Brookfield Bungalow
Residents: Bert & Freda Fry

In January of 1990, Brookfield set out digging the foundation of what would soon become the Brookfield Bungalow. The new residents, David and Ruth [nee Pritchard] Archer, would reside in a home just near the bank of the River Am. In 1993 they would welcome their first born to their home – Philippa Rose.

The Bungalow enjoys a very quiet and picture perfect country surrounding with a small garden and was intended to be the retirement property for Jill and Phil.

In 1999 Phil and Jill swapped properties with David and Ruth, after Jill hurt her leg and could not manage the stairs at the farmhouse. It was then that she decided that she could never live in the bungalow permanently.

Later that year Bert Fry reluctantly took temporary residency there in September 1999 after he and his wife Freda were forced to leave their tied cottage [Woodbine] when a lorry drove through a portion of it, while Ruth, David and children lived in the farmhouse with Phil and Jill. On completion of the repairs to Woodbine, Bert & Freda vacated the bungalow and David and Ruth returned.

In 2001 Bert moved back to the bungalow, with David and Ruth once again moving to the farmhouse, when Brookfield Farm closed itself off from the world during an outbreak of foot and mouth on a nearby farm.

Shortly afterwards Phil retired from Brookfield and the bungalow was used as a holiday let.

In 2003 David and Ruth needed to raise cash to invest in the farm and the decision was taken to sell Woodbine Cottage and move the Frys to the bungalow. After some heavy negotiation, in which Bert made a claim for David’s reclining chair, the moved was arranged.

Freda soon sorted out the Bungalow’s kitchen and the garden flourished under Bert’s tender care. Bert is a keen gardener who always enters the annual flower and produce show where he has been in stiff competition with Joe Grundy and the late George Barford.