Mat-making: the village industry

As a contribution to the further understanding of the lives of our predecessors, I have published a short examination of the mat-making industry of the 19th Century.

The page can be found by following the link in the title of this entry, and I gratefully acknowledge the work of Richard Deeks, on which my contribution heavily depends.

As always, I would welcome more contributions in a similar vein.

SC

Glemsford Fair - a little more detail

As often happens, one post or question leads to another, or prompts another look at available information.

Rory's recent promptings about the Glemsford nickname provoked questions about Glemsford Fair, which in turn led me back to some earlier pages from Glemsford Local History Society, where Gillman Game raised some points about the Fair.

They, along with a few additonal points from Yours Truly, can be accessed by clicking on the heading to this entry.

SC

"Them Egyptians"

The church may be a clue!

Rory Coxhill as left another fascinating addition to the "Little Egypt"question: follow the link from the title above.

Rory is toying with the idea of visits by Fairs to the village as possible links with the Romany community.

The school log book refers to (at least) two visits by circuses, in 1896 and 1899:

September 1896:

"9th
Attendance very good in the morning, but not as good in the afternoon, owing probably to the presence of a circus troupe in the village"

September 1899:

"15
A half holiday was granted this afternoon, owing to the presence of a travelling circus in the village, with an afternoon performance for children."

And then, of course, there is "Fair Green".

Any more thoughts?

Allen Family

I have been researching my Allen family history for some time mainly from Braiseworth and Yaxley Suffolk.

Would anyone have any information of Elizabeth Allen who died Glemsford March 1857 aged 88.

Many thanks,

P.Wilkinson (nee Allen)

Contact as usual, via me or leave a follow up message.

SC

Little Egypt ... more evidence

Alasdair North has reminded me of this account of the Melford Riot that appears on the Foxearth site.

Note how it suggests very strongly that the epithet "Egyptian" for men of Glemsford predates the riot.


Glemsford at that time was a stronghold of liberalism while Melford was very largely tory, and the antagonism between the villages was strong and often bitter. The men of Melford jeered at the Glemsford men, calling them Egyptians, and said they were outsiders. The words Egypt and Glemsford were so synonymous that the confusion spilled over into our geography lessons; and when a Sunday school teacher asked where the baby Jesus was taken when Herod threatened to kill all the babies, the answer came promptly: Glemsford!

Thanks, Alasdair

You can access the whole article from which the extract is taken by clicking on the title of this entry.