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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: schimmellover on Saturday 05 September 20 16:30 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I am writing up my family history research and would like more information about the lives lived by folks farming in the Claughton/Garstang area between Preston and Lancaster in the 1750's-1840's. Are there any relevant published histories that anyone could recommend?
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I usually start off by surfing for the GENUKI webpage of the town, village, that I need to research.
Here's a page for Garstang. https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Garstang/
You'll notice there's a link to click on for "nearby places"
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I've seen farming related articles + adverts in mid-19thC. local newspapers.
I have a book about Garstang which includes the period. I'll look it out and check references.
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The main type of farming is, and has been for at least a couple of centuries, dairy.
It is the centre of Lancashire cheese making. Milk from the cows would predominantly go into the cheese vats until the coming of the railways in the 1830s. Only a little could be used locally.
The railways meant that fresh milk could be sent to the towns. Cheese has a much longer shelf life, so could always find a market at the end of a cart ride.
Lancashire cheese is one of only two traditional British cheeses which is not pressed to extract the whey - it settles under its own weight. The other such is Stilton.
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"The history of the parish of Garstang in the county of Lancaster" by Henry Fishwick, printed for the Chetham Society 1878-9 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001640499
The book about Garstang which I have isn't this one. Mine is by a modern writer. Henry Fishwick also wrote histories of other Lancashire parishes including Preston and Poulton-le-Fylde. Some are listed on the website.
There may be something on this list of out of print publications from the Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. rscl.org.uk/out-of-print-publications
Some background, not specific to the area:
"Causes of Discontent and Distress 1812-1822" - "Industry and agricultural problems" on "A Web of English History" www.historyhome.co.uk/c-eight/distress/distress.htm
This is later but some of the descriptions might still have applied:
"Agricultural Labourers (1874)" on The Victorian Web
www.victorianweb.org/history/work/labourers.html
As farmers are dependent on the weather this is a compilation of notable weather for the period:
"British Weather 1700-1849"
https:///www.pascalbonenfant.com/18c/geography/weather.html
There were 10 wet summers in a row in the 1750s. Weather in another run of years was affected by eruptions of several volcanoes.
I thought I'd bookmarked some items on farming in 18thC. Lancashire but all I had was a study of life leasehold in West Lancs.
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Many thanks for the info. I’ll have a look for the books. The cheese detail is interesting - I have a few Preston cheese sellers in the family.
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There are quite a few cheese makers in the area with Dewlay being pretty big, they are to the west of Garstang on the main A6, and Beacon Fell Cheese is probably the nearest to Claughton.
My own family were farmers and labourers in and around Cockerham which is a few miles north of Garstang and it is still all dairy farming with some sheep on the marsh areas and fells.
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My own family were farmers and labourers in and around Cockerham which is a few miles north of Garstang and it is still all dairy farming with some sheep on the marsh areas and fells.
Ditto. We both have Lamb ancestors. One of mine married at Garstang.
My book is "Garstang and District: Historical selections" by John Askew, published 2012. Chapter titles include: A year in old Garstang; Market; The poor; Agricultural and Horticultural shows; Claughton. A chapter "Principal buildings" includes the corn mill, corn exchange and tithe barn. An advert for the soon to be opened Garstang Corn Market appeared in "The Lancaster Gazette" 21st July 1808. The same newspaper reported on the success of the market in September 1808. (I've eaten lunch at the tithe barn by the canal and bought cheese at the market in the old corn exchange building.)
Sources of information in the book which may be relevant are:
various documents at Lancashire Archives;
local newspapers, mainly "The Lancaster Gazette" and "The Preston Chronicle & Lancashire Advertiser":
"The New Lancashire Gazetteer and Topographical Dictionary" by S. Clarke (1830)
+ some books by travellers who sojourned at Garstang en route north or south -
A. Hewitson "Northward" (1900)
William Hutton "The History of the Roman Wall" (1802)
Thomas Pennant "A Tour of Scotland and a Voyage to the Hebrides" (1772)
Pennant remarked on the fine cattle and "abundance of potatoes". He said potatoes were sent to other places in England, Scotland and Ireland. (That strikes me as sending coals to Newcastle.)
Garstang Agricultural Society was formed in 1809 and held 1st show 1813. Reports in Lancaster Gazette. Mention of sheep and long-horned cattle. The neighbourhood of Garstang was well-known for this cattle breed.
Several fairs were held in Garstang in 19th century.
Candlemas Fair (February) was hiring time for servants.
Spring Fair in April began 1830s. Reports in "Lancaster Gazette" and "Preston Chronicle".
Cattle, wool, sheep and lambs were sold at Peterstide Fair in July. (Feast-day of St. Peter & Paul is at the end of June but the calendar change in England in mid-18thC caused the Fair to be held in July from then on.) Thomas Hutton (author of "The History of the Roman Wall", above) was in Garstang for Peterstide Fair 1801. The local country lasses made a BIG impression on him. They arrived in town in their best attire with their skirts tucked up to keep them out of the mud. He described them as ".. large as troopers ... exhibited limbs of gigantic size, well adapted for working, running or kicking ..." (I suspect he was confusing them with horses. ;D) He noted the men were similarly well-built. (My GGF whose ancestors were from the area was "well-built".)
Martinmas Fair in November marked the end of the farming year. This was a major fair. Sales of cattle and horses attracted buyers and dealers from all over Britain. An estimated 3000 cattle were at the fair in 1805. It was also a hiring fair for farm servants.
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So much to look at. Thank you so much.
My ancestor is Thomas Seed b. 1754. He worked on the Claughton Hall estate from 1790’s to 1839. He married Anne Gardner in 1776 when he is recorded as a house carpenter from Goosnargh. Presumably he might have done an apprenticeship, but I can’t find any records for this. They had 14 children baptised at St Thomas RC Claughton.
I am in touch with the descendent of the Claughton Hall family, but not finding much about the tenantry.
I’d really like to find more about Thomas - parents etc- but nothing so far.
The family were Catholic (though not sure if Thomas became so on joining the Claughton Hall estate) which makes tracking a bit tricky!
Not sure why I’m telling you all this! I guess just inc are anyone comes across anything.
Many thanks again.
Caroline
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Just have to put in a plug here after andrewalston's mention of the preparation of Lancashire cheese! Born in Lancashire, but now living at the other end of the country, I buy it on the rare occasions that I see it, but of course the supermarket stuff, packed in plastic, is nothing like the real thing. Delicious fresh or used in cooking. You can buy the "creamy mild" variety or the "tasty", but both are quite subtle when compared with mousetrap Cheddar!
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Just have to put in a plug here after andrewalston's mention of the preparation of Lancashire cheese! Born in Lancashire, but now living at the other end of the country, I buy it on the rare occasions that I see it, but of course the supermarket stuff, packed in plastic, is nothing like the real thing. Delicious fresh or used in cooking. You can buy the "creamy mild" variety or the "tasty", but both are quite subtle when compared with mousetrap Cheddar!
For my birthday, in June, my daughters sent me 3 Lancashire cheeses from AD Shorrock of Goosenargh. Very tasty!
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"My book is "Garstang and District: Historical selections" by John Askew, published 2012."
Searching online for this book, the only one that comes up is one by this author called 'Garstang: A Pictorial History'
Is this an alternative title, or a different book?
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Yes, proper Lancashire cheese is a wonderful thing, unlike the supermarket block dairy product.
A stall on my local market sells Creamy, Crumbly, Mild, Tasty and Extra Tasty.
Depending on the time of year, there is also Goats' Milk, Sheep's Milk and Smoked. Yes, they may sound wildly different, and they are, but are all definitely Lancashire cheeses. Then we add in the blue varieties....
Some years ago I was working in Reading, and a cheese shop by the Thames was recommended. I visited one quiet afternoon, and picked up a few pounds' worth of various cheeses. It's the sort of place where you always try before you buy. I noticed that he only had one type of Lancashire. "It's quite a good one though, it's Mrs. Kirkham's". After tasting, I told him it was still a bit young for me. "It's all I can afford to stock. I'll tell you where you do get good Lancashire", he went on. "Lancaster Market" !
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"My book is "Garstang and District: Historical selections" by John Askew, published 2012."
Searching online for this book, the only one that comes up is one by this author called 'Garstang: A Pictorial History'
Is this an alternative title, or a different book?
Different books. Descriptions of the books in Lancashire County Library online catalogue shows that "A Pictorial History" has 80 pages and was published 2009 and "Historical Selections" has 184 pages and was published 2012. "Historical Selections" is mainly text with some illustrations. "A Pictorial History" is pictures with captions.
Lancashire County Council library services
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/libraries
To search online catalogue select Digital library then Library catalogue. Can search by author, title, subject, word or phrase.
2 results for John Askew. Click on each title for a description. The detail page for "Garstang: a pictorial history" has a "More Like This" section at foot of page; recommendations are books about Garstang by Ron Greenall and Catherine Rothwell. Click on image of each book for details. Info page for the Rothwell book has "Northward" by Anthony Hewitson (my reply #7) in "More Like This" section. A search for Ron Greenall or Catherine Rothwell might find other local books in the catalogue.
A search for key words or phrases e.g. "Garstang" or "Farming in Lancashire" will find a list of possibly relevant items. A result for the phrase "Farming in Lancashire" is a booklist "Farming in Lancashire", full title "Farming in Lancashire: The history of farming in Lancashire: a select bibliography"
2 items related to farming history in the library catalogue which are area specific:
"Lancashire cheese-making" by Joseph Gornall published Garstang 1903. Gornall was a farmer from Cabus who taught cheese-making.
"The Farmer and the Hen: A Lancashire Love Story: The Poultry Industry in the Fylde 1845-1939" by John Grimaldston.
There are other items about farming in Lancashire in the library catalogue. Some are books, some journal articles, some are collections of miscellaneous items. If you're a library member you can save relevant items to your own booklist.
Garstang Historical Society
htttps://sites.google.com/site/garstanghistoricalsociety
There's a short booklist introduced as "our initial thoughts". A memoir of an 18thC joiner in "Book review" section is worth noting.
Garstang and District Heritage Society
www.garstangheritagesociety.org
Also on Facebook.
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If you see it, buy it, you will nor be disappointed.
https://butlerscheeses.co.uk/blue-cheese/blacksticks-blue
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We visit a Small Holding /Nursery in the area that has stayed in the same family since 1860 and covers 22 acres. The family that run it still have diaries going back all this times that they share details of, showing really that things don't change so much. Lots of Veg grown in the area including the Pilling potatoes.
:)
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The family that run it still have diaries going back all this times that they share details of, showing really that things don't change so much.
Reminds me that the children of my farming family in upland Lancashire made rushlights at the start of the 20th century to save money on candles. It was a way for them to earn extra pocket-money. Eldest child, good at sums, worked out that the piece-rate paid by their mother wasn't worth his time and he'd rather do something else. Youngest ones soon got bored and played instead. Middle ones persevered, each earning their farthing(s). I was shown how to make them when I was a child (not for practical use) + plaited rush ropes and hay ropes.
Rushes were used as animal bedding. Rush gathering was late summer or early autumn when rushes were tall and thick. Scythed and bound into bundles with plaited rush ropes. Loaded onto a cart or carried home by women and children on foot.
"Rushlight: How the Country Poor Lit Their Homes" by Gertrude Jekyll, written 1904. On The Victorian Web. www.victorianweb.org/technology/domestic/1.html
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That’s an interesting article - thank you for sharing. It makes you think how very dark it must have been and how much work went into the simplest things.