The Lancashire College of Agriculture at Hutton
The Lancashire College of Agriculture [1. For readers interested in the College, a good history is found at the website of Myerscough College, the successor to Lancashire College as more land was added and the College expanded.] at Hutton, about six miles to the west of Preston, comprised an older building and new accommodations of offices, lecture rooms, refectory, communal rooms, and dormitories for the pupils. Started in 1892, the county purchased a farm and land near Hutton in 1894. Around it was a range of farm buildings, greenhouses and many acres of agricultural land. When I attended, it was quite isolated near the small village of Hutton. I think maybe there was an infrequent bus service from Preston. We found both the facilities and the training we received excellent, starting in October 1939.
Hutton close to Preston, along with the Lancashire College of Agriculture’s location shown on the map.
The Institute comprised the buildings just to the right (east) of Hutton. Its lands were sited either side of the main road but mainly toward the River Ribble. Fernyhalgh was to the north and east of Preston.
Life at the College of Agriculture
I was excited about being admitted to the College for the extended class, the first time I left home. Veronica and I enjoyed the months we spent there. What I liked about it, apart from being away from home in Liverpool, was the cleanliness and order. We were fortunate to be in the new wing of the Institute were we shared a bedroom with another girl. It was bright, clean with windows onto the grounds and fresh as a new pin. Outside the window I could hear the “quiet” of the country, the birds and animals. Along the corridor was a bathroom with plenty of hot water. We ate in the refectory with excellent meals at set times, or if we were working out with sandwiches provided, and our laundry was done for us. Evenings there was the common room where we socialized with the other girls and entertained ourselves. It was so different from the chaos of home.
I was at Hutton 1949-1950 and worked there for the following year until I was offered a post at the Min of Ag. in Winckley Square, Preston .
Hutton saw one of the best years of my life.
We were all devastated when it closed down, but they organised a grand Farewell Reunion, slap up meal, entertainment and overnight accommodation.
I could go on and on!
Cheers from Joan.
Thank you Joan for those remarks and I’m pleased you found your way to Jeanne’s website. Perhaps you will go “on and on” with your remembrances as I’m sure there are others still around with memories of Hutton and what it meant to them.
Jeanne always spoke highly of her time there, not only from what she learned practically but the friendships she made and the comradely atmosphere of all the young girls together and from all the different backgrounds.
Regards,
John Flann, for the late Jeanne Flann.
Any photo as from 74 to 76 hutton
I was a student at Hutton from 1958-60 as a student in the poultry department. If you have any photos of the college, I would very much appreciate a copy for a book I am writing.
Sorry no. The only photos that I had are the ones shown on the website. I wish I had more.
No, sorry, no photos beyond those on the site.
My late parents, Ian and Gladys Hammonds (nee Brierley) met at the agricultural college in Hutton where they went to study poultry husbandry in the early 1950’s. They married in 1955 and after undertaking smaller agricultural work jobs, set up their own poultry farm producing eggs. If anyone has any information about the Hutton college from the early 1950’s I would be very interested to read about it.
If any posts anything, I will be sure to let you know.
Hi, I did an NCA at Hutton 1983/84. If there is anyone reads this that attended the same year course I would love to hear from them! I lost contact with everyone from that course. Please contact me, my email is peteprince65@aol.com Regards Pete
I hope you find some of your classmates through the site and your comment.
Hi a from Hutton from 1966 to 1967