EARLS COLNE HERITAGE MUSEUM
The timber yard of T & A J Mann Limited stood on the east side of Foundry Lane, now the site of Willow Tree Way. In 1833, the first Thomas Mann took over the business which made barrels, and started growing trees in local plantations instead of buying in the timber which he needed.
Felling a tree in 1900
“The trees, after they had been harvested, would come into the mill. They’d be cross-cut into what we call ‘rolls’ of 28” lengths. stood on end, split into clefts, sawn and dried.
The whole operation from when they came into the yard would be something like two-and-a-half-months”.
For some tree-felling jobs, the men had to stay overnight and slept in a van on the site.
The firm reverted to the use of a steam tractor for haulage during the Second World War, while petrol was rationed.
At the Holbecks plantation in 1927, Bill ‘Scoop’ Cowlin stands beside a large tree-trunk which is being carted back to Earls Colne.
On the left in the picture above, Arthur Mann himself is overseeing work on another heavy load. Although they dealt with all types of timber, the firm had a high reputation for the species of Willow required to make the blades of cricket bats.
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