Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

served as a juror and occupied his own pew in the parish church. 159
Some joiners in this
period were also described as cabinetmakers, a term not found in earlier periods. 160
The
1835 directory lists half a dozen carpenters, some of whom doubled as joiners, builders or
cabinetmakers.
In the 1740s John Harris was described as a timber-merchant, a term not in vogue
earlier. His timber dealing, supplemented by malting and brewing, afforded him a
relatively good life-style, with large premises including a saw-pit and several
outbuildings. 161
In the next period the town’s timber-merchants were father and son,
both called Thomas Harbridge. 162
Other woodworkers in the town throughout the study period include coopers,
sawyers, wheelwrights, plough-wrights and turners - always in modest numbers. In 1707
William Wigan, wheelwright, had a large stock of timber and vehicle parts spilling over
into the street as well as timber in nearby villages. 163
Two coopers in Alcester probate
records in Period B apparently lived modestly and were both financially indebted to
people in surrounding parishes. 164
Although Alcester was not a principal centre of the
woodworking trade, demand was sufficient to attract specialist woodworkers to the town,
159 WoRO, probate of Isaac Green, Alcester, joiner, 1754 and of John Green, Alcester, joiner, 1777.
WaRO, QS76/3, jurors’ lists.
160 In Berrow’s Worcester Journal 18 May 1786 Arthur Stiles of Alcester advertises that he performs all
sorts of carpentry, joinery and cabinetmaking in ‘the best and newest manner’ and also has a good stock of
foreign timber. WaRO, DR360/65, (Alcester settlements), shows that another joiner cum cabinetmaker,
Thomas Vincent, moved to Alcester from London in 1766, no doubt bringing knowledge of the latest
fashions.
161 WoRO, probate of John Harris, Alcester, timber-merchant, 1746, £619-12-0.
162 WoRO, probate of Thomas Harbridge, senior, Alcester, timber merchant, 1767. Thomas Harbridge,
junior, was also a publican (UBD 1792) and a juror, (WaRO, QS76/3). William Ordway, carpenter, and
Edward Ladbury, wheelwright, made good career moves by marrying Harbridge girls.
163 WoRO, probate of William Wigan, Alcester, wheelwright, 1706, £130-0-11. Several woodworkers also
made malt. Generally, wheelwrights appeared slightly better off than carpenters.
164 WoRO, probate of John Aspree, Alcester, cooper, 1723, £6-10-0. (His estate was mortgaged to William
Harvey of Redditch.) WoRO, probate of William Huband, Alcester, cooper, 1747, £39-19-10; his probate
administration was transferred from his wife to his principal creditor, John Hayward, butcher of Salford
Priors.
105