RESEARCH PROJECTS

From the earliest days of the Stacey Hill Society and the formation of the collection in the early 1970's, it was always envisaged that the exhibits collected would be used to help tell historical stories.

This covered not only the more prominent firms in the area, such as the Wolverton Railway Works, McCorquodales Printers and E.&H.Roberts Iron Works, but included the smaller businesses as well. More importantly it would seek to tell the story of the people served by the industries, their everyday lives and the communities in which they lived. However such stories cannot be told without historical research and knowledge, and this has been one of the particular strengths of the Society over the years.

Milton Keynes Museum now has a great deal of historical information thanks partly to the work of the work of Society members. Today, members under the guidance of the Museum Director still continue to help gather information on local history.

The following is just a small taster of several of the subjects that the Society has researched in recent years.

The History of Stacey Hill Farm

As you go around the Museum today it is easy to forget that the buildings once served an entirely different purpose, heightened by the sense of the surrounding housing estates of Milton Keynes.

It must be recognised that, before the building of Milton Keynes, the whole of North Buckinghamshire was primarily an agricultural area. Stacey Hill Farm was part of the Wolverton Estate lands owned by the Radcliffe Trust, and let out to tenant farmers. What do we know of these early farmers, and what traces have they left? Unfortunately materially very little. However by looking at newspapers, census returns, wills and many other archival records a picture can be produced.

The first tenant of Stacey Hill Farm was William Battams, whose family had farmed at Stacey Bushes, the original farmstead, since 1800. The present farm was built in 1847 to replace the previous building which had become dilapidated. William Battams held the tenancy until his death in 1883, and his wife Martha continued farming until 1888. Her place was taken by John Richards, a Welshman, who was a sheep farmer. He held the tenancy until his death in 1911, when it was in turn taken up by Edward Norman, who came from a local farming family. Under his tenancy the land, which was adjacent to the town of Wolverton, was often used by the local community to hold various events.

One such event was an Air Pageant held in aid of the British Hospital Funds. It took place on the 21st September 1934 at Stacey Hill Farm and its object was to popularise flying and assist local hospitals. It must be remembered that the National Health Service did not exist at this time! In the programme it stated that "The Sky Devils" were the most reliable yet daring aviators in the country; they were all ex-members of famous R.A.F. fighter squadrons and had previously flown in several Hendon displays.

The public were able to see thrilling demonstrations of super-airmanship and all the latest types of machines at close quarters. They also had the opportunity to enjoy the novel experience of a flight in the care of experienced pilots.

Edward Norman's period at the farm was mixed with highs and lows. Returning to England after the Boer War, he soon married and was blessed with two sons, however the death of his wife in 1917 was a bitter blow. Happiness was regained in a second marriage, but fate dealt him another blow when he lost one of his sons through a motorcycle accident. The depression of the 1930s brought hard times, but with the assistance of the Radcliffe Trustees, he was able to keep going. However with the onset of the Second World War he moved out to be replaced by the Luckett family.

The Lucketts were another large farming family who took on Stacey Hill and Brickkiln Farms, as a father and son combination. Their tenancy was to last until the 1960s when the Gurney family stepped in until the demise of the farm and the takeover of the buildings by Milton Keynes Development Corporation Landscape Department.

The story has not ended there - the land may have gone, but the buildings remain, serving the community as they always have, and now providing a home for the Milton Keynes Museum.

Boats without water - the story of Edward Hayes

The origins of the internationally known marine engineering business of Edward Hayes of Stony Stratford are rooted in the cotton mills of Lancashire. After serving an apprenticeship in the Manchester area the first Edward Hayes came to Wolverton in the early 1840's, to take up a position in the London & Birmingham Railway Works at Wolverton. However within a few years he had married and started as a schoolmaster and consulting engineer. About this time he also set up a forge and small foundry at Stony Stratford, and commenced agricultural engineering work. He soon gained a reputation for hard work and sound design and started building farm machinery such as the portable steam engine and windlass illustrated below.

Hayes started building steamboats in the 1860's at the Watling Works to the south of Stony Stratford, as far from the sea as possible, and 1.5 miles from the nearest navigable water. Nevertheless the firm built vessels for the far flung corners of the world, including steam launches and tugs used in the exploration of the tropical jungles of South America, the River Nile and in the Arctic cold of Archangel.


Prestigious commissions were also undertaken for wealthy clients, who were impressed by the skill and innovation of the marine engineering emanating from a small yard in a country town.


Although the firm had its origins in agricultural engineering, playing no small part in the development and mechanisation of the farming industry, the later development in marine engineering lead to a period of relative prosperity, and government commissions for steamboats. The Hayes family also provided an education for priviledged apprentices, with a good grounding in engineering, many of whom went on to become Chief Engineers of leading companies, including one of the designers of the Titanic!



Stacey Hill Society has been researching the Hayes family and the engineering business, and it is hoped that this will eventually be published.

Wolverton Science and Arts Institute

From the coming of the railway until the Second World War the Wolverton Science and Arts Institute was the most important social and educational centre in North Buckinghamshire. For many years it suceeded in giving, mainly young men, the opportunity to reach the highest echelons of industry. All best social events were held at the Institute.

The history of the Institute is being researched and it is planned to tell the full story in a book, which is in preparation.