Church Pews Bolton

[Jeffrey]

Hello All,
I have the really informative  Millennium book on Bolton in Westmorland.
It lists the pews in the Church and who sits where and the number of seats that person has. Can any one answer a couple of questions about that.

My ancestors were called HANSON - James Hanson was a curate there and yet there are no seats at all for him, his wife or any of the other Hansons in the village.

I am wondering why. Wonder if there were no seats as they were something to do with the church - like Curate or Church wardens. But where did the Female Hanson's sit if that is the case. Was the curate or church wardens allocated permanent seating within the church. Any suggestions?

Second question is - were the men & women segregated if so when did this change?

Any ideas on these two questions gratefully received.

Judy

[behindthefrogs]

The better off families of the parish used to purchase or rent pews where they could be seen or sometimes were hidden according to their preferences.  While this purchase was sometimes of an existing pew it was often of one of their own design and installation.  This practice spread to others who could afford it while the poor used anything that was left or just stood, sometimes in the porch if there was a lack of room.

David

[Jeffrey]

Thanks for the reply.
I also thought it was the more well off families that had the pews but when I look at the wills of the Hanson's they were fairly well off. James the Curate even left £40 to the poor of Bolton and his wife left £10 around 1730's so they weren't exactly poor. Neither were his father & brothers so I am still left wondering why they did not have a named pew.

Judy

[behindthefrogs]

I can't see much point in a curate paying money for a pew to the church which employed him.  Even in those days there must have been some perks which came with the job.  The clergy in those days were nearly always the younger sons of of the gentry and so they would be expected to have some money.  I am intregued whether you know where he was educated if he was only a curate, or did he later have his own living?

David

[Jeffrey]

Hi David,
Good point about him not paying for his pew. I wonder if that extended to the rest of the family.
I think they weren't too poorly off by what they all left in their wills.
Bolton was reputed to be a very poor living & yet he could still afford to do it and leave money to the poor of Bolton, his wife & all his neices & nephews.

One of his nephews was a curate & he left 3 properties.

But a good point you  made was - where was he educated. Never thought of that. Maybe in Appleby. Would be interesting to find out.
Thanks
Judy

[behindthefrogs]

The easiest to check are Oxford and Cambridge.  The Almuni for one of these is online, sorry I can't remember which, and both can usually be found in any major (county) reference library in the UK and abroad.  In the 18th century most clergy would have been to University although I am not sure about curates who tended to act for someone held a number of livings.

It is also worth looking at the following site:

http://www.theclergydatabase.org.uk/

David

[Jeffrey]

Hi David,
Looked at the Website. Didn't find either James or Thomas Hanson. However I did find another one - William Hanson at Shap who I am sure must be related to them in some way.

Any more suggestions gratefully received

Judy