Charlotte Mary Laurie, was born at Butlers Farm, Colne Road, Bures St Mary, Suffolk on 28 December 1928, the daughter of Andrew James Innes Laurie (23 February 1884-28 January 1969), a working farmer, and his wife Charlotte Jessie Wyllie Rogers (20 April 1902- 2 April 1979), who married at Frinton-on-sea in 1924.
They both started married life in a farmhouse called "Beanlands" in Tendring, but by the end of 1925 they had moved to Butlers Farm.

Later, Andrew farmed "Polsteads" a short distance away at Daws Cross.


Andrew and Charlotte`s five children.

(1) Mary Laurie - bOct 1924 - Emigrated to South Africa in 1955. Married Don Macdonald in 1957 In Durban
Both returned to the UK in 1960 to live at Hadleigh, Suffolk
Donald died in 1969 ( see notes foot of page)
It then gets confusing
For some reason after the death of her husband Donald, she was then known as Mary Scrivener, but I can find no marriage to that name
Then we have Mary Scrivenor listed to have married Alan Dixon (b1954) in 1988 at Hadleigh

(2)James Andrew Stewart Laurie 9/4/1926. he was the Vicar at Charsfield together with Four other parishes.
Rev.James passed away on Sunday, June 1, 2014, aged 88 years.

(3)Charlotte Mary Laurie 28/12/1928 -8/7/2020

(4)Ruth Laurie 26/5/1930 - d Jan 1945 aged 14 (due overactive thyroid, no cure)

(5)Elizabeth Laurie 5/6/1932 - d unknown

Charlotte, or 'Busky' as she was locally known, obviously had a farming background and studied under artist Bernard Adams (1884-1965) in his Chelsea Studio in London.
She exhibited in London and the provinces, including with the Society of Women Artists.
In 1980, her oils 'The Forge, Stoke by Nayland' dated 1960, was exhibited at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich.

Busky derived her nick-name from Buskins which are Thick soled boots.
She was put in charge of all the "Horses Tack" at Butlers Farm, hence the name which stayed her until she passed away
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The Laurie family moved from Butlers probably around 1952, relocating to Leavenheath.

(a) Charlotte lived in the Old Vicarage at Leavenheath with her mother.
(b) Hunters Lodge, Stoke Road. (circa 1968)
(c)Property called "Stones Throw", Newton Rd, Sudbury
(d)Property in Harrow St, Leavenheath
(e)Saracens Head at Newton Green
(f) Black Cottage (Now Blackthorn Lodge) along the Stoke Rd at Leavenheath
(g) Finally relocating to Thorington St, Stoke by Nayland

Busky worked at Leaden Hall, Leavenheath working for Mr Dawson, possibly 1962/3 looking after the horses.

Jeremy Pilgrim recalls Mrs Laurie travelling around Leavenheath on a motorbike and sidecar while her husband used the Rolls Royce.
It was not unusual for Mrs Laurie to travel to Scotland using her motorbike, accompanied by her dogs and Busky in the sidecar.

From her Studio in Thorington Street, Busky exhibited her paintings at the 'Visions of Sudbury' at St Peter's church, Sudbury in 2007,
Three of her oil paintings were on display, 'The Mill Hotel', 'Highland Cattle and 'The Maldon Grey'.

She died at Waterfield Care House, Hadleigh on 8 July 2020, she was unmarried.

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How I first met Charlotte:-

Back in 2004, I was very intrigued with the numerous single way concrete roads that were on land adjacent to Bakers Hall and Butlers Farm in Bures.
In one case to the rear of Butlers Farmhouse, one road was constructed in a loop.
So, what was the purpose of them ?

I first contacted Gordon Webber, the owner of Bakers Hall who by now had moved to a bungalow along the Colchester Rd in Bures.
He told me that he had signed the Official Secrets Act in 1941 and his lips were sealed. He suggested that I contacted the Laurie family who owned Butlers during the war.
Local enquiries revealed the Laurie`s vacated Butlers sometime during the 1950/60`s, but there was a surviving daughter Charlotte, but she was no longer living in the village.

An internet search revealed a "Charlotte Laurie, Artist" living in Thorington St, Stoke by Nayland.
I telephoned Charlotte and arranged a visit a few days later.

On my arrival I knocked at the side door to be greeted by "Charlotte". What struck me most, was the large amount of oil paintings that were lying on the floor, table and hanging on all the walls.
When I explained that I was researching the activities surrounding Butlers Farm during the war years, she was eager to help me out.
I had struck gold, Busky knew all about the mysterious roads, informing me they were constructed by the American Air Force during 1943 for the storage of thousands of Bombs which were destined for the local airfields.
It was officially known as the "USAAF Station 526"

All the land owned by Butlers and Bakers was commandeered by the US Airforce with the exception of the two farmhouses, in which they were allowed to continue living in.
Amazingly, Busky has kept a daily diary throughout the war years.
Subsequently I visited Busky on several occasions to make copious notes and recordings from her memories of the War years.
I also had the pleasure of meeting James her brother on my visits to Thorington St. He was a Vicar somewhere around the Bury St Edmunds area

After many more years of research the book " USAAF Station 526" was eventually published in 2019. By now Busky had vacated Thorington Street, but where was she now?
Through Facebook , I learn`t she was now at Waterfield House in Hadleigh. I contacted the Care Home and explained how Busky was an inspiration to a book I had just published. The Manager explained she was now suffering from Dementia, but she was very keen for me to send them a copy, one of the Voluntary staff would read and describe the book to Busky.
I sent a copy in addition to a printout of all the painting you see on the next few pages.
Hopefully, this would have stimulated Busky`s memories of her childhood time at Butlers.

Busky, a truly wonderful lady who will be sorely missed - RIP
Alan Beales

Acknowledgement to Beth Munnings-Winter for reproducing this Image Beth was related to Sir Alfred Munnings, the renound equine artist.	Busky`s charcoal drawing of Butlers Farm
Thorington Street The extension to the rear was Busky`s Studio	Romany Caravan parked in Busky`s garden at Thorington Street
Circa 1980 floods in Bures outside The Swan Public House Busky & Mary following her mother, making their way back to the farm.	Left to right Busky, Ruth, Mary and Mother,
	Busky was great friends with Roger Clarke at Weylands Farm, only a short walk from Thorington Street. Roger was a farrier and an outstanding horseman. He had been involved with the Suffolk Horse Society, which works with owners of the endangered breed, believed to be the oldest heavy horse breed in Britain, to try to increase its numbers. He was very active in the breeding of these magnificent horses. Roger farmed in the old traditional way, using his horses for all the work carried out on his farm such as ploughing, threshing, carting etc When you visited the farm it was like stepping back 100 years. You could often see him at work in the fields, looking across the valley along the Stoke to Higham Road I met him on numerous occasions, when he was working in the local area. Roger died in 2019

Photographs by Alan Beales
Published 02/09/21
Updated 05/09/2021
updated 02/10/2021
David Whymark with Leavenheath material
Thanks to Elizabeth Gardiner (sudbury) a great friend of Busky
updated 23/08/2022 Mary Scrivenor