The Budge Family

 Alfred Peter Budge 

Alfred Peter Budge a retired orchardist died in July. Alfred was the man who made the delightful miniature orchard equipment that has been displayed in the Sloyd Room at Schramm’s Cottage. 

Alfred Peter Budge, who died at the age of 86, was an orchardist in Andersons Creek Road.  He went to East Doncaster School learning wood work in the Sloyd Room.  There he developed a great love of working with timber and using tools, he wanted to become a cabinet maker but unfortunately the 1930s depression ended these ambitions.  No work was available and the family needed him on their orchard. 

It was not till Alfred retired twenty years ago that he had the opportunity to really enjoy his skills with tools.  Since then, he has made many articles, coffee tables, mechanical miniature orchard implements, mechanical models attractive  walking sticks. The walking sticks have handles from prunings of fruit trees and the inlaid coffee table has intricate inlaid patterns and fruit from timbers found locally. 

When Kingswood College was build on the land of Alfred's orchard he was asked to open stage 1 of the school. 

Alfred Peter Budge asked that his table, inlaid with a map of Doncaster, be given to Schramms Cottage. It is fitting that this table and the miniature orchard equipment be placed in the Sloyd room where he first learned the skill of using tools 

Source: Irvine Green writing in 1995 09 DTHS Newsletter