Partial demolition

Trusley Manor was partially demolished in 1948 because maintaining such a large house on the income from a fairly small estate became impossible. The remaining part was converted into four apartments for rent and is shown on the right hand side of the photo above. Today it is occupied by Ed Coke-Steel and his family.

In 1940 Trusley, and the Coke family, received a welcome injection of capital when Ronald Steel married Francis Coke - the family name was changed to Coke-Steel in 1945. Ronald came from a steel making dynasty in Sheffield and joined Daniel Doncaster & Sons, forgemasters, in the 1920s - eventually becoming chairman from 1955 until his death in 1963. He would be pleased to know that Doncasters still exists and is now a multi-national company. Some Doncasters steel beams are in the farm buildings at Home Farm!

The photo below shows some of Doncasters delivery lorries in the late 1920s - the one in the foreground is steam powered!

Ronald was very involved with the estate, regularly visiting tenant farmers to discuss the current state of agriculture and running his own small herd of Red Poll cattle.

The Trusley Estate web site tells us a great deal about the history of the Coke family and, after some research with help from contacts in Sheffield, we now know a great deal about the Steel side of the family - please contact us if you would like details.