Wigan Album

Grew up knowing the Bostocks all my young life, going down to feed the rabbits etc that Ted always had by the stream. Then working with Harry in his green houses in the early seventies. My self and Donald Unsworth working each Saturday and Sunday around the farm...............very very good memories. Now sadly lost along with Donald who shot himself then later the sad loss of Harry to his brother Ted who was also shot...............all so very very sad.Good photo of the time though.

Kevin that picture is fine, but who is Mr Bostock and where was his farm?

the bostocks were farming brothers from lafford lane near dean wood golf club, something tragic happened there, i think one of the brothers shot dead his brother.

Oh wow memories come flooding back of helping him with the rabbits down lafford lane. For payment we got a couple of eggs LOL He used to sleep in a shed with a huge glass window (tank thing), so he could keep an eye on the rabbits.

I got my first Rabbit from him. I remember he had MASSIVE feet and he had cut the toe end off the shoes so his feet would poke through the front as h the shoes were to small

My daughter now lives next door to the farm, I also remember my dad taking our excessive rabbits to the man who lived by the stream.
Can anyone say who was who at this place, there was also a mother as well.
I believe the brother who was in jail was out recently and made an attempted visit to the farm!!!!
Very interesting

He used to ride aroud Upholland late saturday night delivering eggs and tomatoes. I my Mum and Dad used to see him on the way home from a night out they used to buy some off him.

In the picture is Edward or Ted Bostock. He shot his brother Harry, to be honest they never got on at all.There mother and father lived on the farm until they passed away in the mid seventies. They had a lad who was on the farm Called Donald who I used to go to school with me. Donald learned all his skills from Harry and could fix any tractor or car or motor bike. All the sheds that were on the land below the farm were built mainly by Harry and Donald through the seventies. Donald lived in the green house for a while. Sadly all came to an end when Donald committed suicide at Apply Bridge area in 1980. Very sad story really
Maybe Donald would be here today if we had not gone down that Saturday in the seventies for a part time job, Who knows...............thats life

my auntie peggy lived in lafford lane and was a good friend of mrs bostock we visited mrs bostock it was my birthday and she gave me a bar six 'chocolate bar,

many happy memories of bostocks farm , seeing all those rabbits in very large tractor tyres , and mr bostock explaining why some rabbits were lying down , he said they had eaten clover bobs , and it drugged them,he was a cheerful friendly, soul.he very often called in at orrell post service station on his bike with eggs etc .

lovely to see this picture of Mr Bostock, brought back happy memories from the nineties. I was introduced to Mr Bostock along with my daughter katie by my husband John. We spent many afternoons with him, really enjoying our time wandering around the farm and him showing us his animals and interesting places. We were with him a couple of weeks before he tragiclly shot his brother dead, for whatever reason we'll never know. An eccentric man from a bygone era, loved and missed by many. Where ever you are, we hope you are doing well

The Bostock family particularly Nellie; Harry and Ted were a very memorable part of my childhood from the late nineteen fifties on ward. My family: cousins; grandparents, aunties etc would make a particular pilgrimage to “the farm” on Easter Sunday. Everybody was shown round the farm the new born animals; the greenhouses; the steam; watching “aunty” Nellie grading eggs and then treated to Nellie’s home cooking. A feature of which was her home cooked coconut macaroons a memory that has never faded. My memory of Ted is of a kind and gentle person who was always smiling who had a wealth of knowledge about animals both wild and tame. Ted always had time to explain; lots of patience. Ted’s photograph has brought back many happy memories.

The bostock family had a farm in Walkden before moving to Upholland,they used to sell fruit and veg there where they had a kind of shop beneath the barn,I remember it well because you had to attract their attention by ringing a large Handbell.

Mrs Bostock didnt die until in the 1980s. I loved that place & spent all my summer holidays & weekends there with my sister, Tracy, collecting 5pence from visitors so they could come through into rabbit corner.

Ted taught me so much & he was the kindest most gentle man i have ever known. Tracy & i used to help out collecting turnips to feed George the pig & were often chased by Crystal the goose. Bruno, Teds dog was brill at ratting & protected the small holding of a night to help keep the foxes away.

Yes Ted shot Harry but Harry taunted Ted all of his life & made his life very miserable. That was one of the reasons Ted moved to the shed down by the stream & built up his own little home.

Tracy & i used to have lunch in Teds shed sitting on his make shift bed & having to use his home made look (a hole in wood over an old trough). There arent many people who have been in my life who have made such an impact as this wonderful man. He was a true eccentric & a genuine lover of animals & children.

Tracy & i were honoured to have ducks named after us & in Teds honour i have my own bunny corner at home.

I loved Ted & still visit rabbit corner on walks, i will never forget the magical times my sister & i had down in rabbit corner & thank Ted for helping me learn about how wonderful all animals are.

Gaynor Jackson

as a youngster me and two mates where in a barn on bostocks, after the shooting, when out of nowhere appeared a man telling us we shouldn't be there. the odd thing was to get where he was he should ha be gone passed us as there was no other entrances but we saw not a sole pass us. we convinced ourselves it had been a ghost but to this day don't know if it was as I don't know what the murdered n brother looked like. Amy pix

It's great listening to the stories that you all have, I'm currnetly the lucky person to be living at the bostocks farm. it's been a labur of love for my partner and father in law in trying to restore it. We hope to get more animals and rabbits when sorted. Keep the stories coming as it gives us a great insight into the history.

Stumbled upon this site.

What a nice man Mr Bostock (Ted) was. I spent the majority of my summer holidays on the farm with my friends and sadly was there the day the police found his brother shot dead.

Ted taught me to drive in an old red Ford Granada that was on the farm. After we milked his goat he would give us all a go driving around. Got a few pictures of me and my sister in the chicken coops as kids!

What a gent.

ahh, lovely memories of this man. I moved to 12 woodside close (off Lafford lane) upon my marriage in 1974. I moved from there to parbold 5 years later. my two daughters were born there. I pushed them in their pram down to Mr Bostocks most afternoons to see the ducks and chickens. they loved that place and mr Bostock was a kind and gentle soul. he also delivered eggs and tomatoes every Saturday to our house. I did hear of the tradegy that happened at that farm. it saddened me because he was such a gentle person in the true sense of the word. (when each of my daughters was born he gave them a half-crow each for their money-box.) he had about him an air of inncence from another age. as I said, so very, very sad.

Ted Bostock was an absolutely amazing man I spent all of my childhood with him till around the age of 12 .....he lived outside in a canvas tent ...his wellies where indeed huge.... in his canvas tent he had a magpie who collected things for him, he showed me the caves in the dean wood he taught me about rabbits guinea pigs chicken and goats...his mother was pretty scary and would chase a few of us and Ted Bostock off the farm grounds as he wasn't allowed in the house.... his brother tended to the cows and had a general hate for him he was banished to live outside it was never his choice :( The most kind hearted animal lover I've ever known.I could go on forever talking about this lovely man :)

Used to go to Mr bostocks in the 80s a very nice man a genuine character the reason Ted shot harry was that harry was after renting a barn on the farm to someone out of the family Ted didn't agree with this and told harry he didn't want anybody muscling in on his families farm harry didn' t listen and said it had been agreed and Ted lost it grabbed a shot gun and the rest is history not because he was completly mad but I just think he waspushed to far I would realy like to meet up with him again and even go and visit him if he's still in prison if anyone knows where he is now please comment thanks Barry

What a lovely man,,,,full of knowledge of animals and land,,,,my mum and aunt spent many a week end in their little caravans up there,,,was a shame what happend,,,

Ted & Harry Bostock

I knew Ted and Harry Bostock for many years before Harry’s tragic death. We used to buy tomatoes and eggs from them and for many years we parked our caravan at the farm. I have never tasted any tomatoes better than their Ailsa Craigs.
On many occasions Harry would tell me of their family origins in the Boothstown/Walkden area and their experiences since living in Upholland. He had a friend in Boothstown who for a time regularly visited him in his microlite aircraft, landing on the pasture at the back of the farm. His friend would often take him on flights to places like Southport. He promised to arrange a flight for me which unfortunately never materialised.
I remember well while playing golf at Dean Wood, watching the police helicopter hovering over the farm area looking for Harry’s body, which I was told, was ultimately discovered in an old bath, covered over with stones, which Ted had put there to protect it from foxes.
What a great tragedy.

Harry liked the mechanical and horticultural aspects of farming whereas Ted was an animal lover whose knowledge both wild and domesticated animals was encyclopaedic
He kept goats, rabbits, hens, ducks and geese including a Canada goose, which on one occasion attracted a flock of fellow geese to the farm.
He had a tandem bicycle which he used to deliver eggs and goats milk to regular customers around Upholland and district.
His brother Harry told me how Ted recovered two stollen kid goats. He had a suspicion as to who had stolen them so on his next delivery round he rubbed his working trousers with droppings from the kids' mother and as he approached the suspects premises the missing kids started to bleat loudly and were recovered.
Another tale he told me was how Ted recovered his "lost" penknife after showing a group of children his rabbit collection. There was not much that happened in the vicinity that escaped Ted's notice and shortly after the knife went missing he noticed some new initials carved on a nearby tree, belonging, he suspected to a young lad he knew. He went to the school the lad attended and told the morning assembly that he knew who had taken the knife, but if it was returned nothing more would be said, otherwise the police would be informed. The knife was duly returned.
Ted and Harry had a niece who stayed with them from time to time. On one of her visits she was rummaging around in the garage Harry kept his old army staff car in and found two old paintings. Being interested in art she thought the pictures might be valuable and contacted Christie’s for their advice. Christie’s were very interested and after cleaning an restoration they were auctioned off by them in London, with Harry and Ted present in their best suites. The painting of a Newfoundland dog brought £2000 and the other (I think) £6000.
Christie’s asked Harry how the paintings had come into their possession and he told them he had bought them at a stately home auction, for the glass which he intended to use in a cold frame which he never built. Christie’s told him to contact them if he bought any similar cold frame glass!!
The brothers cleared the land across the road from the farm and built a greenhouse on it. In digging out the area they came across several large bones which turned out to be horse bones. I asked Harry how they got there and he told me that Lafford Lane was once a main route on the way to Southport and was in regular use by dray horse delivery merchants. In winter, with ice on the cobbled hill slope near the farm, horses would slip and brake a leg. To clear the road they were killed and pushed over the wall.
One of Harry’s projects, he completed before his death, was to build a bowling green just below the farm, for the benefit of visiting friends.
Harry showed me many things his family had purchased at auctions including a slip stitch sewing machine in mint condition in its’ original wooden box.
He also showed me an album of excellent pictures of Port Sunlight Village taken in the early 1900s, on some commemorative occasion.
I wonder where these things and the well maintained staff car ended up.

Harry applied to West Lancashire Council at least three times for planning permission to develop the adjacent barn without success. He laid the blame on Ted’s animals and this led to serious friction between the two brothers, with the tragic historic outcome.
Ted & Harry Bostock

I knew Ted and Harry Bostock for many years before Harry’s tragic death. We used to buy tomatoes and eggs from them and for many years we parked our caravan at the farm. I have never tasted any tomatoes better than their Ailsa Craigs.
On many occasions Harry would tell me of their family origins in the Boothstown/Walkden area and their experiences since living in Upholland. He had a friend in Boothstown who for a time regularly visited him in his microlite aircraft, landing on the pasture at the back of the farm. His friend would often take him on flights to places like Southport. He promised to arrange a flight for me which unfortunately never materialised.
I remember well while playing golf at Dean Wood, watching the police helicopter hovering over the farm area looking for Harry’s body, which I was told, was ultimately discovered in an old bath, covered over with stones, which Ted had put there to protect it from foxes.
What a great tragedy.

Harry liked the mechanical and horticultural aspects of farming whereas Ted was an animal lover whose knowledge both wild and domesticated animals was encyclopaedic
He kept goats, rabbits, hens, ducks and geese including a Canada goose, which on one occasion attracted a flock of fellow geese to the farm.
He had a tandem bicycle which he used to deliver eggs and goats milk to regular customers around Upholland and district.
His brother Harry told me how Ted recovered two stollen kid goats. He had a suspicion as to who had stolen them so on his next delivery round he rubbed his working trousers with droppings from the kids' mother and as he approached the suspects premises the missing kids started to bleat loudly and were recovered.
Another tale he told me was how Ted recovered his "lost" penknife after showing a group of children his rabbit collection. There was not much that happened in the vicinity that escaped Ted's notice and shortly after the knife went missing he noticed some new initials carved on a nearby tree, belonging, he suspected to a young lad he knew. He went to the school the lad attended and told the morning assembly that he knew who had taken the knife, but if it was returned nothing more would be said, otherwise the police would be informed. The knife was duly returned.
Ted and Harry had a niece who stayed with them from time to time. On one of her visits she was rummaging around in the garage Harry kept his old army staff car in and found two old paintings. Being interested in art she thought the pictures might be valuable and contacted Christie’s for their advice. Christie’s were very interested and after cleaning an restoration they were auctioned off by them in London, with Harry and Ted present in their best suites. The painting of a Newfoundland dog brought £2000 and the other (I think) £6000.
Christie’s asked Harry how the paintings had come into their possession and he told them he had bought them at a stately home auction, for the glass which he intended to use in a cold frame which he never built. Christie’s told him to contact them if he bought any similar cold frame glass!!
The brothers cleared the land across the road from the farm and built a greenhouse on it. In digging out the area they came across several large bones which turned out to be horse bones. I asked Harry how they got there and he told me that Lafford Lane was once a main route on the way to Southport and was in regular use by dray horse delivery merchants. In winter, with ice on the cobbled hill slope near the farm, horses would slip and brake a leg. To clear the road they were killed and pushed over the wall.
One of Harry’s projects, he completed before his death, was to build a bowling green just below the farm, for the benefit of visiting friends.
Harry showed me many things his family had purchased at auctions including a slip stitch sewing machine in mint condition in its’ original wooden box.
He also showed me an album of excellent pictures of Port Sunlight Village taken in the early 1900s, on some commemorative occasion.
I wonder where these things and the well maintained staff car ended up.

Harry applied to West Lancashire Council at least three times for planning permission to develop the adjacent barn without success. He laid the blame on Ted’s animals and this led to serious friction between the two brothers, with the tragic historic outcome.

James Hall

Everything about going down there was awesome. The bike ride, the Japanese golden pheasant which would chase you around, collecting eggs, the goats, rabbits It was so cool. I can imagine my parents thought nothing good of it listening to my exploits of going down there during the summer holidays and spending time out in the 'country' 😍

I remember Ted Bostock well. I was landlord of the Star Inn until 2000. Ted would come round on his tandem bike selling hen and duck eggs along with goat's milk. He had a little umbrella on the front of his bike over the eggs to stop the late summer sun cooking his eggs. Memories. X

I spent many happy times down at the Bostocks farm.. I only have fond memories of my grandparents taking me here when I was a youngster and my cousins before me. I am saddened to hear this news, I have so many memories of Ted teaching me about the Rabbits and the crazy goose, my family kept this from me, knowing it would upset me, I'm now 31! Unfortunately my grandparents have passed away and my dad only knows Harry was sadly shot by Ted. What year did this happen? What happened to Ted? Does anyone know? Shocked xxx

I used to walk my greyhounds past his farm and buy goats milk and eggs off Mr Bostock, he left them on his wall when he saw me and I would leave him money when I picked them up. I often wonder what happened to him after the tragedy occured

Ted was cremated today at Southport Crematorium aged 91. I remember him as a younger man in upholland , caring for his animals ! Rest in peace Ted , you were judged on earth , hope all goes well in heaven! You brought joy to so many !

Does anybody remember the archaeological investigation on the bostock farm land? Apparently they discovered a huge stone carved like a human skull. The top was hollowed like a bowl and on one side there was a sun carved on the other was a moon. It was speculated it was Neolithic and maybe an alter stone for offerings. I remember reading about it in the late 80s. I had friends who worked on the farm during the summer breaks. Wondering if anyone knew what became of the stone skull. Thanks.

Ted was cremated today at Southport Crematorium aged 91. I remember him as a younger man in upholland , caring for his animals ! Rest in peace Ted , you were judged on earth , hope all goes well in heaven! You brought joy to so many !

Ted was such a lovely man, we spent most of the summer holidays at Bostocks farm where Ted would show us the rabbits in the tractor tyres, collect eggs. All the children would follow him round, lots of fond memories and I remember an old car near the stream? Sad to hear what has happened between the two brothers and Ted recently passing away.

I got a rabbit from Tom. I remember it as though it was yesterday. He showed me a Badgers Set in a bank on the farm. This is back in the late 1950's. Someone said that he slept out in the fields with his rabbits?

I remember bostocks farm back in 1968, it was coming up to spud picking time, I decided to rope a couple of friends in to going with me and ask if they needed help with the spud picking, I was with Elain Hewitt and her sister Christine, we were amazed, the old man that answered I expected to tell us to bugger of, said yes come back tomorrow at 6.30am we were gobsmacked . The next day went all booted and butties, but we needn't have bothered , Mrs Bostock used to call us in to the barn at the side of the house and provide a hot cup of tea and a scone at 12am then at 3pm, we worked hard untill 5pm, we met Ted and Harry you could feal the electricity between the brothers, the Oldman used to drive the tractor with big thing on the back that threw the spuds out, and we were split up between the brothers, if you were withTed you could tell he was a loverly man he told us all about the rabbits and all the other farm animals, and introduced us to them all, he told us to watch Harry and stay away from the greenhouse across the road from the farm, when you picked the spuds with Harry we got told off because he was cracking jokes and throwing spuds at us, he was funny, one day he took us to his green house and he had been brewing something and gave us a taste , it was awfull and made us all cough, you could see Ted when we come back from lunch he knew what Harry was doing, and it did cause friction between them but at the time we didn't know there was a problem, we called Ted the quiet man lol, little did we know what was t come, but Ted he was really into the animals and he always greeted us when we arravie, and if you were luck to work with him he would suddenly walk over to the carrots or turnip or what ever they were growing, and I remember the pen knife he had because he would cut of a piece and eat it then offer us some, if he ate it we did , he was such a kind man, I never in a million years would have thought he would have shot Harry, I was so shocked but Harry did pick at him a lot, I felt sorry for Ted you couldn't have met a nicer man, god rest Ted hope if there is a Heaven, you can look down and see all the people that you met but didn't know how much you were loved.

Sheena a nice article..

I used to take my children to Bostocks to see the rabbits. Yes Ted was very knowledgable about his animals and always made us welcome. He showed us the piggery near the house where he bred New Zealand whites. It seemed enormous. He sometimes slept in his van on Wellcross road in Upholland near where we live. Lovely memories. Such a shame the brothers didn’t get on.

Loved remembering Mr bostock! I spend most summer holidays,with my fiend who lived in the golf club. He taught us all about rabbits ,foxes ,birds .he was such a lovel man. .memories you don't forget .a great era!