Press cuttings (paper not identified)

Llandough. [Reported] Farmyard Theft.

Robert Williams, a mason’s labourer, was on Tuesday charged (before Mr. John Duncan and Mr. J. S. Corbett) at the offices of the clerk to the Penarth magistrates, High-street, Cardiff, with stealing three geese, the property of Mr. John Williams, Great House Farm, Llandough, on November 11, 1891.—Sergeant Ferris, of the Cardiff Borough Police Force, deposed that he saw the prisoner early on the morning in question in Clive-street, Grangetown, carrying the geese on his back. He at once started after Williams, who dropped the geese and got away.—Police-constable Morgan, of the county constabulary, said he arrested the prisoner when he was leaving Cardiff Gaol on Monday. The prisoner, when charged with stealing the geese, replied, “All right.”—The prisoner was remanded until Monday at Penarth.

Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on

By Andrew Penman

A FARMER who beat-off bailiffs with a chainsaw last night vowed to continue his defiant fight for his Cardiff home. Mr Bill Buckler spoke after the four-hour showdown.

Yesterday’s events began when five bailiffs and around 15 police officers arrived at Great House Farm, Llandough. Mr Buckler blocked the narrow drive with a tractor, locked the farmhouse doors and barred windows.

His distressed wife, Branwen, later left the farm with the couples’ children, aged two, three and four. Mr Buckler and several friends and tenants remained.

The scenes were the latest episode in a battle between the Buckler family and BP Properties. Mr Buckler said the farm has been in the family for nearly 400 years, and remains adamant he is the owner, despite a court ruling in favour of BP Properties.

He said BP had no claim over the farm except for what they had obtained through the courts.

A farm tenant [stated] the latest flare-up was brought about by the Cardiff Bay development. “This land would be worth a fortune,” said Mr Christopher Thompson. “Luxury houses could be built up here to overlook Cardiff Bay. The rich would get richer and the poor poorer.”

A spokesman for BP PLC in London said the “unpleasant” events at the farm were regretted. He could not say if or when the bailiffs might return. He [stated] the farm was owned by BP Properties, which allowed Mr Buckler’s late mother to live in it rent-free because of her ill health. “When Mrs Buckler died in 1983 it became clear her son was not going to leave,” said the spokesman. “We looked at the problem, which was a sticky one, and we asked him to leave, he declined, and in May 1984 we started court proceedings.” Mr Buckler lost the court hearing in Cardiff and did not appeal, the spokesman said.

A South Wales Police spokesman emphasised the officers at the scene were present to prevent a breach of the peace, and not to assist bailiffs.

Tears flow as 800 year-old farm house is razed at last

THE FINAL chapter in the 35-year battle over the ownership of Great House Farm in Llandough ended early yesterday when a team moved in to demolish the 800-year-old farm house.

The twenty-strong team moved in with bulldozers just after 4am and by breakfast time there was not a building left standing on the ten-acre site which overlooks Cardiff Bay.

The demolition was watched by farmers’ wife [Branwen] and her three children who wept as their family home was flattened by a bulldozer just hours after they had lost the legal battle to keep the farm.

Only the day before, possession had been granted to the owners, BP Properties Ltd, after Cardiff’s High Court ruled that William and [Branwen] had no right to remain in the house.

Mr Buckler, who admitted not paying rent for 35 years, had [stated] he had the rights to the house. But a High Court judge on Monday rejected an appeal to extend an injunction to prevent the house from being demolished.

And that was the end of the legal road for the Bucklers who had even taken their fight to keep their home, where their family have lived for 400 years, to the House of Lords.

Speaking after the demolition of her home Mrs Buckler said that she and her family were “absolutely devastated” by the events of the previous 24 hours. “Great House Farm was more than just a house, it was the family history with all the people who have been born or died there over the last 400 years. It is irreplaceable,” she explained. “Now we are left with no home, no plans, no income and no Christmas. My young son has asked me how Father Christmas is going to come down the chimney now it has been knocked down.”

Charge against evicted farmer dropped

AN [ACCUSATION] that South Wales farmer Billy Buckler used threatening words and behaviour at his former home last year was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service at Barry magistrates court yesterday.

Buckler, who lived at Great House Farm, Llandough, until it was demolished by the owners, BP Properties, in November last year, was [accused of having] committed the offence in Llandough on April 29.

Mr Jeff Clarke, prosecuting, told the court that the summons was now legally “out of time” and could not proceed. He was therefore withdrawing it.

Buckler is due to appear in court again on February 3 to face charges of assault and wanton and furious driving at Great House Farm in November, last year.

He is currently living at an address in Penarth and has been ordered by the court not to go within half a mile of the Great House Farm site.