Ronald Wootton Sheppard (1909-1992)
Mona Hallam (1915-1974)

Ronald Sheppard and Mona Hallam are my Grandparents on my mothers side of the family.  Ronald was born in 1909 in Wymeswold,  Son of Harry & Sarah Ann Sheppard (nee Wootton), he was an only child. He would follow his father's footsteps and become a farmer working on the family farm.

The year 1909 saw the first scout rally, the first Woolworths opened and the first game at Twickenham. Old Age pensioners were first paid in this year and Selfridges opens. Famous people born in this year include Fred Perry, James Mason and Matt Busby. Kind Edward VII is currently on the throne, he would die the year after.

Ronald appears on the 1911 Census, aged just 1.  He was living at Church Farm on Far Street, Wymeswold with his Father Harry & Mother Sarah Ann, both aged 38 and a young farm labourer Edward Brown, aged 16. He would later attend the village primary school next door to the farm, you can see Ronald in some school photos below. He would have no doubt spent a good deal of time helping his father on the farm and would have taken over completely when Harry passed away in 1933, Ronald would have just been 23 years old at that time.

He married Mona Hallam on the 2nd August 1937 at St Mary's Church, Wymeswold, the church opposite the family farm. They married in the presence of John Wootton, Ronald's Bestman and Mona's Father John Thomas Hallam.  The Bridesmaids included Mona's Sisters Alma and Peggy Hallam.

Mona was born in Elston on the 25th March 1915 to John Thomas Hallam & Elizabeth Moody. Mona's Father John Thomas Hallam moved to the Turn Post Farm at Wymeswold, they moved there in the Spring of 1932. Mona initially stayed at Elston to be housekeeper for her Brother, Thomas. She was only seventeen but she was quite glad to get away from her parents, particularly her father who had quite a temper. Mona returned to Turn Post Farm after her brothers death (Thomas-1933) and it was not long before she married a local farmer, Ronald, and moved in to the farm in the village. 

Ronald and Mona had their first child in 1938, a Son called Roland Harry John Sheppard. He would work on the farm when he was older before leaving to persue a career with the fox hunt. A 2nd Son Alec was born in 1939 but unfortunately dies as a baby. Another Son Brian Stanley Sheppard was born in 1941, he would also work on the farm. A forth Son David Roy Sheppard was born in 1942. Their last child, a Daughter Janet Mary Sheppard was born in 1945, my mother.

Ronald worked the farm in Wymeswold all of his life, mostly producing milk from his dairy herd. There were some hens producing eggs which were kept in the orchard in large huts. He also grew sugar beet, wheat and hay. Stan can remember his father Ronald would have to get up very early with Alec his farm hand to make sure the sugar beet would be ready to take to Loughborough for the early train.

During the war Ronald would have been busy on the farm producing food for the country, but he was also part of the Observer Corp looking out for any enemy planes overhead, you can see a photo of the Observer Corp below.  In the family photos below in Skegness you will note a Mrs Moran, she and her husband were one of three couples who lived at Church Farm during the war, she worked as a 'land girl' during the war years and her husband was based with the RAF at Wymeswold air field. 

In 1949 Ronald was summoned to appear in court and the local newspaper reported on it. Apparently his young farm hand who was just 16 was driving his tractor on the road between the farm and the fields, not an uncommon practice with local farms employing young lads to help out when required. The case was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act.

The work was hard and physical on the farm, on one particular day when moving the milk churns to the delivery stand by the gate, Ronald chopped the end of his little finger off. He was rushed to hospital where he received a skin graft from his arm to repair the finger. In 1972 there was a fire on the farm, Stan discovered the fire and raised the alarm. Firefighters tackled the flames for 14 hours and £1500 of damage was done to the barn and the hay stock, fortunately no one was hurt and the cattle were led to safety.

Occasionally the family would get away for a holiday at Skegness, Roland would usually be left at home to look after the farm. I can remember myself (Mark) helping my Grand-father to bring the cows home to the farm from the fields, i always felt very important wielding my big stick about and fetching cows that were straying too far. 

Margaret Illiot who has researched the Hallam side of the family remembers Mona being always full of fun when one visited her, She enjoyed a good laugh. However she smoked too much and could not be persuaded to give up and so at fifty-nine, she died an early death of cancer in 1974.

Ronald was quite a regular at the White Horse Pub on Far Street, which is now a residential premises. He unfortunately suffered with Parkinson's disease in later life and he died in 1992 and is buried alongside Mona at the Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold.

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Ronald Wootton Sheppard (1909-1992)

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Born   12th December 1909 Wymeswold, Leicestershire.

Census  1911. Ronald Sheppard Age 1.

Address - Far Street, Wymeswold. 

Head Harry Sheppard(38).  Profession - Farmer.

Wife Sarah Ann Sheppard(38) 

Edward Brown(16) Profession - Farm Labourer.

Married 2nd August 1937 at St Mary's Church, Wymeswold. (By Banns)

Ronald Wootton Sheppard To Mona Hallam.  

Ronald Age 27 - Occupation Farmer. 

Resident at Church Farm, Wymeswold.

Father - Harry Sheppard - Deceased.

Mona Age 22. Resident at Turn Post Farm, Wymeswold.

Father - John Thomas Hallam - Occupation Farmer.  

Presence of John Wootton, John Thomas Hallam.

Census 1911. Ronald Sheppard Age 1.

Address - Far Street, Wymeswold. 

Head Harry Sheppard(38).  Profession - Farmer.

Wife Sarah Ann Sheppard(38) 

Edward Brown(16) Profession - Farm Labourer.

Census 1921.  R W Sheppard Age 11  - Son - at School.

Address - Wymeswold.         

Head Harry Sheppard(49).  Profession - Farmer.

Sarah Ann Sheppard - Age 49. Wife - at home.  

Census 1939. Head Ronald W Sheppard - born 12 Dec 1909

Profession - Dairy Farmer.

Address - Church Farm, Far Street, Wymeswold. 

Wife Mona Sheppard - born 25 Mar 1916

Profession - Domestic duties unpaid

Other person records - closed.

Died    22 January 1992 Nottingham.

Burial  Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold.

To view more on Ronald's passing click here.

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Mona Hallam (1915-1974)

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Born    25th March 1915 at Elston

Census 1921.    Mona - Daughter age 6 yrs - Born Elston.

Elston. Southwell Rd, Notts.

Living with Parents & Siblings :

John Thomas Hallam - Head Married - 50 yrs - Farmer - Born Eggmanton.

Elizabeth Hallam - Wife - 44 yrs - Farmer's Wife - Born Annesley.

Mary - Daughter - 19 yrs -  Born Elston.

Violet - Daughter - 17 yrs - Born Elston.

Thomas Vernon - Son - 10 yrs - Born Elston.

Joseph Dixon - Son - 8 yrs - Born Elston.

Alec John - Son - 4 yrs - Born Elston.

Alma Eniff - Daughter - 6 yrs - Born Elston.

Currie Willows - Horseman - 51 yrs - Lincs.

Married 2nd August 1937 at St Marys Church, Wymeswold. (By Banns)

Ronald Wootton Sheppard To Mona Hallam.  

Ronald Age 27 - Occupation Farmer. 

Resident at Church Farm, Wymeswold.

Father - Harry Sheppard - Deceased.

Mona Age 22. Resident at Turn Post Farm, Wymeswold.

Father - John Thomas Hallam - Occupation Farmer.  

Presence of John Wootton, John Thomas Hallam.

Census 1939. Wife Mona Sheppard - born 25 Mar 1916

Profession - Domestic duties unpaid

Address - Church Farm, Far Street, Wymeswold. 

Head Ronald W Sheppard - born 12 Dec 1909

Profession - Dairy Farmer.

Other person records - closed.

Died    10 October 1974

Burial  Rempstone Road Cemetery, Wymeswold.

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 Notes on Children :

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  Roland Harry John Sheppard (1938)

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  Alec Sheppard (1939-1939)

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  Brian Stanley Sheppard (1941)

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  David Roy Sheppard (1942)

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  Janet Mary Sheppard (1945-2022)

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