when I was a member of the Atomic Energy Construction Staff, I and my family lived in Abingdon, Berks., which was close to Marcham. This allowed us to visit Auntie Doris and Uncle Billy at their bungalow ‘Long acre ‘ in Chinnor. I remember these visits as we were always received with true hospitality."
"In 1960 /1965, when I was a member of the Atomic Energy Construction Staff, I and my family lived in Abingdon, Berks., which was close to Marcham. This allowed us to visit Auntie Doris and Uncle Billy at their bungalow ‘Long acre ‘ in Chinnor. I remember these visits as we were always received with true hospitality."
