Fwd: EDWARS FREEMAN STORY…1871 – 1958 -DID HE HAVE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS?

Begin forwarded message:

From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>

Subject: EDWARS FREEMAN STORY…1871 – 1958 -DID HE HAVE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS?

Date: July 2, 2025 at 12:32:34 PM EDT

To: john Wardle <jwardle@rogers.com>

 EDWARS FREEMAN STORY…1871 – 1958 -DID HE HAVE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS?

alan skeoch

june

28, 2025

If only Edward Freeman was alive today! His story…his history…would be a lot easier to write.

And  more accurate. But he died in1958 and left me with more questions than answers.

Why did you leave England for Canada in 1908? 

You had a good job1898 to 1906 as HEad Gardener of the 1500 acre  Eywood estate.   wage rates for working class

people were rising. The Corn Laws were repealed in 1846 which greatly reduced the price of food.

THE BRITISH ARISTOCRACY WAS BEGINNING TO CRUMBLE.

Historian David Cannadine   Decline and Fall of British aristocracy:

At the outset of the 1870s, the British aristocracy could rightly consider themselves the most fortunate people on earth: they held the lion’s share of land, wealth, and power in the world’s greatest empire. By the end of the 1930s they had lost not only a generation of sons in the First World War, but also much of their prosperity, prestige, and political significance.

The .landed gentry i.e. the English aristocracy, were losing control of the rural working-class.  One historian , David 

Cacnnadine, said the aristocracy  had been in a a state of ‘eclipse’ between 1870 and 1939 as land had

 declined in value due to cheap grain from North America and Northern Europe. Tenant farmers just could

not pay increased rent.   The old landed gentry could

not get their power back.    Many found their lavish country homes had  to be

abandoned.  Demolition often was the only answer.  The aristocracy had been

eclipsed…now lay  in he shadow of the commercial class. Pictures of these country homes are ll that remain.

THE FREEMAN FAMILY CIRCA 1898

Edward Freeman stands behind the father he hated.

You grew to adulthood as this change was happenig,Edward.   Much of your life is unknown.  You were educated as

a carpenter but grabbed the opportunity to be a head gardener at 27 years osage.  Most head gardeners were at

least 30 and had spent years in training.  You got the job at 27with no extensive training.   How did this  happen?

I believe you were a quick learner and an ambitious young man. You grew a beard which made you look older

according to your  daughter Elsie, my mother.  

she also said you may have spent time learning gardening sklls at Windsor Castle. No proof of that. You

got the job at Eywood in1898.  The owner was  William Gwyer who bought the estate just six year earlier in 1892.

You arrived with your wife the former Louisa Amelia Bufton and son Frank.   Louisa was

a’lady’, educated as such by the Kington Academy.  She was born in 1868 and sired  by a mysterious Dr. Price.

who may have paid half her fees at the academy after Louisa was rescued from streets of Birmingham by an aunt Webb.

“William Price, famous Welsh nationalist fathered a number of children well into his 83rd year. HE WAS 68 IN 1868 when he may have fathered louisa Bufton..” DR Price did not believe in marriage because it enslaved women. He died in January 1893.His last words were ‘give me champagne’.

It is a stretch to say he was grandma’s father but then again a person named Dr. Price is mentioned often Freeman family history.  THAT is hearsay evidence

and therefore not worth much.  Bu just maybe…!

Sot The first 27 years of your life are speculation. 

  How were you able to switch from a carpentry apprenticeship to becoming head gardener?

Your musical ability is another mystery. No matter where you went you entertained with your Stradivarius violin. Louise sang and you played the violin.  

Money is the biggest mystery.