A Woldman's Diary

15/01/2017

A Woldsman’s Diary

Renowned Red Poll cattle breeder and East Yorkshire farmer Stephen Prescott has written and published a book about his farming life, the title of which was inspired by his herd prefix – Woldsman.

A Woldsman’s Diary is the first in a series, taking the family story to 1982. The second volume is to follow.

Stephen, has lived and farmed in the Lund, Driffield, area all his life, farming first with his father, Leonard, then his wife, Yvonne, and later with their family. He first became involved with Red Poll cattle when he was a student at Askham Bryan Agricultural College, York, in the early 1950s.

Since then he has occupied various prominent positions in the UK Red Poll Cattle Society and he and Yvonne each currently hold office as vice-presidents. The Society was founded in 1888 to promote and improve the breeding of Red Poll cattle, which is a milk and beef breed. Additionally, he has attended international Red Poll Cattle Society conferences around the globe and has contacts within the Red Poll cattle breeders’ worldwide community.

On the national scene he became well-known on the UK Agricultural show circuit as both Red Poll exhibitor and judge.

With Yvonne’s secretarial assistance, Stephen, 80, has traced the Prescott family’s history from its move – on a butcher’s cart – from Holderness to Lund in the early 1800s. He used family diaries as well as farm and financial records to chronicle how the business grew and evolved in tandem with the family. The book offers an in-depth look at not only changing times and practices in the agricultural industry but also into village life in Lund, in which the couple were heavily involved.

Stephen and Yvonne now live at Scorborough, near Driffield, but remain active in the family business, S G Prescott & Sons, which farms land at Scorborough, Lund and Huggate, East Yorkshire.

Aside from their farming interests, Stephen and Yvonne have busy social lives with an interest in Scorborough Church and the Senior Club – an East Riding-wide organisation to which members can move on when their career with the Young Farmers Club movement comes to an end.  They have both been involved with, and remain committed to, the YFC movement, which encourages young people’s interest in agriculture and rural affairs.

The couple have three children, Andrew, Helen and Angus, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A Woldsman’s Diary retails at £10.95. For details of how to purchase, contact Stephen or Yvonne on 01964 550229 or e-mail: ysgprescott@btinternet.com

General Farming Information / Advice