This would have been a "food hunters" dream in the early 1600's
Road System
- As important as the population of a village was, it was not the only point of significance. Geographic considerations were just as important, even as late as the second half of the 1700’s. BJ was always both small and remote - passage invariably crude, generally via unmade roads, bridal ways and footpaths
There was no bridge over the river Trent between Nottingham and Newark and as BJ has never stood at a road junction. The old road to Grimsby which passed through was not good and was the only way down river to get to Bleasby/Hazelmere, where the nearest cross river ferry was situated. Jon Ogliby in his text accompanying his road map (1675) describes the road passing thro BJ as “no pleasant way ,being in many places deep and clayey”
On the other hand in 1750 Charles Deering writes about the same road
“the horse road over the forest to Newark from Nottingham is .. . Seldom inconvenient, but on the contrary for the most part, especially in summer, furnishes the horseman for eight miles with a most pleasurable journey, by the north bank of the river Trent, whilst he rides on a green lawn and enjoys the most delightful view of the high ad steep hills near the opposite side of the river.”
In 1767 the road from Nottingham to Newark still appears to pass thro BJ. However, much later in 1822 Peterson’s map shows the road from Nottingham to Southwell going via Redhill and up Oxton Hill.
Even as late as 1750 the roads in the neighbourhood of Nottingham were described as “at times impassable for vehicles and in winter it happened not infrequently that wagon and coaches were stuck in the mud and were left there until extrication became more easy”
TRANSPORT- “
Shank’s pony” ( ones own feet!!) , ponies, horse, cows etc., “beast of laden” although even in the late 1700, wheeled vehicles were relatively scarce, however, the amount of traffic on the roads was vast for so small a population. There were enormous numbers of pack horses as well as great herds of cattle, sheep and pigs, geese and other livestock which could be moved by walking along the roads. This constant procession of feet, especially in wet weather turned the soft “unsurfaced” tracks into quagmires. It is reported that geese came thro BJ on their way from Lincolnshire to Nottingham Goose Fair. It is also reported that often the feet of the geese were coated by dipping them into tar, to protect them throughout their walk over the great distances
RELIGION in BJ
Vicars of St. Helen’s (Church of England) thro the ages
1581 - John Parker 1626 - Edward Piers 1627 - John Gifford
Attendance at the “new” Protestant Church of England had been compulsory since 1570 as part of a campaign against the Catholics after the Pope had excommunicated the Queen.
“Every Lords Day unlawful meetings are held at……..John Trewman’s house, attended by,
)
HOUSING
John Trewman and his family…James Pecke….. Adam Barker and his wife
Jon Goffe and his family…………….Gabriell Blatherwick and his family
Richard Marshall and his wife……….Thomas Orston and his family
John Oxley and his wife………………Edward Spenser and his family
Joseph Spenser and his family………Janne Parker…… Catherine Truman
Robert Bradshaw and his family…….Richard Walker…………..Ann Walker
Ann South……….Urie Martin
In fact people of BJ were playing havoc with the work of their Pastor in the years 1699 to 1714
It is very relevant to mention at this point that the invention of the Stocking Frame ( FWK ) by the clergyman Rev William Lee from nearby Calverton in 1589 and the first cotton hose created in 1730 by Slater the “Stockinger of Bellargate” both had major and significant influences on the individual livelihood and lifestyles and many of the villagers of BJ and their families throughout the period of this TimeLine
An early FWK's Frame
Thro out this period the majority of families lived in squalid one or two roomed houses/cottages - the rent being between 15s and 25s a year (£1.00p/1.25p in todays money) depending upon the amount of land, if any, which went with it.,
It should be added that Vicars and the Clergy always appeared to be a “cut above the rest” for example.. BJ’s Vicarage had a Study, Hall, Parlours, Three Chambers, Kitchen, Quern house and Tilhouse, ( better class houses still had their main living area in the Hall or House as it was sometimes called - this was often open to the roof rafters.
These rooms were generally the centre of all domestic life and used for cooking, eating, sitting, and sleeping. (Parlours were originally “withdrawing rooms” for the Master and Mistress to sit and sleep in, away from the servants in the Hall)
The Vicars in these early times had to be Farmers also -
John Parker had eight cows, three beasts, five calves, five horse, eight pigs, and forty eight sheep also barley and peas
In later years the Vicarage was measured at 30’ x 15’, the Barn 18’ x 14’, the Stable 16’ x 12’ and the Beast Hovel 14’x11’ (for info 3.1’ = 1M).
The old BJ Vicarage once stood on the plot of land now occupied by 24 & 26 Main Street and the small bungalows on Tim Lane.
However, it was not considered fit for the Vicar to live in during John Rolleston’s incumbency (1882-63) and it was let to 3 families.
The Vicar moved to a house close by the Church.
It should be added here that some time later in the TimeLine 2 more churches were built - one in the villages centre (Methodist) and another on Lambley Lane.
By the end of the 1500’s Parishes followed a typical English village pattern and appointed a Church Warden, a Way Warden or Supervisor of Roads, a Constable, and an Overseer of the Poor.
In 1626 a Roger Guest of Bulcote and a labourer was allowed six pence a week
“he having lived for 20 years in the parish and being too feeble to keep himself and his wife”.
Money to pay for the services provided for the poor came from a levy being made whenever the were required
Records show that BJ had 22 houses and Bulcote 13, with a rental value of more than £5 yearly, and it was on the occupants of these houses that the levy was made. All except the very poor paid a Poor Rate.
(For example - in later years - 1757 John Alvey moved to BJ - leaving his wife and 3 children in Woodboro, where they became the responsibility of the parish. The Overseer tried to seize a Stocking Frame but John’s brother Samuel claimed actual ownership. This predicament became the subject of a court action in Nottingham and was finally resolved in Samuel’s favour)
Monetary relief was also given to able bodied paupers. An extract from an official document reveals….
“To the Constable and Church Warden and others , the Overseers of the poor of the parish of Burton Joyce
Greetings:
Whereas complain hath been made unto me Sit Thos Parkyns Bart, one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace …….that Geo Merston of your town who appears to Me to be an Inhabitant legally settled in your Parish is in Great need and Poverty and likely to perish for want of Employment to maintain himself and his family
Therefore in his Majesty’s name we command you the Ch. Warden etc………… to set ye said George Merston on work or to pay unto him Two shillings weekly for the and out of your Publick Levey for ye use of Ye Poor made etc…. otherwise to come before me and show cause to the contrary.
Hereof fail not at your peril”
1649 in Nottingham the system for contracting with a “Master for the Employment of the Poor” was made to include able bodied men and children.
The Corporation undertook to supply to a “Master” a capital sum of £20, a quarterly subsidy of 27s 6d and 12 spinning wheels.
On his part the Master agreed to set the poor on the spinning of linen and woollen and pulling out candlewick and to pay the following rates of wages
6d per pound for carding and spinning finest wool
5d “ “ “ the second sort
4.5d “ “ “ “ third sort
1d per leg ( ie per skein) for linen spinning, the reel being 4 yard long
0.5d per pound for carding candlewick
1d “ “ “ pulling out coarse part
1d “ “ “ spinning candlewick
1634 NO schoolmaster in BJ recorded
---------------------
More to follow ....
More to follow ....
