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A couple of years back I came across the story of a female Norfolk tenant farmer who was forced to pack up because of the damage done to her crops by game on the Sandringham estate.

She got no real assistance from the royal household. After packing it in she emigrated and wrote a book about her experiences.

The trouble is I can't remember where I found this story.

If anybody out there could refresh my memory I would be really grateful.

At last! An easy question on the forum!

The lady in question is Louisa/Louise Cresswell who published an autobiography (which it is claimed the estate tried to buy all of the copies of). She published as Mrs Gerard Cresswell, Eighteen years on the Sandringham estate (1887). The most recent account is by Nicola Verdon , '"The lady Farmer": widowhood and farming in Victorian England' in R. W. Hoyle, The farmer in England, 1650-1980 (2013).

She also appears (I think) in my essay on the Monarchy and field sports, but Nicola's account is definitive.

Richard Hoyle

Many thanks for this Richard.

I have been able to locate a copy of her book on ArchiveOrg which should prove very useful.