Hempstead - Hagen Family

Hagen Family

The Hagen family were farmers who successfully farmed in Hempstead for many years from the 1880s to the mid 1900s. They variously farmed Church_Farm, Green_Farm and Hole_Farm and were well respected and active members of the community.

John Hagen (1852-1935) - 6th May 1935

Hempstead's Grand Old Man

Mr. John Hagen died on Tuesday (8th October 1935) at the Hempstead Hole Farm which he farmed for the past fifty-two years. Before coming to Hempstead, Mr Hagen was for a short time at Ingworth. A thorough churchman, he held the post of churchwarden at Hempstead for 25 years and served on the Erpingham Board of Guardians and Rural District Council for 23 years, retiring only last year, He was recognised as one of the leading agriculturalists in North Norfolk and always stuck to the old-fashioned Norfolk four-course shift - wheat, roots, barley and hay - with excellent results. Never did he think of changing his system.

He was a noted grazier and his fat beasts were far-famed. As a master he was truly one of the best. A great believer in setting a personal example to his men, he took his place with them at their work, and never asked them to do anything he could not do himself.

Of the fifteen men employed on the farm at present, eleven of them have worked there since they left school. The headman W. Fowle had been there 52 years (from the time Mr. Hagen took the farm in 1883) and W. Clarke, who died two years ago, had rendered forty years service. A message received by Mr. D.W. Hagen, his son, of Green Farm, Hempstead, on Tuesday from the members of the Womens’ Institute paid tribute to the deceased gentleman's attributes as a friend and master.

Mr. Hagen was a wonderful judge of cattle. He could judge a bullock's weight to a pound or so, and at market he was a great friend to many farmers who sought his much-valued advice when purchasing stock. Although taking no part in hunting or any other sport, he was always pleased to have the North Norfolk Harriers over his land and gave them all possible facilities and a hearty welcome.

Through his generosity the large debt on the Village Hall was paid. His last public function was the unveiling of the Jubilee seat in the village on 6th May 1935, Jubilee Day.

In 1911 Mr Daniel W. Hagen became tenant of Green_Farm. He was the son of Mr John Hagen of Hole_Farm and took over the tenancy on the death of Edmund Ling.
Some time after the departure of the Langtons the farmhouse had been divided into three cottages. The Gurneys converted the three cottages back into a farmhouse for Mr Daniel Hagen on his taking the farm tenancy.
In 1945 the farm was bought by Mr George Knight as part of the Gurney’s Hempstead Estate. He acquired vacant possession by allowing Mr D W Hagen to continue to live in the farmhouse for the rest of his life on condition that he otherwise surrendered his lease.
Hempstead, A Norfolk Village - Robin Carver, 2000

The stand to the Church Lectern commemorates John Hagen 1910-1935 and his son, Daniel W Hagen 1932-1954 - the years for which they were Churchwardens.
The Church Bible was the Gift of DW and RM Hagen and their sons. Easter 1926.

Census 1921:

Daniel W Hagen (39) b.Erpingham
Rachel W Hagen (48) b.Felthorpe
Daniel R Hagen (6) b.Hempstead

In 1953
Daniel W Hagen was living at Green Farm - Tel. no: Holt 2188
Daniel's eldest son John Hagen was living at Four Elms, The Street - Tel. no: Holt 2118
Daniel's younger son Daniel R Hagen was living at Red House Farm - Tel. no: Holt 3177

When I left school I went to work as a domestic servant for Mr and Mrs Hagen, Green farm, Hempstead, whom I felt sure were past retiring age when I joined them. But of course nobody retired during the war. It was a very busy, dairy farm with a Friesian herd and Mrs Hagen was very proud of her cows and dairy. Even there I could not escape the jam making, as Mrs Hagen was president of the, W.I., also known as Jam and Jerusalem.
Mrs Hagen was also president of the district nursing association and on the county committee of the land army, sorting out billets, placements and their welfare. We had many land army girls come to the farm, and being city girls they found it very difficult to fit into farm life. I suppose it was a bit of a culture shock for them coming from homes where bathrooms and flush toilets were the norm, to just a wash bowl and outside privy. But some found that they loved the country life, and soon learned the tricks of the trade for example, when threshing corn it was wise to tie string around the bottom of their trouser legs, so as when they reached the bottom of the stack and all the rats and mice ran out, none would be able to get up their trouser legs.
By the time I was old enough to register for war service, the ministry of labour had decided that due to the amount of work and extra paper work that farmers had to do. Domestic servants to farmers would be classed as a reserve occupation, so I did not get out into the wide world so to speak. But as North Norfolk had many airfields and troops passing through life was not dull. Once when I was returning to Hempstead from Holt by bicycle (the only transport available in those days) I found my way was blocked at a level crossing, by a troop train. The front of the train was in Holt station discharging troops and the rear end was a long way past the level crossing, so I thought I would be in for a long wait, but no, the soldiers on the train saw me waiting, so they lifted me and my bike into the train then lowered me out the other side.
Richard C. Gray, WW2 People’s War - 1st September 2005


Marguerite (Peggy) Hagen at Green Farm - c.1950	Marguerite (Peggy) Hagen (1913-1984), wife of John Hagen (1910-1998) on her way to market with Hempstead Rabbitry rabbits Four Elms, The Street in the background - c.1950


John A Hagen - c. 1871	John and Marguerite (Peggy) Hagen's wedding 25th July 1936	John A Hagen (1910-1998)

John Hagen (1910-1998) was the local Senior ARP Warden
and was required to fill in one of these forms in the event of
a war related incident

Daniel R Hagen (1915-2004) - c.1982


Daniel & Rachel Hagen - c.1945	Daniel W Hagen (1883-1957) with his grandaughter Elizabeth - c.1953

Daniel's wife left him I would say 1960, he was having a relationship with a lady who lived in the cottage nearest the church with her father and four illegitimate children, none of whom know who their father was, and possibly they didn't all have the same one!
I would say he left Red House for Heath Farm with the lady and family, 1961/2. This was a part arable farm but income was mainly derived from her looking after chickens owned by Hubert Sands from whom the farm was purchased. All four of her children went with them. Dan set himself up in business as a furniture maker and this was quite successful for a number of years. Both sons, Roger (1942) and Daniel (1947) remained with their mother in rented property in Briningham. Roger did not communicate with his father again because of the treatment of his mother and his relationship with the said lady. Daniel had a somewhat stormy relationship with his father but did spend some time with him on visits etc. not staying in the house. Dan and Roger in latter years met at the Norfolk County Cricket matches which were then held at Lakenham (Norwich).
I am fairly sure that his Lagonda PK9204 was used during the war years but subsequently after the war, Dan and my father stripped the engine down and rebuilt it. This was done mainly at Red House. There is a photograph of the Lagonda at Brooklands with Dan and Olive his wife, but grandfather Daniel Hagen died in March 1957. Another car: HX838, an Aston Martin belonging to John, sold I would say in the mid fifties, as my mother said it was unsuitable for 'the child' - me! At the time apart from income from the land he dealt with day old chicks to point of lay. This did not provide enough income, so he then started to breed Jersey cows and he employed his lady friend to look after them. He had great success with them, winning at Aylsham Show, I showed one, I think in 1959 and also at the Royal Norfolk Show.
Dan's lady friend, an incredible hard working woman contracted cancer, probably from the hen houses and died, not sure exactly (gravestone in the churchyard). Dan stayed in the house for as long as possible. He had polio (then called infantile paralysis) when he was 4 years old, born in 1915, he was severely disabled throughout his life, when he recovered it was found that his left foot turned inwards, so the powers that be amputated half his foot. He always walked with a stick, but it didn't stop him learning to ride, going out hunting, playing cricket (he had a runner) and umpiring both cricket and hockey. He always wore surgical boots which had to be specially made He was educated at King Edward VII in Norwich, as I think a weekly boarder. My father took him to Norwich on the back of his motor bike.
Roger, educated at Gresham's was a hockey player and played for Norfolk Wanderers and for Norfolk. Daniel was educated at Bracondale in Norwich.
Roger was married to Diana in 1965, they had two sons. Daniel married Sandra, I know not when and had one son. I have never met Sandra. Dan died in April 2004, his ashes were scattered at Blakeney, neither son attended, there is no other memorial to him.
Roger died in 2015 I think, of cancer, and Daniel in 2019 of organ failure.
His lady friend's family whom Dan brought up, consisted of two girls and two boys. All were exceptionally good to Dan and he would have been in a great muddle without them.
Elizabeth Rivett née Hagen - 6th June 2026

Hagen family tree

Families
Dagless family	Fowle family	Fuller family	Hagen family	Roy family	Ward family	Wright family