Jotman's Farm and a love of wildlife

Memories of a school boy

Jotman’s Farm used to be a dairy farm and the milk was sold to Howard’s Dairy, over the years it has been turned into a stables where horses can be kept at livery. There is a footpath that runs along beside the railway line all the way to St Margaret’s Church. In May 2012 the new RSPB site out on the marshes will also be accessed from this footpath.

Dave in the first recording talks about the ‘mags’ on Benfleet Creek, does anyone have any other information about these. It has been said that these magazines date to from a time well before the II World War. When it was required to off load explosives from barges before they were allowed to travel upstream towards London. If this is correct we do not know.

For more voice recordings by Dave

Location of Mazines from 1895 map overlaid on Google Maps

Phil Coley

Jotman's Lane just past the farm before Canvey Way was built Approx 1972.

John Turner

House at the bottom of Jotman's Lane by the railway bridge, in Bowers Gifford. Before the II World War there was a golf course here. This clapper board building has been replaced by a brick built bunglow and the farmland is used for stables.

John Turner

Jotman's Farm and stables across the fields, where horses fill the fields in the summer time..

Margaret March

A school boy's adventures and a love of wildlife

Discovering how a farm worked, helping the cowman and how a young lad's walk to school, via Jotman's farm and St Margaret's Church, Bowers Gifford led to adventures and a lifetime of enjoying wildlife. Also details of the magazines on Benfleet creek.5 mins

Boys up to no good

Description of firework fights in the cowfield, fun with crow scarers? How to tame a jackdaw or rook.

Author

Dave Cowan

Page added:

29/01/2012

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The clapperboard house at the bottom of Jotman’s Lane, by the railway bridge, was lived in by a French born old lady we knew as miss Knight….living alone in the house with no electricity or water. Her water was obtained, I think, from my nan & grandad
Amy & Charles Lewis at Jotmans house, next to the farm, which was an old black boarded cottage/house, now gone….I would love to know more about her. I used to visit her at a young age with my dad to do a bit of work around the garden.
By Christina Brennan (21/11/2021)
Both my brother Peter Regan and myself Tim Regan worked at jotmans farm 1967. I was paid half crown. 2/6d was the envy of mates returning to school with a pair Adidas Santiago football boots.
By Tim regan (30/04/2021)
Had a look around the site in September last year and couldn’t find the mags, although several possible traces. We found some earthen mounds, some brick walls, and broken churned concrete in the wooded area. I would appreciate it if I would be able to contact Dave to see if we can figure out what happened to the mags after all.
Pictures of our finds here
Regards
By Liam Heatherson (17/01/2016)
Listening to Dave recall his childhood has brought back happy memories, I lived in Philmead Road and knew Dave although he is 2 yrs. older than me. We had a wonderfully free childhood although I don’t suppose we appreciated it at the time. He mentions all the places we used to play, like Dave I fell out of an Elm tree near to the railway bridge which we knew as “The Arch” great memories. Thanks Dave.
By Alan Baptist (29/05/2015)