Curiosity on ancesters moving around

[SueJW]

Hi all

I have something bothering me the last few years.

At first I was curious as to why 2 branches of my Norfolk line kept drifting between East Dereham, Norfolk and Long Sutton, Lincs.  A couple of the families, 1 Mayes, and 1 Hardy, had most children in E.D. then one would turn up born L. S, both middle children. Then I discovered that my Huntingdonshire branch, Clarke's, all moved to Fleet, nr Long Sutton around 1900. Now they had been firmly ensconced in Hunts, occasionally London, for 200 years at least. The result was that both branches met and intermarried - 2 generations of them. (My widowed gt grandmother Clarke met my widowed gt grandfather, Hardy, and married in1907.  Her daughter and his son ran off to Grimsby and became my grandparents, 1918

The Hardys and Mayes were at it mid 1850's onwards, Hardys finally settling in Long Sutton in c1898,  Mayes staying in E.D.

So, anyone have any idea what the attraction in the Holbeach area was. Incidently they were all farm workers.

Incidently, during my research I've often come across other families in Long Sutton/Holbeach who were born East Dereham.

Ideas most welcome

Sue

[CaroleW]

Isn't Lincolnshire a great vegetable growing area?  Pea/potato picking etc

[SueJW]

Hi Carole.

Lincolnshire is agricultural, ie. cereal crops as well as vegetables. It's the largest food growing county in England. Big fields and big skies - it's beautiful. But then I'm prejudiced being born here and living here. 

I appreciate that 'farmworkers' may have moved looking for work, I just find it odd that they moved where they did as there were far better areas for farming at this time. Holbeach area was mostly fenland and marshy and around this time many drains were being dug to claim drier land from the sea. But 'mine' always show up as ag labs etc not draindiggers or similiar. Perhaps they were replacing farmworks who moved to draindigging??

As I said I can understand them moving into Lincolnshire, it's just the regularity with which they visited Long Sutton and then back to Dereham that makes me curious. And not just 'my' family but many others too.

Sue