It does seem that Quark lived for 30 years in Water lane before possibly being evicted at the approximate age of 73 years, to be made homeless. Mr Laurie, owner of Butlers Farm was most concerned at George's circumstances and provided him with a Shepherds Caravan on a plot of land adjacent to Pricketts Hall Farm. By the mid 1930's, it would appear that he was living a rather solitary life in his caravan in various locations off the Colne road between Bures Hamlet and White Colne. Why he was roaming around when he had a permanent pitch, remains a mystery. However he seems to have settled down by October 1936, as his address on the Electoral Roll was given as 'The Hut', Colne Road. George often told the Lauries, he couldn't be happier with his new home. Although George was never officially employed at Butlers Farm, Mr Laurie always kept a watchful eye on him. At harvest time, George is still remembered for sitting and watching the proceedings whilst eating his lunch of bread, cheese and chewing on a raw onion. George was a great friend to Jim Laurie(son) and often took him shooting. To this day Jim treasures a letter George took the trouble to write from his shepherds hut, while he was posted away during WW2 - a real friend indeed. <Final part of letter written to Jim Laurie   George lived the simple 'good' life and took any work offered, usually bean picking, pea picking, rabbiting and ratting. No wonder George kept the bottom of his trouser legs tightly tied with string. One of his strange habits was to smoke his clay-pipe upside down ! He also shot rooks which was how he was to acquire his nickname of Quark, the sound the rooks made when they saw him coming. Quark (as I shall now call George) was also into a spot of poaching.

By the early 1930's, Quark had re-established contact with his now married daughter Frances and his son George. Frances lived in Lexden and Quark would often make the journey to visit her. Sadly, Frances was to die (from cancer) in 1936 leaving just her brother George as Quark's only surviving child. George would occasionally visit his father from his home in Holbrook, Suffolk. It`s not known if Quark had any real contact with his stepson Bertie who had lived with him in Water Lane. Left:- typical Shepherds caravan taken 2007

During the 1930's Quark was a regular sight walking and tri-cycling the lanes above Bures Hamlet. On foot he would often use the footpath by Nurses Wood and Butlers Farm as his shortcut to the village. By road,he would use the trike. On Thursdays, Quark would regularly catch the bus to Sudbury market having first left his trike in the alleyway beside Webbers shop. This would later be 'liberated' by local children once school was out for the day. But not for long as the bus with Quark on board, was due back in the village at 3.50pm.
The children usually got a few rides along the road, before being chased off by Quark, shouting and waving his stick.
 
For many years Quark just had his numerous dogs for company although strangely he was never seen in the village with more than one dog at a time. The dogs were named "Fly" and "Flossy" which George used for hunting rabbits. George would send down a ferret into the rabbit burrow and cover the hole with netting. "Fly" would get extremely agitated pulling at his lead. George would often be heard to say "Fly,you are too resolute". The Laurie children being very young at the time could never work out what this word "resolute" meant, until much later in life.

On one occasion, Quark had to visit a local dentist who complained bitterly about Quark`s aroma, it was the disinfectant that he used on his dogs.

By the mid 1930's, Quark`s 'caravan' was permantely situated down the lane opposite Upper Jennys Farm (later Pricketts Hall farm). Quark would often receive eggs and a rice pudding and have his can filled with oil by Mrs Doe who lived at the farm. In return Quark would provide her with freshly killed rabbits. Outside his accommodation hung a sign which stated:- "A place where you are treated the best and grumble the most" Around this time Quark acquired a new neighbour in 'Norfolk Bill' who had his static caravan / hut positioned by the Laurie's close by to Quark's caravan. However the men were rarely seen socialising together and its possible they may have eyed each other with suspicion. left:- drawing by Busky Laurie

Quark was known not to get along with everyone and in particular had taken a dislike to the occupants of nearby Peartree Cottage.
On the day they moved, Quark was seen standing outside banging his tin cans.

Quark didn't have many visitors but one regular was the insurance man who would give Quark a small pension for his sons killed in the war.
By the outbreak of the second world war Quark was eighty years old and in declining health.

As the war progressed, US military personal also arrived in the area and Nurses Wood became the site of a secret 'bomb dump'. Living in the restricted area, both Quark and Bill were exempt from carrying passes.

Both Quark and 'Norfolk Bill' became well known to the various military personal stationed in the area. Both the US servicemen in Nurses Wood and the Army personal manning the searchlight hut on Colne Road were often seen attempting to ride Quark's trike although invariably they would fall off.
On many an evening,Quark would walk the few hundred yards down the lane to the searchlight hut, not just for the company but also for the warmth from the lamp and the serviceman's fire.

On 28th April 1941 Quark was interviewed by the BBC instigated by Dr Thomas Wood. This caused great excitement at Butlers Farm, but sadly the children never got to see the visit, as farming took priority. Unfortunately, the BBC archives record no transmission of this interview.
It is also rumoured an article about Quark's rural existence was once featured in a national magazine. Realistically, it would have been more local, such as the East Anglian Daily Times or a regional magazine.
 
However,walking home in the cold midnight air he would suffer from chills which aggravated his bad cough and failing health.
Then, in the autumn of 1944, Quark was missed for a couple of days and was eventually found semi-collapsed in his hut. A doctor was called and Quark was taken to St. Michael's Hospital in Braintree.
 
His home for forty four years, Quark never returned to Bures Hamlet and George Frederick Baker died peacefully at St. Michael's on November 5th, 1944. He was eighty five years old.
 On his death certificate his address was given simply as "The Hut", Colne Road, Bures Hamlet. This would have been his home for something like 12 years.
 
Over sixty years after his passing, Quark Baker is still remembered, sitting in a armchair in his hut surrounded by his dogs.

    Rob Brown

Acknowledgment also to Mr. Reg Bower, Mr. Alfred Cardy, Mr. B J Clampin., Mr. Eric Doe, Busky and Jim Laurie, Arthur Kemp, Trevor Riches, Gordon Webber and many others in Bures who remembered George
If you can shed any more information on this gentlemen, then please use the Contact icon or the Forum
ver 8(JR). 17.09.07