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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Wiltshire => Topic started by: gbugden on Tuesday 22 November 05 08:52 GMT (UK)
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My ancestor was said to have the occupation of "groom and ploughman" when he arrived as a 24 year old convict in NSW in 1824. What did this mean exactly?
I'm very interested in discovering the socail history of his life in FARLEY, Wiltshire in this period.
Does it mean he had special training? Was he a landowner? Was the work seasonal? Might he have turned to crime in the "lean times" ? How old did a boy have to be to begin such work? etc etc!
Cheers Greg
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Hi Greg
I found a definition for groom as one responsible for the horses on an estate, and ploughman as a farm worker with working horse and a plough.
There was a hierarchy, I imagine, as in other trades ie they'd work themselves up from apprentice, through the grades to Master Ploughman or Head Groom. I imagine a ploughman could either be an emplyee of a farm or an independent tradesman with his own horse and plough.
A boy would start at an early age either in a formal apprenticeship with a master craftsman or, as was very common, in a less formal arrangement learning under the guidance of his father or other relative.
For detailed account of the apprenticeship system you could try http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/community/the_county/record_office/family_history_3/poor_relief/apprenticeship_records.htm
Who was your ancestor and have you info on his family. If not I may be able to help
Cheers Dave :)
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This information is most useful for fleshing out my ancestor's background, Dave. I'd really like to bring to life his social environment, and not just collect names and dates, so thank you!
He was John Bugden born in Farley in 1803, though I have no particular address for the family. He was sentenced for burglary in 1823, arrived in NSW the next year. I believe he was married in 1820 to an Elizabeth Lockyear, but I have no documentation for this, and don't know if there were any children. He remarried in Australia in 1837. I think his parents could be a Joseph and Sarah and there may have been an older brother and some sisters.
It is difficult to do this research long distance, so your help is appreciated
Cheers Greg
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Hi Greg
If you want information I'll be pleased to look it up. I was looking at some Wiltshire Court and Prison Records for 1827 today. They listed felons sentenced for transportation :( as well as inmates of the prisons. Let me know what you want.
You've probably seen this site but here goes............
http://www.communigate.co.uk/wilts/pittonfarleypc/index.phtml gives info on Farley.
One of my relations went to Australia - Jenefer (or Jane) Renfrey and family arrived Adelaide 13 Sep 1851 on the Reliance. They founded a small dynasty and she died 1876 in Kapunda. Take a look at my tree on the link at the left.
Cheers for now Dave
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thanks for your interest Dave :)
Your website is great, did you create it from scratch or can one upload family tree details the site? My mother was adopted and we only recently discovered her family in Adelaide. She was a Dwiar and so with further investigation I might find a connection to your Aussie relatives!
I guess there a three main areas of interest for me about my ancestor John Bugden.
1. Which hulk ( Leviathan, York, or Unnamed) in Plymouth was he on, before transportation in 1823
2. Did he leave behind a family?
3. Was the victim of his crime for which he was tried on 8th march 1823 (a John Parsons) a local Farley man, did John Bugden act alone; and where are the "Wiltshire Assizes"?
I certainly do not expect you to answer any of these questions Dave, but these are my current research projects.
Cheers Greg
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I'll do what I can Greg and will be in touch next week
Cheers Dave
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Thanks Dave
Enjoy your Christmas, I hope you were unaffected by that toxic cloud!
Cheers Greg
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Thanks Greg you too have a great Xmas. Fortunately the smoke was pretty localised and didn't affect us here in sunny Wiltshire.
Cheers Dave
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Found out quite a bit Greg, hope a lot of it's new. I'll try and answer your questions...................
1. The website is free on Tribal Pages and I built it up over a period of time - always adding more!
2. I could not find out which hulk he was on. More info is available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ I think he came to Australia on the Guildford (Aussie site)
3. I found a baptism for a John Bugden in Pitton with Farley Parish,
11 Nov 1798 son of Joseph and Sarah, born 10th, Farley.
Joseph was a labourer and here are some more Bugdens all children of Joseph and Sarah all bap and born in Farley....
Sarah 18/4/ 1790, b. 17th Mary 17/11/1793, b. 12th
Joseph 14/6/1801, b. 1st Elisabeth 18/3/1804, b. 13th
Harriet 6/1/1809, b. 28/12/1808 buried 8/7/1809
Robert 8/11/1813, b. 31/10/1813
Mary Anne 13/6/1813, b. 21/12/1812
John Bugden married Elizabeth Lockyear 30/9/1820 in Pitton and Farley, witnesses were James White and Jane Harwood.
Lockyear baptisms, parents Joseph and Frances, all in Farley..........................
James 31/3/1799, b. 1797, buried 10/3/1826, age 29
Thomas 31/3/1799, b. 7th ELIZABETH 7/6/1802, b 9/5
Jane 23/11/1810, b. 8/12/1804
I could not find any children in Farley for John and Elizabeth.
4. Two references for John Bugden in the Quarter Sessions i.e. the lower court.
First the Devizes Sessions 14 Jan 1823, he was held in the County Prison, Fisherton Anger, Salisbury, held over for the Assizes on the following warrant. "John Bugden, age 23, committed by E. Baker Esq. charged on the oaths of John Parsons and others on suspicion of having burglariously broken and entered the dwelling house of the said John Parsons and feloniously stealing therein a box containing Ł49/1/3d and other property therein , the property of a Friendly Society at Farley. Warrant dated Nov 7, 1822"
The second also at County Prison, Salisbury Sessions April 8, 1823. He was "Upon Orders" awaiting disposal after the trial at the Assizes (higher court, equivalent to our modern day County Courts). It read "John Bugden, convicted Lent Assizes, 1823, of burglary, Sentance Death - Reprieved". He was then presumably transported.
Assize records can only be accessed through the National Archives - e-address as before.
There was no record of any accomplice in the records I saw.
John Parsons was a local man either bap. 24/5/1802 or 2/4/1794.
Of interest, in the Marlborough Sessions 16/10/1827 in County Prison was a William Bugden committed by George Font Esq. 23/7/1827, for deer stealing, to 4 months hard labour.
Hope this helps, merry Xmas and happy New Year. Let me know if I can help further.
Cheers Dave
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Greg, I don't know if I made myself clear.
The court system was on two levels at county level.
The lower, Quarter Sessions, were held 4 times a year rotating between Salisbury, Devizes, Marlborough and Warminster. They could try and sentance more minor crimes.
The more serious crimes, like murder, burglary etc were held for the Assizes, the higher court. These courts were held twice annually and rotated around the 'circuit' which could be within a county or taking in parts of other counties as well. They could award any sentance including death. In fact only about 20% of death penalties were carried out - lucky for John.
More information on the National Archives web site.
Cheers Dave :)
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My ancestor was said to have the occupation of "groom and ploughman" when he arrived as a 24 year old convict in NSW in 1824. What did this mean exactly?
I'm very interested in discovering the socail history of his life in FARLEY, Wiltshire in this period.
Does it mean he had special training? Was he a landowner? Was the work seasonal? Might he have turned to crime in the "lean times" ? How old did a boy have to be to begin such work? etc etc!
Cheers Greg
The two occupations are interconnected. A groom is the person who looks after the horses in a stable or farm and a ploughman is a farm labourer who specializes in the ploughing (with a horse drawn plough in early times).
As with many farming trades they are seasonal so in the summer and other periods when there was no ploughing the ploughman would revert to being a full time groom.
This does not just mean brushing the horses and feeding them but also the care of the harness and tack, any non urgent repairs would be done in the quiet times out of the ploughing season.
It took a number of years to train to be a groom, for instance a horse is fed according to whether it has to work the following day or not. Depending on the season and the type of work required the ration of oats would be changed, more when heavy work was on the cards less when light work such as carting hay was on. There was a lot of waiting in the fields at haymaking and you did not want frisky horses being impatient to work when loading the stacks.
Cheers
Guy
Ploughboys would start at around 8 years old, ploughing being a one man and boy job, the boy would lead the horses and the man guide the plough. As he got older the boy would be given experience guiding the plough until eventually he would take over from the man or leave and find work at another farm.
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Dave!!
I’m overwhelmed with all this data, and so grateful for your extraordinary generosity. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to read the information you have gathered for me.
You have gone a long way to solving our problems with John Bugden’s dates and relationships. This material is just not available here in Oz, so thank you so much. One branch of the family is having a reunion on Christmas Day…they are going to be very impressed by this new data, which has arrived at just the right time!
What are your sources, Dave? Are there publications or is it online?
Cheers
Greg ;D
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All information was obtained from the original records, Greg, court proceedings and Parish records of baptism, marriage, and burials. All quotations were as they were writ :) not obtainable on line as far as I'm aware (unless you count Roots Chat) ;D
To go further and obtain the Assize records and details of imprisonment on the hulks will take further research.
I'm so pleased that I have been able to fill in some of the pieces of your familiy's past here in Wiltshire and hope that you and yours have a wonderful Xmas and a most prosperous New Year.
If you have any further queries please don't hesitate to ask.
Cheers Dave
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Hi guy
Thank you for the time you have taken to post a reply about my groom and ploughman question! It is most instructive. Do you think my ancestor was a worker on an estate full time, or would the work be seasonal/casual labour? I know there was an agricultural depression in Southern England after 1815, with high food prices and a labour glut. I think there were even riots in Wiltshire and other counties in the early 1830s. Perhaps my ancestor even worked for the earls of Ilchester, who owned his village of Farley and nearby lands up until 1812.
Cheers Greg
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Hi Dave
I hope the New Year finds you and yours very well. I notice from the news that heavy snow has been falling over there lately. It is absolutely roasting here..oh to have a white Christmas... or at least a little rain! Still it has been fine for the Boxing Day Cricket test against South Africa.
My grandfather was very interested in the data you have been able to supply. He pointed out that the stated age of 23 at John Bugden's trial in Devizes in 1823 would make a birthdate in 1798 impossible. Could this be a typo?
Cheers Greg
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Hi Greg
We had snow here in N Wilts yesterday evening but overnight it rained and is still raining heavily - so no snow remaining just a typical rainy, cold day :(. Can't wait to get back to sunny Spain.
You grandfather is quite right about the age. As far as I'm aware I copied it correctly but have since destoyed my notes so can't be sure. John could have made a mistake, the clerk, me or anyone or perhaps he was 23. The baptism records are almost certainly correct and it is almost 100% certain that the John Bugden in the court records was yours.
Hope you have a very happy and prosperous New Year
Cheers Dave
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Hello again Dave,
I hope this email finds you back in Spain and that it is very pleasant. It's all bushfires and shark attacks here at the moment, typical for Australia Day ;D.
I'd like to trespass on your generosity one more time if I may. I have discovered that six months before his crime, John Bugden's wife, Elizabeth (nee Lockyear), applied to enter the Poor House in Farley in 1822 but was not accepted. Is it possible to find data about this application? There may have been a child invovled too, but I have no other details.
Cheers Greg