Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

Forest en route to London, as well as by local tradesmen or farmers carrying as a
sideline. 220
In 1754 an Act was passed to turnpike the road from Stratford to Alcester and
thence to Bromsgrove via Spernall Ash. The same trust also operated a road from
Alcester to Bradley Green on the Droitwich road, a route which enabled access to the
Severn. By 1779 there was also a turnpike to Worcester. 221
The road from Spernall Ash
to Birmingham was turnpiked in 1767, an important development for Alcester and also
for the Vale of Evesham market-gardeners and stockingers. 222
The route south of
Alcester was turnpiked to Norton, near Evesham in 1777 followed by proposals for
turnpiking the road to Bidford and Chipping Campden. 223
The advent of the turnpike
road brought a new occupation to the parish: tollgate-keeper. At first the keepers
apparently handed over all the tolls to the turnpike trust, but from the 1760s gates were
farmed out to the highest bidders. 224
By 1792 the vital route from Stourbridge and Bromsgrove to London saw three
of Rufford’s stage-wagons passing through Alcester each week. 225
Alcester now enjoyed
regular carrying services to the Black Country, Birmingham, Worcester, Coventry,
Evesham, Stratford and London. 226
Although Alcester had been by-passed by coaches in
220 Feckenham Forest’s carriers are discussed in Chapter 7.
221 Worcester Royal Directory 1790. See also Appendix 15.
222 Slater, A History of Warwickshire, p. 95, shows that the turnpike Evesham to Alcester was turnpiked in
two stages, in 1756 and 1777. Three carriers from Birmingham to Alcester advertised in Sketchley’s
Birmingham Directory 1767 and two in UBD 1792. See also Appendix 14.
223 See Appendix 14.
224 WoRO, probate of Edward Swann, Tardebigge, yeoman, 1794, refers to Edward Bate of Kings
Coughton, Alcester, toll-gatekeeper. Berrow’s Worcester Journal 4 June 1795 asks for bidders for Alcester
Gate, which in the previous year had made £342 profit on tolls ‘above the expenses in collecting them’.
225 UBD 1792. John Crukshanks of Alcester, book-keeper to the London carrier, advertised in the UBD.
226 Appendix 14.
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