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Topic: Help with researching the history of agricultural labourers/servants (Read 1247 times)
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oldcrone
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 494
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I'm wondering if anyone can help me get a bit more insight into the lives of agricultural labourers/servants in the 19th century?
To be more specific, I'm researching the life of my g-g-g-grandmother, the wife of a lime-burner, who was widowed in her 30s, and left on poor relief with 6 children in a tiny village in Sussex (1851 census). At the next census, she was a 'laundress', had had twins (no father listed), and then another son out of wedlock (although she eventually married the father). Whilst married for the second time, she was living and working on a local farm as a servant, apart from her husband and son; but the next census shows her as a 'farmer of 3 acres' - presumably she's been given a bit of land to farm? All very complicated, and I know that it's difficult to put the detail on this sort of story, but...
Can anyone help me understand this scenario a bit more? Any books/publications which might fill in the gaps? I'm writing up some of this particular strand of the family history at the moment.
Many thanks for any help!
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Shaw/Smith: Ottawa, Canada
Davies, Hill: Middlesex/Surrey
Chatfield: Kent
Crone: Kent/Sussex/Surrey/Ireland
Lyden: Ireland
Pannell, Newland, Proudley (travellers): Sussex/Surrey
Dobson, Hollins: Staffs/Cheshire/Warwicks
Boys: Sussex/London
Payne: Suffolk/London
Hasting(s): Sussex
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meles
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3106
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Sounds like she rather improved her status.
A laundress worked very hard for not much money - an occupation of last resort for a woman with children (she could work at home).
I think it unlikey she was given land (unless she managed to save from her megre income), but I would guess that her husband rented the small plot and worked it. When he died, the owner allowed her to carry on.
meles
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Brock: Alburgh, Norfolk, and after 1850, London; Tooley: Norfolk Grimmer: Norfolk; Grimson: Norfolk Harrison: London; Pollock Dixon: Hampshire; Collins: Middx Jeary: Norfolk; Davison: Norfolk Rogers: London; Bartlett: London Drew: Kent; Alden: Hants Gamble: Yorkshire; Huntingford: East London Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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coombs
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1260
Thomas Roberts & Mary Ann Walder 1864 Marriage
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Hi
I think an ag lab was a skilled farm labourer who was given a cottage to live in by the farmer in return for work. I think an ag lab did a lot of digging ditches, helping plough fields, and other skilled, but probably back breaking work.
Servants were people who were hired at a house by a family, ie, helping keep the house, cook, wash, and all sorts. Male servants were butlers, footmen, coachmen and gardeners mainly.
Here is a story as my family have Sussex blood.
My ggggran Mary Ann Walder born in 1839 was the daughter of a successful wheelwright in the Slaugham area of Sussex. She gave birth to an illegitimate baby daughter in December 1863 in Warninglid, Sussex. The father, Thomas Roberts lived a few miles away in Brighton. He was a 50-year old servant and footman. I think that could be how they met. When Mary Ann Walder fell pregnant in about April 1863, Thomas was still married, but his wife was very ill with TB. The previous wife died on 14 Nov 1863 in Brighton.
Inbetween Feb and June 1864, Thos and Mary Ann both moved to London and Thos gt a job as a servant in Stoke Newington. I believe their behaviour caused a scandal back in Warninglid and that could explain their sudden departure from Sussex.
Ben
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Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET/SOMERSET Coombs, pre 1780s.
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Palding
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham.
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe.
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster.
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk 1700s.
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift.
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain.
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meles
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3106
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My pleasure! 
I hope the references the others gave you are helpful for your research.
mele
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Brock: Alburgh, Norfolk, and after 1850, London; Tooley: Norfolk Grimmer: Norfolk; Grimson: Norfolk Harrison: London; Pollock Dixon: Hampshire; Collins: Middx Jeary: Norfolk; Davison: Norfolk Rogers: London; Bartlett: London Drew: Kent; Alden: Hants Gamble: Yorkshire; Huntingford: East London Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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oldcrone
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 494
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Thank you, Ben! That really helps to give me some context to my own family history research. I can't imagine whether my g-g-g-grandmother's behaviour caused a stir! She definitely had illegitimate twins, and then another illegit son (although she did end up marrying the father).
To me, she sounds like a very tough woman!
Thank you, Toni and Stanmapstone, I will investigate your links!
xxx
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Shaw/Smith: Ottawa, Canada
Davies, Hill: Middlesex/Surrey
Chatfield: Kent
Crone: Kent/Sussex/Surrey/Ireland
Lyden: Ireland
Pannell, Newland, Proudley (travellers): Sussex/Surrey
Dobson, Hollins: Staffs/Cheshire/Warwicks
Boys: Sussex/London
Payne: Suffolk/London
Hasting(s): Sussex
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meles
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3106
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I don't think the illegitimate births would have raised an eyebrow. It was very common - indeed my own gg grandmother had three illegitimate births, whilst she was an ag lab, then she too became a washerwoman.
Her marriage to a tailor was a step up.
meles
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Logged
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Brock: Alburgh, Norfolk, and after 1850, London; Tooley: Norfolk Grimmer: Norfolk; Grimson: Norfolk Harrison: London; Pollock Dixon: Hampshire; Collins: Middx Jeary: Norfolk; Davison: Norfolk Rogers: London; Bartlett: London Drew: Kent; Alden: Hants Gamble: Yorkshire; Huntingford: East London Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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coombs
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1260
Thomas Roberts & Mary Ann Walder 1864 Marriage
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Hi
I think even though it was common, some places still caused a stir with illegitimacy. It was rife but frowned upon. Occasionally, some people did then flee their home parish.
Ben
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Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET/SOMERSET Coombs, pre 1780s.
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Palding
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham.
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe.
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster.
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk 1700s.
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift.
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain.
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oldcrone
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 494
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Out of all my family history research, on all of my grandparent's families, these are the only 'out of wedlock' children I've found so far.
I mean, the poor woman did marry a bloke, had 6 kids, then her old man died in the late 1840s; then she had to do the best she could in a dreadful financial situation! And in a time of primitive contraception.
I suppose this is the type of scenario I want to understand.
Thanks for your help!
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Logged
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Shaw/Smith: Ottawa, Canada
Davies, Hill: Middlesex/Surrey
Chatfield: Kent
Crone: Kent/Sussex/Surrey/Ireland
Lyden: Ireland
Pannell, Newland, Proudley (travellers): Sussex/Surrey
Dobson, Hollins: Staffs/Cheshire/Warwicks
Boys: Sussex/London
Payne: Suffolk/London
Hasting(s): Sussex
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coombs
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1260
Thomas Roberts & Mary Ann Walder 1864 Marriage
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I suppose the date of death and the marriage to her next hubby was more than 13 years apart if the previous one died in 1848 and she remarried in about early 1860s? In those days, it did take time and effort to go out and meet someone after a widowhood unless it was to someone you knew.
It could well be that the second husband was the father of all of her subsequent illegitimate children. She may have been on poor relief, but might also have been recieving some sort of help from a man. Poor law records might find this.
Anyway, could you please tell me her name so I can look her up in 1851 and 1861 so I can make a judgement? What was her second husband's name?
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Logged
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Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET/SOMERSET Coombs, pre 1780s.
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Palding
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham.
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe.
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster.
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk 1700s.
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift.
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain.
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Lydart
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 3562
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Nanny Jan recommened this book (which I browsed when staying with her this week) ...
'My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer' pub by Society of Genealogists ... you can order it through ...
www.sog.org.uk
I've ordered a copy ...
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Dorset/Wilts/Hants: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more C'wall/Devon/CANADA (The Cariboo, B.C.): Pomeroy Som'set: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancs/Cheshire/CANADA (B.C.): Stubbs, Walmesley WRITE LETTERS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO TREASURE ... EMAILS DISAPPEAR FOREVER ! Census information Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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oldcrone
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 494
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Any help is gratefully received, coombs!
My g-g-g-grandmother's name was Elizabeth Hasting(s); she married John Boys in 1834 in Alciston. She had 6 children with John Boys who died in 1846: then had twins (Caroline and William Boys) in 1850 (father unknown). She had another son, Eli Stevens Boys, in 1855.
The father of, at least, Eli was Henry Stevens (Stephens).
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Logged
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Shaw/Smith: Ottawa, Canada
Davies, Hill: Middlesex/Surrey
Chatfield: Kent
Crone: Kent/Sussex/Surrey/Ireland
Lyden: Ireland
Pannell, Newland, Proudley (travellers): Sussex/Surrey
Dobson, Hollins: Staffs/Cheshire/Warwicks
Boys: Sussex/London
Payne: Suffolk/London
Hasting(s): Sussex
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