tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post3127210026479225297..comments2024-03-28T09:40:42.365+00:00Comments on My Quiet Life in Suffolk: I Bought A MountainSue in Suffolkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-27347366962588990072023-02-11T05:13:22.432+00:002023-02-11T05:13:22.432+00:00I thought his mother had farming connections with ...I thought his mother had farming connections with the area so he was no stranger to N Wales. Also he came from a wealthy famlly so not such a struggle to buy up the land. Still I suppose it made for a good yarn.Rachel Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16053924416805878169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-2717642383959758972023-02-07T18:04:55.394+00:002023-02-07T18:04:55.394+00:00VERY BELATED COMMENT. I read this book about seve...VERY BELATED COMMENT. I read this book about seventy years ago!. I was not impressed at the time. "Back to the land" has an allure but even as a teenager I could work out that there was not sufficient land to give sufficient employment to the millions in the cities then without work. Those returning to the land would not have the author's ample resources (from an unexplained source I recall) to construct a hydro-electric system, buy the caravan etc. Lacking that money, the project was simply not viable. I can still recall details in the story, such as tea being made in the newly purchased caravan as it was dragged back to the farm. Roderick Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-69002997940608066132023-01-31T16:52:47.271+00:002023-01-31T16:52:47.271+00:00He was possibly very inspirational to Elizabeth We...He was possibly very inspirational to Elizabeth West, she lived close to Llanrwst during her 'Hovel' years and a lot of the farming land in North Wales is very similar. Imagine being able to buy that much land and property for just £5,000 now!!Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04177854521955532744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-49027683676770362632023-01-31T11:50:22.438+00:002023-01-31T11:50:22.438+00:00Love the sound of this, Sue. Will add it to my she...Love the sound of this, Sue. Will add it to my shelves on Goodreads to keep an eye out for. Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-44062817424170869242023-01-31T10:56:06.635+00:002023-01-31T10:56:06.635+00:00Ooh...interesting...as my father was in the Coldst...Ooh...interesting...as my father was in the Coldstream Guards during WW2.WintersEndRamblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-28913816997502564592023-01-31T02:12:39.194+00:002023-01-31T02:12:39.194+00:00That sounds like a really lovely book. That sounds like a really lovely book. Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03039174572211086359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-2851301269251849482023-01-30T23:35:31.882+00:002023-01-30T23:35:31.882+00:00Yes he did, the Firbanks were an affluent family. ...Yes he did, the Firbanks were an affluent family. Ronald Firbank, a writer was his uncle and Heather Firbank Ron's sister an Edwardian debutante had a beautiful clothes collection that in the V&A. Thomas Firbank lived on Dartmoor in the 1950s and wrote a book about that called 'Log Cabin'. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-21886851339595247952023-01-30T19:47:04.504+00:002023-01-30T19:47:04.504+00:00I imagine this book would be very interesting.
G...I imagine this book would be very interesting. <br /><br />God bless.Jackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16051183778965359500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-49065380056790593162023-01-30T15:12:26.499+00:002023-01-30T15:12:26.499+00:00My re-read was almost a first time read as it was ...My re-read was almost a first time read as it was so long ago.Sue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-91762255399998791072023-01-30T15:11:18.329+00:002023-01-30T15:11:18.329+00:00I'm very glad I live in the dryest part of the...I'm very glad I live in the dryest part of the country. Probably a good thing we never moved to WalesSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-61401425044244182622023-01-30T15:10:37.329+00:002023-01-30T15:10:37.329+00:00I didn't realise it was now available to rent ...I didn't realise it was now available to rent from the NT for holidaysSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-91436290955482679412023-01-30T15:09:53.103+00:002023-01-30T15:09:53.103+00:00I'm not sure where he got the money to get sta...I'm not sure where he got the money to get startedSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-57202003655905391582023-01-30T15:09:05.453+00:002023-01-30T15:09:05.453+00:00It was good weekend readingIt was good weekend readingSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-12671143901505437162023-01-30T14:21:50.647+00:002023-01-30T14:21:50.647+00:00I remember reading and enjoying this book Sue. W...I remember reading and enjoying this book Sue. Well worth a re-read.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-22344207392034240032023-01-30T14:19:34.478+00:002023-01-30T14:19:34.478+00:00An amazing life. His description of the weather in...An amazing life. His description of the weather in the Snowdon area is exactly my experience of hiking in Wales. I grew up in North Yorkshire, where I was used to shrieking gales, snow drifts and lambs born in them. So Wales wasn't quite enough of a change. He must have been a very strong and resilient person, great life.Boudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00641013916263271948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-26064885458827942182023-01-30T13:38:48.583+00:002023-01-30T13:38:48.583+00:00TF sounds like a wonderful person. Very adventure...TF sounds like a wonderful person. Very adventuresome and ready to take on something big and new. His purchase is amazing and he did quite well to make things work. His life is very interesting. It is great that the National Trust oversees this property today. Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473063249106111719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-25678565150732711312023-01-30T13:31:14.289+00:002023-01-30T13:31:14.289+00:00Did he have family money or something to help him ...Did he have family money or something to help him get started? He took on a lot at the age of 21. He had a busy life!Ellen D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03776803182673252265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-51242356543372214472023-01-30T12:43:09.770+00:002023-01-30T12:43:09.770+00:00What an amazing life they led. Makes very interest...What an amazing life they led. Makes very interesting reading<br />Alison in Wales xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-82255358722390769592023-01-30T11:21:11.270+00:002023-01-30T11:21:11.270+00:00Apparently the title was ironic, he knew that no ...Apparently the title was ironic, he knew that no one really owned the land - they just farmed it for their lifetimeSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-29069601128621246532023-01-30T11:19:15.677+00:002023-01-30T11:19:15.677+00:00How lovely to have stayed in the house - it's ...How lovely to have stayed in the house - it's not an area we looked at when we fancied moving to Wales - much too wet and windySue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-75813088272477451292023-01-30T11:16:58.965+00:002023-01-30T11:16:58.965+00:00It's an interesting read - I'd not remembe...It's an interesting read - I'd not remembered anything about it after 40+ yearsSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-46429780187517858392023-01-30T10:57:09.286+00:002023-01-30T10:57:09.286+00:00An interesting title for the post. I had not heard...An interesting title for the post. I had not heard of the book, so was wondering what it would be about as the page loaded. His wiki bio is an interesting read.Travellernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-29209454778699784412023-01-30T09:43:40.024+00:002023-01-30T09:43:40.024+00:00I enjoyed reading this book in the early 2000s aft...I enjoyed reading this book in the early 2000s after staying in Thomas Firbanks’ farmhouse (now a National Trust holiday cottage) with spectacular views over Snowdonia. The land around the farm is very steep, almost vertical in places and lots of dried stone walls to offer protection to the sheep during heavy snowfall. You would be very fit if you farmed that land. I have a clean first edition without its dust jacket but with a me-made hand marbled paper cover. My Barbara Pym first editions (all presents from my husband during the 1990s) are similarly covered. We have an old scruffy edition in the bookshop too, not sure of its date but it’s only a fiver, and I’m sure there are still plenty around. Sarah in Sussex. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-1196699724183930902023-01-30T07:56:57.237+00:002023-01-30T07:56:57.237+00:00Was he the beginning of the movement 'back to ...Was he the beginning of the movement 'back to the land' I wonder, sounds a good character and book to read as well.thelmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934860502828923562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4787951981229151015.post-70033764585588257352023-01-30T07:56:34.945+00:002023-01-30T07:56:34.945+00:00It was first published in 1940 but I reckon republ...It was first published in 1940 but I reckon republished in the 70s when I would have read it - now out again for a new generationSue in Suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166036914348424622noreply@blogger.com