The years working at Glanusk Estate were on the whole very happy. I enjoyed the work, and the people there were good to work for and work with. I had a nice home, big garden. What more could I ask. The garden was big enough to provide my family with all we needed all year round, never in all the time there having to buy veg or fruit. I had a glut sometimes and would give surplus food away to friends. I had at first six POL (point of lay) hens, which I bought at Abergavenny market, they were nice Rhode Island reds. These kept us in eggs. Now a funny thing. after about a year of living here on Glanusk, I went to visit my Mother in Chepstow, I had a mini car at this time. I was on my own, Cathy wanted to stay at home with the children. I got to Chepstow, saw my Mother then was ready to make my way home, Travelling through the back roads, Itton, Devauden, and down Star hill on towards Raglan. Driving along I saw a sign by a Farm gate. " Battery hens for sale", a rough sign just a bit of white paint on a scrap of black board. Pulling into the yard and up to the Farmhouse, I got out, Wondering just what these hens would be like, The farmer came out of the house, I said, " would like to buy some of the hens, how much are they," " 50pence each " he replied." so off we went to the sheds where they were all kept. I had never seen inside a Battery shed before, so this was a bit of a shook. My first thoughts, Poor birds, Cage after cage of wire mesh, two or three birds in each cage, hardly any room to move. Their head and a good bit of their body`s had no feathers at all. I felt so sad and sorry for them. Well 50 pence each, Just how many can I get in my Mini. If you tie chickens leg together for transporting them, they just sit still. So I had just enough money on me to buy fifty (50). with a few bob left over for some petrol to get home. WE loaded them, the farmer and I. In the passengers seat well, on the passengers seat, in the back seat well, on the back seat, the ledge by the back window and some in the boot, They were tight together so could not fall and get hurt. It was a sight to see. After paying the farmer I was on my way, onto Raglan, by passed Abergavenny on up to the filling station at Gilwern, now I was running low on petrol, a gallon would be fine to get me home and out the next day to fill up again. It was at the time when someone came to your car and put the fuel in for you. Out came this lad, " Yes Sir, How much petrol do you want". Polite too back then. I told him I only just had enough money for one gallon. He was so taken up with looking at all these Hens packed in a mini, That he forgot just how much petrol, and filled the car to overflow. I just did not have the money to pay for a full tank. So we agreed that I would give him my watch, which was a present from my Mother for my 21 birthday, and engraved on the back. Then The next day I would be back to pay and collect my watch. So now back on my way again home. Not to far and I could unload. Once home I drove in and down to the bottom of the garden, an area I had fenced off to keep my hen. It was still in the afternoon so still day light. Getting each hen out of the Car, taking the tie from their legs and placing them down on the ground inside the run. One by one out they came, I put them down and there they sat. Not one moved. I was expecting them to run around, they had freedom, But Know they just sat, and sat. Come dusk, my other birds went in normally got up on the perches and there to roost. These new ones just sat. I had to carry each and every bird, all fifty into the shed for them to sleep the night, The next day when I opened the door to let them out, Out came my older birds, and the Battery hens stayed put. I had again to carry each one out and place them in the yard. I was amazed that by the end of the day, my hens had taught them how to move, they were walking and pecking away, picking at grass and insects. They followed the old bird in to roost, and quickly become accustomed to their freedom. Molted and new feathers after a month or so and some soon got laying again. Over the eight years I increased the numbers of birds I had to around one Hundred. Sold eggs to pay for the corn and leave us with a little extra money. Great times. The years went by, planting, thinning and the many other duties I had. Then one day, It was a friday, when I got across to the tractor shed to start work, there was a notice pined on the shed door. it read, David, would you please call in to the Estate office this evening at 5.30pm .That left me wondering all day, finishing at 4.30pm I had time to go home, change from working clothes to something tidy, have a cuppa before getting back up to the yard. I got to the Office, knocked the door and was called in. There Lady De Lile, Mrs Leg-Burke and Tim Hutchings the then agent. I was not there for long. The Lady done all the talking, Saying my services was no longer required and that I had a months notice. They were changing Land agents from Cluttons to Knight, Frank and Ruttley. so there was going to be new management and different plan of working. Thank you for your service. That was a blow I was not expecting. It left me feeling a bit down for a while. Nothing in life stays the same, and at the time I thought my world had gone. But it was not doom and gloom for long. That was Friday night. Saturday morning i went into Crickwowell to get a local paper, The Abergavenny one. Back home and turning the pages to Jobs vacant page, there this advert almost jumped off the page at me. " TIMBER FALLER WANTED", yes, just up my street. There was a phone number, so I just had to wait for Monday to call. I got through on the Monday morning, had an interview for Tuesday and I was so Happy. The Tuesday, morning up dressed and into Abergavenny early. My appointment was for 10.00am. So parked and off to find the office where I needed to go, I had plenty of time. I hate being late. In to the reception I was asked to take a seat, there were several others there waiting so I just sat, One after another people were called into an adjoining room. My turn soon came round. Into the room there was three men and a secretary sat behind a long table, I sat alone on the other side. Question were asked and I answered. Then they wanted to know all about my experience, Well I could have gone on all day, but thought I`d better keep it brief, did not want them all falling asleep opposite. To my surprise, They all agreed that I was the man for the job. I came out dancing, so pleased, so happy. Well tomorrow is another day, I`ll follow on then, all being well. Back to Glanusk. I worked with two older fella`s, and some lunch times, while we just sat chatting away, they would relate some very funny stories. Thing that actually happened in their lives. Cecil Thomas was retired, he had been born on the Estate. His first job he told me was a crow scarer. He was given two of the old fashioned football rattles. Sent out on fields of wheat or corn and all day keep the crows and pidgeons off from the fields. He worked is way up from there to ploughman, stockman and finally the farm balliff. Cecil was saying about the time he was stood by Home farm gateway. Looking up the road towards Llangynidr. Over the canal bridge came an Old farmer, with his pony and trap, No cars back then. He trotted on down, then, pulling the pony up to stop and chat to Cecil at the gate. Suddenly whilst chatting the horse just dropped to the floor. Cecil went to look, The farmer still sat on the cart. Cecil, looked up to the farmer and Said, "Your horse is dead, must have had a heart attack". The farmers reply. " Well he`s never done that before." Cecil was thinking to himself, well he won`t do it again. On another occasion, Bill Hester, he too was born on the estate. His family went back several generations like Cecil did also. Bill start work on the estate had an apprentice carpenter, later to become a Gamekeeper like his father and Grandfathers before him. Well get back to when he was a young lad, about 16 years old . The top carpenter, sent him off up to some place high on the hill side above the canal. He was told that some old chap had passed away, so he had to take his fold up carpenters rule, so he could measure the old chap up for a coffin to be made. Off Bill goes, a long walk, about twenty minutes. Gets to the cottage an Knocks on the front door. Door opens, and Bill is stood there in shock. The old cap he was supposed to measure up. Splerted out in a gruff voice, " Yes, what do you won`t". Bill said, to us that he just stood there in silence for a second or two, then, managed to say, He had come to measure up for new Windows, What else could he say. This old fella just looked, he replied, we don`t need new windows, they were sorted last year. Poor Bill, just turned and went back to the yard, where all the other carpenters were just laughing. He told us ,they never caught him out like that again, ever. Back in their days on the estate, there was a lot of fun had between the different staff. They had their own cricket pitch and a full team, often playing against teams from villages and nearby towns. Both men talked of that time on Glanusk being full of Great memories.