George Robert Cowton  born 1927 - As told to Roy Pledger 2007. 

Dennis and me were born in September 1927 at High Killerby Farm, Cayton, where we lived in part of the farmhouse and father worked on the farm.  The farm was owned by a man called Walter Brown. who was known as ‘Sweary Brown’ because of his strong language.   With Mam and Dad there was seven of us when we were born – brothers Billy (6), Harry (7), Tom (2) and Denny and sister Madge (3).  I don’t remember much about High Killerby, but my grandma Simpson lived at nearby Lebberston and one of the first things I can remember  was when some of us were playing outside her house, she came rushing out of the house with a brush.  There was a bull running loose down the road and she made sure it didn’t come anywhere near us.

I was nearly two years old when Mr Brown bought Black Rigg Farm in a village called Carlton near Barnsley in the West Riding and we moved into the farm house there where father once again worked on the farm. (c.1929). Billy would be 8, Harry 9, Madge 5, Tom 4.   Brother Mick (March 1929) and sister Ivy (September 1930) were born at Carlton.  We lived with Mr Brown who had his own room in the house
We lived there for about four years and then Mr Brown sold the farm and bought another one at Cotehead, Brompton-by-Sawdon back near Scarborough. 

So we all moved into the farmhouse at Cotehead where father worked on the farm with Mr Brown. (c.1933). Mr Brown lived with us and had his own room in the house although he still had his farm at High Killerby.  Brothers Dick (January 1934) and Roy (March 1935) were born at Cotehead.   By this time I was of school age and we had to walk the 3 miles down the dale to school at Brompton.   I don’t remember all that much about life at Cotehead but one incident I can recall is when Roy was playing in the yard outside the house, a horse came galloping through and nearly trampled him.  Luckily it just caught one of his fingers with its hoof.   I also remember that both Billy and Harry left school whilst we were there and worked for a short time on the farm.  
We were at Cotehead for about 3 years when once again Mr Brown sold up (late 1936) and father was without a job.   Mr Brown found us a cottage at The Mill at West Ayton and we all move there where Mary was born (October 1936) and about that time Roy went to live with Aunty Violet at Cayton. 
Billy went to work at Crofts Farm at Lebberston and Harry went to a farm at Seamer.
Father got a job at Seamer Station making tar barrels for a short time and then he started work at Halls Timber Merchants which was just behind the mill where we lived and he worked there for a number of years.  We lived at Mill Cottage for just over a year and then we moved into a newly built council house in Racecourse Road, East Ayton. (c.1938) where sisters Rosie (July 1938) and Irene (November 1939) and brother Frank (July 1941) were born.  

We went to Ayton school and me and Dennis left school when we were 14 (1941).   Billy and Harry were both working at Croft’s Farm at Lebberston and at the outbreak of WW2 they both volunteered for service when Billy joined the RAF and Harry joined the army.   Tom was at Charm Park Farm.  Dennis went to work at Hardwick’s Farm at Snainton and then at Charm Park with Tom.   I went to work at Hardy’s Betton Farm at Ayton.  I left there after a couple of years and applied to join the army. I was turned down on the grounds that I was an agricultural worker and so I went back to Betton Farm.  When I was 18 (1945) I went to work at Dennis’ Farm, Low Deepdale, near Scarborough, but after about four years Fred Dennis sold up. Brother Dennis was also working at the same place.  I remember that Dennis and me were cutting hedges on Cayton Low Road when local farmer Jack Knowles was passing.  He offered us both a job on his farms which were grateful to accept.
At that time both Denny and myself were courting.  I had met May, who was from Irton, at a whist drive at and we intended to get married.   Denny and Glenys were also getting married and we had both been promised a council house at Cayton.  Six new houses were being built at West End View and we had the chance of two adjoining houses.   In the meantime, Jack Knowles persuaded me to move into his farm house at Middle Deepdale, which we did as soon as we got married in February 1950.    Dennis was at Manor Farm at Osgodby and when he and Glenys got married in the January and they took the council house at Cayton.

We settled  at Middle Deepdale and our twin boys, Bob and Les were born there in June 1951.      We lived there for 37 years.  It was in 1987 that Knowles sold the farm and although we had chance to stop we decided to move on.  We moved to Cayton in 1987 when I was sixty and I worked for myself as a jobbing gardener until I retired.

I was always interested in cricket and umpired for Cayton for nearly 40 years.  My other main interest has been in attending local whist drives and I have been MC at Cayton since the 1960’s.