How did people in Britain get about before 1820?

[Nick29]

I suppose it can be argued that young women were more mobile than men in the 1800's, because so many women travelled hundreds of miles to big towns to work in domestic service ?

there was probably nearly as many men in service as women -- grooms, gardeners, footmen etc

Possibly, but did they 'live in' with their employers ?   

[Marmalady]

I suppose it can be argued that young women were more mobile than men in the 1800's, because so many women travelled hundreds of miles to big towns to work in domestic service ?

there was probably nearly as many men in service as women -- grooms, gardeners, footmen etc

Possibly, but did they 'live in' with their employers ?   

a lot of them would have done so

grooms & coachmen would have accomodation over the stables (think of all the "mews" houses available in cities behind the larger residences)
butlers & footmen would be accommodated in the house . Large houses would have separate male & female servant areas

Many shops in large cities also provided accomodation for staff, both male & female

[Nick29]

Many men working in service were allowed to be married, and even have families.  Something not usually allowed for young women in service.

[coombs]

As said my great grandmother moved 100 miles from oxford to the Sussex coast in about 1908 to work in service.

[Dave the Walrus]

Hi Everybody,

I discovered that my great grandmother on my father's side, was born in Aberdeenshire c. 1839 and moved to London to work, where she gave birth to my grandmother. They were both in domestic service. Mind you...how on earth did she travel the 500miles to London? 

Best wishes,

Dave

[Charlesworth]

Oh dear me, you Brits think so small, as if walking 20 or 30 miles was  unlikely or a major adventure.  People crossed North America on foot,  and they didn't learn how to walk when they got to the New World; their ancestors had been doing it for thousands of years.

Back then even in Britain walking 20 or 30 miles would have been a major adventure.  Proper roads did not exist making it hard for anyone to walk or for carts/carriages to travel, and there were all sorts of other dangers on the road - such as being robbed and/or murdered.

[Charlesworth]

Hi Everybody,

I started this thread because I was considering whether the "Mabbutts of Gloucester" would, at one time, have moved to Wiltshire.

Dave I also have ancestors who were agricultural labourers who moved from Wiltshire to Gloucestershire around that time, and from Devon to Gloucestershire.  Three ancestresses moved from the country (Norfolk to London or Devon to Bristol) as well, to work in service.  It must have been a heck of a journey to make, but it seems to have been more common than we would think - especially when some others didn't move out of their villages for generations!

Some time ago I was in rural India researching where one of my ancestors had been a gold mine assayer. That was fascinating because even now it was hard to get around, so I couldn't imagine what it was like for g grandfather more than 100 years ago!

[california dreamin]

Hi all

Of course no one seems to have mentioned the hiring fairs -  As was customary in rural communities those seeking work would have sought employment at one of the local hiring fairs that were held twice a year. Both male and female agricultural servants would have attended  in order to negotiate with potential employers for a job.  It was in this way they could obtain a position for the coming year. The yearly hiring would include board and lodging for single employees for a  whole year.  I suspect many people met their partners in this way. They may have also attended hiring fairs that took them further and further from their original home.

As far a transport, here is an interesting example from 1837. I have several different  copies of the Memoirs of Ireland  which have been fascinating and give a very good picture of life in various parts of Ireland.  My family are from rural Maghera which is in Co. Derry.  It states: “ The coach from Dungannon to Colraine passes every day at twelve, meeting at the same time the return coach from Coleraine to Dungannon.  A coach from Londonderry to Belfast also formerly passed through at that hour, but it was given up January 1837 by the proprietor for want of support, after having been for some time replaced by a car”.   It also has a section about the local “Conveyances” – In town there were 5 part cars for hire and 1 chaise. 

Remember this is 1837 in rural Ireland.

[coombs]

In my tree I have found an ancestor who was born in Warwickshire but moved to Wootton in Oxfordshire, only 15 miles but still a different county. She wed in Wootton in 1793 and died in 1827. And one Oxfordshire born ancestor born in 1675 wed his first wife in Bishopsgate, London in 1696. She was buried in their home village of Burford shortly after they married.