"Breeches Maker" in 1790-1797 Cambridge Directory

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, both Annies,
Spent a very enjoyable 3 hours in Over yesterday with the lady who has co-authored the book about the BICHENO's.  There's nothing quite like the detail you get when you listen to an elderly person's long-remembered stories of people and places, in many cases long gone.  The book is incredibly well-reseached and would be a goldmine for anyone with connections to the family.  Plus there is a very good general description of Over Parish.  Also the explanation that because of the 1753 Hardwicke Marriage Act,  the marriage such as the one that took place at Trinity College, Cambridge between John JOHNSON's parents William (of Longstanton) and Elizabeth (of Over)in 1749, could no longer happen, as where you were living at the time of your marriage affected where you could now marry.
Another piece of information was that John JOHNSON's (b. 1755) nephew James JOHNSON gave part of the land he farmed in Over so that it could become a burial ground in 1867 - I've now sent away for his will to see whether there is indeed mention of this there.
Plus she showed details of The Glovers House, and who had lived there and when, including of course William BICHENO (1723-1806), who is, I suppose, the person around whom this thread was started.
I felt very privileged yesterday afternoon, this kind of meeting doesn't happen very often in one's pursuit of family history...
Regards, keith
N.B The book has been published since 2003, by the way...

[BumbleB]

Hi:  a bit late getting in on this post, but:

moleskin is a type of cloth, generally used for breeches etc and still available for riding breeches and trousers.  It is a very hard-wearing cloth and very resilient to thorns, brambles and such like, it was (and probably still is, as that is how I came across the name) much favoured by gamekeepers.  It possibly got it's name from the fact that it has a furry feel to it, and probably was available only in black!!

The thought of catching enough moles to make some breeches does have a charm about it, though obviously not for the moles!!   

BumbleB

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, BumbleB,
Never too late for interesting observations, though you're right that the humble mole gets a very poor deal always!
Further to my comments on my previous post, there was no mention of the burial ground in James JOHNSON's will - but lots of names of people he gave legacies to, so many more little connecting threads with his family and friends in the area.  I also came across in the Over Chronicle (I think it was called) of a mention of an auction of the remains of his farming stock, including the huge amount of 100 loads of manure.  Now there's a thought, and I wonder how much he got for that.  Would have given those moles a bit of a headache if it had been dumped over their burrows all at one go.  That was in 1866, so presumably he'd stopped the farming by then.
I also saw his gravestone in the cemetery he had given to the people of Over, a very hard-wearing headstone it was too, with an extremely clear, deep inscription; a dedication on it thanking him for this special gift too...
keith

[Celeste Goulding]

Hello, i'm about 2 years late joining this very interesting conversation  but i just thought i'd chime in to say that my ancestor Robert Monk b.1780 from St Giles, Oxford was a breeches maker too. He is listed on his 1827 army discharge papers as having that profession, after being in the army in India for 21 years. Whether he was a breeches maker for the whole 20 years, i don't know ... but there you go 
His papers state that his reason for requesting to leave the army at age 47 was that he was "worn out!" 

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Celeste, and welcome to Rootschat!
Yes, this was a very productive thread, and I hope your ancestor hadn't worn his breeches out as well as his energies/spirits...
I even contacted Hugh Bicheno, the historian/author and got a very nice reply from him.  It's a family name I've frequently since come across in Cambridge and the surrounding villages.
Where have those two years vanished to, meantime...?
Very best wishes, keith

[Redroger]

Something is puzzling me (not difficult these days) If the garments made by tailors e.g. suits etc. are of comparatively recent origin, why is the surname Taylor of ancient origin?Just found this thread, and have two interests in it, mother's relatives from the Cambridge area, father's ancestors glovers in Somerset.