Duck's History | How it all began

Integral part of the
community since 1911

FARM SHOP OPEN MON - SAT 8AM - 5PM SUN 8AM - 4PM

History of

DUCK'S FARM SHOP

There has been a business operating on the grounds of Duck’s Farm Shop since the 1950s, but not always as a retail operation. In the 1911 census, it is noted that a William Duck was the proprietor of a general store, serving the village of Portesham and surrounding area. This was not on the same site, but his offspring did start their business on the site where Duck’s now stands.

By the 1950s there was a Garage, Workshop and Petrol Station on the site. It was run by William Duck’s grandsons, two brothers and their father. This ownership passed to the Old family, however, in 2013 the Garage closed its doors and was left empty. It stood empty in the village for the following years.

This is when the Worsley family, who already lived in the village, took the opportunity to acquire the site. They did so in September of 2015, refashioning the site into what you see today. Duck’s Farm Shop, Deli and Café.

They wanted to keep a nod to the original owners of the site, and since William Duck and the Duck family had a business on the site, and was the village’s shop keeper over 100 years prior, Duck’s Farm Shop was born. At the time of it’s opening in July 2016, the Worsley’s had not been able to track down a member of the Duck family to seek their approval in honouring their ancestors. However, after launching, they were delighted to be contacted by a family member who had since relocated to Canada. They were really ecstatic that their family had been remembered in this way and ironically one of the Canadian branch of the Duck family was a Dickie Duck, who used to live on Goose Hill. You couldn’t make it up!

Today Duck’s Farm Shop, Deli and Café occupies the site, a Dorset Farm Shop that works closely with the local farming community to bring the best of Dorset produce to the people of Portesham and all who visit this quintessential Dorset village.