The government has, belatedly in the view of many people, announced that former land girls from the Women’s Land Army and lumber Jills (from the Women’s Timber Corps) are to receive a special badge in recognition of their wartime service. After the announcement, on 6 December 2007 the BBC Radio 4 PM programme interviewed Hilda Gibson, a former land girl - see http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/pm/9childa_gibson_land_girl/ for the interview, comments and her poetry about her experiences.
BHRS Council member, Stuart Antrobus, wrote to praise the interview and to draw people’s attention to his Internet site about the Women’s Land Army in Bedfordshire. The site http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.wla/wla_home.htm
which is hosted by Bedfordshire Libraries, has a wealth of information and photographs about the land girls and their work – where they trained, where they lived, what work they did, and who they were. Stuart has identified and lists hundreds of land girls and would like to hear from anyone who can contribute information about them.
For more on Stuart’s work, see http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.wla/wla_stuart_antrobus.htm
Another source of information about the Women’s Land Army and the Bedfordshire War Agricultural Committee is BLARS.
Saturday, 15 December 2007
Friday, 7 December 2007
The 1865-66 cattle plague in Bedfordshire
In these days of increasingly frequent alarms about foot and mouth disease, bird flu and now blue tongue disease, it would be easy to think that epidemics in cattle were a recent phenomena. Far from it, as I discovered accidentally while searching one of my favourite online sources – the London Gazette http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/
Under the heading Cattle Plague, the Gazette of 15 December 1865 carries notices from the Petty Sessions for Ampthill and Woburn prohibiting the movement of cattle from the two districts for exhibition or sale. They are just two in 18 pages of orders made by petty sessions around the country.
By January conditions had worsened and the Gazette of 19 January 1866 contains orders prohibiting the movement of cattle “with a view to prevent the spreading of the disorder now prevalent - among cattle, generally designated the ‘Cattle Plague’” made by Quarter Sessions or Liberties of the Royal Burgh of Lanark, Plymouth, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Walsall, Oldham, Canterbury and Kent, Durham, Bedfordshire, Ripon, Paisley, Bottisham in Cambridgeshire, Lymington, Cumberland, Sussex, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Clitheroe, Swansea, Stalybridge, Faversham, Devonport, Havering-Atte-Sower, in Essex, and Middlesex. The orders were in force from 18 January to 1 March.
The Bedfordshire order, signed by Theed Wm Pearse as Clerk of the Peace, is particularly long and concludes with pro forma declarations and certificates for use on the limited occasions when movement of animals was permitted.
On 9 February 1866 more orders were made prohibiting “raw or untanned hide, skin, horn, hoof, or offal of any animal” being brought into Bedfordshire and also prohibiting “dung, hay, straw, fodder, or litter, likely to propagate infection” and “sheep, lamb, goat, or swine” from being moved out of Bedfordshire from places “where the cattle plague exists”. Similar orders were made for many other areas.
This was the outbreak of rinderpest, noted by Joyce Godber in her History of Bedfordshire as having arrived in Britain from the continent in 1865. The effect of the 1865-66 outbreak can be more easily imagined in light of recent ones. I wonder how many Bedfordshire farmers were ruined in 1866 and how many farm workers lost their jobs? Did it contribute to the move to industrial towns and emigration?
Under the heading Cattle Plague, the Gazette of 15 December 1865 carries notices from the Petty Sessions for Ampthill and Woburn prohibiting the movement of cattle from the two districts for exhibition or sale. They are just two in 18 pages of orders made by petty sessions around the country.
By January conditions had worsened and the Gazette of 19 January 1866 contains orders prohibiting the movement of cattle “with a view to prevent the spreading of the disorder now prevalent - among cattle, generally designated the ‘Cattle Plague’” made by Quarter Sessions or Liberties of the Royal Burgh of Lanark, Plymouth, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Walsall, Oldham, Canterbury and Kent, Durham, Bedfordshire, Ripon, Paisley, Bottisham in Cambridgeshire, Lymington, Cumberland, Sussex, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Clitheroe, Swansea, Stalybridge, Faversham, Devonport, Havering-Atte-Sower, in Essex, and Middlesex. The orders were in force from 18 January to 1 March.
The Bedfordshire order, signed by Theed Wm Pearse as Clerk of the Peace, is particularly long and concludes with pro forma declarations and certificates for use on the limited occasions when movement of animals was permitted.
On 9 February 1866 more orders were made prohibiting “raw or untanned hide, skin, horn, hoof, or offal of any animal” being brought into Bedfordshire and also prohibiting “dung, hay, straw, fodder, or litter, likely to propagate infection” and “sheep, lamb, goat, or swine” from being moved out of Bedfordshire from places “where the cattle plague exists”. Similar orders were made for many other areas.
This was the outbreak of rinderpest, noted by Joyce Godber in her History of Bedfordshire as having arrived in Britain from the continent in 1865. The effect of the 1865-66 outbreak can be more easily imagined in light of recent ones. I wonder how many Bedfordshire farmers were ruined in 1866 and how many farm workers lost their jobs? Did it contribute to the move to industrial towns and emigration?
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Bedfordshire apprentices far from home
How far away from Bedfordshire and home were youngster sent as apprentices?
A lot went to London, of course, but recently I discovered two Bedfordshire-born apprentices in Gloucester:
On 24 June 1598 William, son of Robert Wilshere a husbandman of Oakley, was apprenticed to Lawrence and Sarah Wilsheere, a weaver in Gloucester for 7 years.
On 21 May 1601 Thomas Phillippe, son of George Phillippes a yeoman of Westoning, was apprenticed to William Saunders, a haberdasher of Gloucester for 7 years, and was transferred to Peter Lugg, haberdasher, on 12 April 1605 to complete his term.
(source: A calendar of the apprentices of the city of Gloucester 1595-1700. Gloucestershire Record Series, vol 14. 2001)
It is reasonable to assume a family connection between the Wilshere apprentice and master but was there a similar connection between Phillippe and Saunders? If not, how did the connection occur? And, how did the youngsters travel?
Any ideas and also any other instances of Bedfordshire boys (or girls) being apprenticed at some distance from the county, especially at that period, would be gratefuly received.
A lot went to London, of course, but recently I discovered two Bedfordshire-born apprentices in Gloucester:
On 24 June 1598 William, son of Robert Wilshere a husbandman of Oakley, was apprenticed to Lawrence and Sarah Wilsheere, a weaver in Gloucester for 7 years.
On 21 May 1601 Thomas Phillippe, son of George Phillippes a yeoman of Westoning, was apprenticed to William Saunders, a haberdasher of Gloucester for 7 years, and was transferred to Peter Lugg, haberdasher, on 12 April 1605 to complete his term.
(source: A calendar of the apprentices of the city of Gloucester 1595-1700. Gloucestershire Record Series, vol 14. 2001)
It is reasonable to assume a family connection between the Wilshere apprentice and master but was there a similar connection between Phillippe and Saunders? If not, how did the connection occur? And, how did the youngsters travel?
Any ideas and also any other instances of Bedfordshire boys (or girls) being apprenticed at some distance from the county, especially at that period, would be gratefuly received.
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Southend Church Bedford and the Bousfields
By coincidence, within two months of BHRS's launch of the Bousfield Diaries, the church which was the centre of the Bousfields' religious life celebrated its one hundred and thirty fourth anniversary.
In November 1873, a new Methodist church was founded in the district of Bedford known as Southend. One of the founders, Charlotte Bousfield, kept a diary of her life, in which her ‘little chapel’, as she called it, played an important part. The church was founded as a memorial to Charlotte’s last child, a daughter always known as ‘Edris’, who died in 1872 at the age of three. She lies in Bedford Cemetery, and a photograph of the gravestone, which had been hidden for many years under a large tree just by the main entrance to the Chapel there, appears in the Diaries.
In November 1873, a new Methodist church was founded in the district of Bedford known as Southend. One of the founders, Charlotte Bousfield, kept a diary of her life, in which her ‘little chapel’, as she called it, played an important part. The church was founded as a memorial to Charlotte’s last child, a daughter always known as ‘Edris’, who died in 1872 at the age of three. She lies in Bedford Cemetery, and a photograph of the gravestone, which had been hidden for many years under a large tree just by the main entrance to the Chapel there, appears in the Diaries.
Last Sunday (18 November) the anniversary of the foundation was celebrated by the Minister and congregation as it has been every year since 1873. The editor of the Diaries, Richard Smart, attended the service and presented a copy to the Minister, Revd Rachel Larkinson and congregation.
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Bernard West’s Bedfordshire
Contributed by Anne Allsopp
Last Friday, 16 November, saw the launch at Willington Village Hall of this delightful collection of sketches.
The Bedfordshire Historical Record Society now owns the copyright to the excellent Bedfordshire Magazine which ceased publication in 1999. Between Summer 1947 and Spring 1998, Bernard West contributed sketchbook drawings for all but two of the quarterly issues. Gordon Vowles, a member of the BHRS and personal friend of Bernard West, has collected a selection of his sketches for publication in this delightful book.
Bernard West was a practising architect and his interests included history as well as archaeology, conservation and natural history. He ‘waged an unrelenting campaign for good design and sympathetic preservation’. The sketches are accompanied by commentaries, many of which reflect his contempt for the lack of sensitive planning over the years.
When he died, in January 2006, the local history group in his home village of Willington decided that something should be done to commemorate Bernard West’s contribution to recording the history of the county and, with the support of the BHRS, this book was published. Gordon Vowles has aimed to produce a ‘representative spread’ of locations throughout the county in this selection.
This excellent book will enable a wider audience to appreciate the artistic skill of Bernard West and also the architectural and rural treasures of Bedfordshire.
Bernard West’s Bedfordshire: a selection of his Sketch-books from the Bedfordshire Magazine 1947-98, edited by Gordon Vowles and published by The Book Castle, Dunstable, LU5 4RU in November 2007 at £12.99 http://www.book-castle.co.uk/
See other reviews of this book at
http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/todays-choice/Sketches-of-Bedfordshire.3898969.jp
http://www.mk-news.co.uk/bedsonsunday-leisure-books/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=240392
http://www.balhs.org.uk/bookreviews.htm
Last Friday, 16 November, saw the launch at Willington Village Hall of this delightful collection of sketches.
The Bedfordshire Historical Record Society now owns the copyright to the excellent Bedfordshire Magazine which ceased publication in 1999. Between Summer 1947 and Spring 1998, Bernard West contributed sketchbook drawings for all but two of the quarterly issues. Gordon Vowles, a member of the BHRS and personal friend of Bernard West, has collected a selection of his sketches for publication in this delightful book.
Bernard West was a practising architect and his interests included history as well as archaeology, conservation and natural history. He ‘waged an unrelenting campaign for good design and sympathetic preservation’. The sketches are accompanied by commentaries, many of which reflect his contempt for the lack of sensitive planning over the years.
When he died, in January 2006, the local history group in his home village of Willington decided that something should be done to commemorate Bernard West’s contribution to recording the history of the county and, with the support of the BHRS, this book was published. Gordon Vowles has aimed to produce a ‘representative spread’ of locations throughout the county in this selection.
This excellent book will enable a wider audience to appreciate the artistic skill of Bernard West and also the architectural and rural treasures of Bedfordshire.
Bernard West’s Bedfordshire: a selection of his Sketch-books from the Bedfordshire Magazine 1947-98, edited by Gordon Vowles and published by The Book Castle, Dunstable, LU5 4RU in November 2007 at £12.99 http://www.book-castle.co.uk/
See other reviews of this book at
http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/todays-choice/Sketches-of-Bedfordshire.3898969.jp
http://www.mk-news.co.uk/bedsonsunday-leisure-books/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=240392
http://www.balhs.org.uk/bookreviews.htm
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
The Bousfield Diaries - BHRS’s 2007 volume
The Society’s latest book was launched on 8 September. Appropriately sub-titled A middle-class family in late Victorian Bedford, it contains the diaries for 1878 to 1896 of Charlotte Bousfield, the wife of the manager of the Britannia Ironworks in Bedford. She tells us a little about her husband, Edward’s, work, especially his experiments with electricity and with new designs for automated reaping and harvesting equipment. She records her children’s successes: one son became a QC and Tory MP as well as sharing his father’s interest in inventions; another became a doctor and member of the Queckett Microscopical Club; the third was a patent agent; and one daughter was an accomplished artist.
The family were staunch Methodists and teetotallers and Charlotte, helped by her two daughters, was very active in spreading the good word of both causes, although her use of the description of her work as ‘a toiler in the vineyard’ is rather incongruous given the teetotal nature of her views. The diaries describe meetings of national temperance organisations in London and journeyings around the country – all spreading the good word. She was also involved in running a home for inebriated middle class women in London.
All these activities saw her travelling around the country but always returning to Bedford and Aspley Heath. Nearer home, there was a succession of Mother’s Meetings, Blue Ribbon clubs and temperance meetings in and around Bedford. She was amongst the poor law guardians elected after the Bedford Workhouse scandal of 1894 and she records some of that and conditions in the workhouse.
Amidst the daily round, there are entrancing accounts of watching convicts on Dartmoor, converting a Scottish travelling salesman and imbiber on a train journey, election canvassing in London, and watching her son’s introduction as a new member of Parliament. There are glimpses of middle class domestic life, of the social round, religious commitments and of the lives of servants, the working class and the poor.
The diaries belong to Charlotte’s descendants and have been transcribed and edited by two of them, John and Hilary Hamilton. They have been edited for publication by Dr Richard Smart who has added copious notes about the people and the social and political background of Charlotte’s world.
The Bousfield Diaries: a middle-class family in late Victorian Bedford, published by Boydell and Brewer, 2007, Bedfordshire Historical Records Society volume 86. It is available from bookshops or the publisher at http://www.boydell.co.uk/
See reviews of this book at
http://www.bedsonsunday.com/bedsonsunday-leisure-books/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=242174
The family were staunch Methodists and teetotallers and Charlotte, helped by her two daughters, was very active in spreading the good word of both causes, although her use of the description of her work as ‘a toiler in the vineyard’ is rather incongruous given the teetotal nature of her views. The diaries describe meetings of national temperance organisations in London and journeyings around the country – all spreading the good word. She was also involved in running a home for inebriated middle class women in London.
All these activities saw her travelling around the country but always returning to Bedford and Aspley Heath. Nearer home, there was a succession of Mother’s Meetings, Blue Ribbon clubs and temperance meetings in and around Bedford. She was amongst the poor law guardians elected after the Bedford Workhouse scandal of 1894 and she records some of that and conditions in the workhouse.
Amidst the daily round, there are entrancing accounts of watching convicts on Dartmoor, converting a Scottish travelling salesman and imbiber on a train journey, election canvassing in London, and watching her son’s introduction as a new member of Parliament. There are glimpses of middle class domestic life, of the social round, religious commitments and of the lives of servants, the working class and the poor.
The diaries belong to Charlotte’s descendants and have been transcribed and edited by two of them, John and Hilary Hamilton. They have been edited for publication by Dr Richard Smart who has added copious notes about the people and the social and political background of Charlotte’s world.
The Bousfield Diaries: a middle-class family in late Victorian Bedford, published by Boydell and Brewer, 2007, Bedfordshire Historical Records Society volume 86. It is available from bookshops or the publisher at http://www.boydell.co.uk/
See reviews of this book at
http://www.bedsonsunday.com/bedsonsunday-leisure-books/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=242174
Monday, 12 November 2007
Two new links
Today I’ve added two Links: one to the Archaeological Data Service (ADS) and the second to the Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG), both good sources for Bedfordshire landscape and buildings.
VAG was formed in 1952 for the study of traditional buildings, originally those of the British Isles but now it reflects international interests. Members are ‘involved in all aspects of the recording and study of vernacular buildings’. The website has information about conferences, its publications and links to databases. VAG’s cruck buildings and dendrochronology databases are held on the Archaeology Data Service website (ADS).
ADS is a MUST for all Bedfordshire historians. It brings together research from English Heritage, National Monuments Record, Bedfordshire County Council and many more. There’s much too much to even try to describe its scope. A crude search of the ADS Online Catalogue for Bedfordshire found more than 3000 hits, ranging from palaeolithic flakes to Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts of the Cold War period. I explored ADS for places that I’m interested in and discovered that Stanbridge in the south of the county is described as a shrunken medieval or post-medieval village and that the Fonterraultine priory of Grovebury may not have been fully established.
There’s plenty of opportunity in both these sites for anyone with Bedfordshire interests or wishing to put the local in a regional or national context.
Barbara Tearle
VAG was formed in 1952 for the study of traditional buildings, originally those of the British Isles but now it reflects international interests. Members are ‘involved in all aspects of the recording and study of vernacular buildings’. The website has information about conferences, its publications and links to databases. VAG’s cruck buildings and dendrochronology databases are held on the Archaeology Data Service website (ADS).
ADS is a MUST for all Bedfordshire historians. It brings together research from English Heritage, National Monuments Record, Bedfordshire County Council and many more. There’s much too much to even try to describe its scope. A crude search of the ADS Online Catalogue for Bedfordshire found more than 3000 hits, ranging from palaeolithic flakes to Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts of the Cold War period. I explored ADS for places that I’m interested in and discovered that Stanbridge in the south of the county is described as a shrunken medieval or post-medieval village and that the Fonterraultine priory of Grovebury may not have been fully established.
There’s plenty of opportunity in both these sites for anyone with Bedfordshire interests or wishing to put the local in a regional or national context.
Barbara Tearle
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Launch of Bedfordshirehistory Blog!
This is the blog of the Bedfordshire Historical Record Society (BHRS). The Society has been in existence for nearly 100 years and publishes books of source material for the history of Bedfordshire.
But the Blog is not only about BHRS. It aims to cover news, events, books, lectures, research and INTERESTING stuff about the history of Bedfordshire and welcomes your contributions on these topics as comments or as blog entries.
Barbara Tearle
General Editor
BHRS
But the Blog is not only about BHRS. It aims to cover news, events, books, lectures, research and INTERESTING stuff about the history of Bedfordshire and welcomes your contributions on these topics as comments or as blog entries.
Barbara Tearle
General Editor
BHRS
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