During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

Edwards, George. Living at the Furnace Farm, formerly called the Yew Tree and part of the Hartfield Grove Estate. Farmer and carpenter.

I was born on 15 November 1814 on the Forest close by Coleman's Hatch in the house now occupied by James Wheatley (stone digger - witness). My Father (now dead) told me that he enclosed the land and built the house and I believe he always paid 2/6 a year to Lord De La Warr's predecessors for it. He sold it before his death to Wheatley's father. At 1'/2 years old we removed to the Lodge at the South end of the Five Hundred, where my father lived as a sort of caretaker for Lord Whitworth and at the same time worked regularly as sawyer till his death for Lord Whitworth and George John, Lord De La Warr. I lived with him till I was 17. When I was about 11 years old I went as carter boy on Fisher's Gate Farm in Withyham which was farmed by Lord Whitworth and afterwards by George John, Lord De La Warr. As soon as I was big enough I worked as a sawyer for Lord Whitworth at Fishers Gate sawyard. When I was 17 I went to Uckfield and was apprenticed to a carpenter and worked there 8 years, coming home once in every 5 or 6 weeks. When I was 24 I married and came to work for Lord De La Warr as a carpenter and worked for him for 19 years. During this time I, with my brother Joseph Edwards, first lived at the Pest House for 2 or 3 years. Then had a cottage and field near the 500 roughs for several years and when I had worked for Lord De La Warr about 11 years I took Little Bassetts Farm, a field of Neave's Farm adjoining both in Hartfield close to Chuck Hatch and belonging to Lord De La Warr and farmed it for 16 years. The last 8 years I left off working for Lord De La Warr and worked about with my own team. In 1866 I moved to Furnace Farm which I have had ever since.

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During The Ashdown Forest Dispute 1876-1882 commoners and land owners were interviewed by the solicitor William Raper. Their comments were recorded in a series of notebooks:

Baldwin, William. Old man, rather feeble - seems reluctant. Living adjoining the Furnace Farm near New Bridge on his own property. Was born 13 January 1806 at Lamberhurst and when I was able to go to service at the age of about 12 (when people had to go back to their parishes to work) I went to service with Mr. Godly at Upper Parrock Farm (Miss Gervis' property) for 21/2 years and went with the ox team. Then I went to Mr. Waters at Hodore Farm (then Lord Whitworth's) for 2 years, then I went to a place at Withyham for 9 weeks and returned to Hodore for a short time.

I was then out of work for a time less than a year as work was scarce. My next place was with Mr. Histed at Chartness for about 2 years, then I went to Lower Tyes Farm to Mr. Philcox who also used Lower Parrock Farm for 2 years. I then married his daughter at Hartfield Church by Mr. Slade (query 1827-8). I continued at Lower Tyes till 1844 and then went to work for Mr. Richard Ratcliff at Hodore till 1862. Then I worked for Mr. Stephen Langridge about 6 years. I came to my present house about 1841.

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