Forgotten Household Crafts by John Seymour

The story told in 'The Fat of the Land' is a fascinating insight into the life of a young family working towards living a sustainable, self-supporting, enjoyable life in times when most people were succumbing to the consumerist society we were all being encouraged to join. In 1954 John married Sally and then, with a young daughter, they decided to adopt a more self-reliant lifestyle and rented 'The Broom', a remote house near Orford in Suffolk. He even managed to fit in an autobiography 'On My Own Terms', which chronicled his life before he had a family. These included his pre-war travels in Africa, his overland journey to India, a further year travelling in India and Ceylon, his voyages around the waterways of Britain in an assortment of craft and then his sailing trip to the Baltic in 'Willynilly', a Northumberland coble. His early books concentrated on his adventures. He started writing and giving talks on the BBC about his travels and his ideas for a better way of life. John gave in his notice and decided to enter the world of journalism. It was now a big exploitative business venture.

He became unhappy with the way farming had changed in England.

On his return to England John worked for the WarAg in Suffolk, his old stomping ground. He was appalled at the way the Allies finished the war with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and never forgave their cowardly inhumanity after all, the war was being won.

He spent time in the company of the indigenous Bushmen which affected him greatly.Īt the outbreak of war John joined the King's African Rifles and trained in Kenya, fought in Abyssinia, then, after jungle training in Ceylon, he fought a long bloody campaign in Burma. He spent five years working and travelling in Southern Africa, farming, fishing, mining and meeting local people, his love throughout his life. He left school and went to agricultural college at Wye in Kent and failed again, and then, at the age of 20, he left Britain for Africa and did not return until after the war. John renamed 'The Roaring 20's', 'The Boring 20's'. From an early age he was more interested in the people and animals toiling in the fields and the fishing boats plying their trade on the sea than any conventional schooling. Born into a wealthy family he was sent to various private schools where he failed to be educated for a 'proper' job. John had, some might say, a privileged upbringing. He had enough adventures for a dozen people and wrote more than 40 books describing and elaborating on his experiences and ideas.

Forgotten Household Crafts by John Seymour