The Rank, North Bradley | One-Place Study

While doing research for this One-Place Study I’ve come across some small snippets that simply don’t fit anywhere else but are too good to ignore. This is one such snippet.

In 1863, the Wiltshire Independent covers the discovery of an ‘Extraordinary Potato’.

James Allen lived at the top end of The Rank from at least 1846 (if not earlier) until his death in 1875. He was the proprietor of the shop that served as a grocer’s* during this time.

I wonder if any of the other residents of The Rank ended up buying one of these extraordinary potatoes? It might even have been enough to go round all of Jesse Slatford’s family, including his wife and twelve children, a few doors down!

* Of course, this article may actually have been meant to serve as an advert for his shop, in disguise….