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Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

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Scambler, <strong>an</strong> Alcester merch<strong>an</strong>t of the 1760s, traded in London <strong>an</strong>d was regarded as<br />

‘quite the beau’. 279<br />

An increasing emphasis on literacy, record keeping <strong>an</strong>d exch<strong>an</strong>ge of commercial<br />

ideas, (at least in certain sec<strong>to</strong>rs of society), is in evidence. From the 1780s Messrs<br />

Johnson <strong>an</strong>d Hemming appear <strong>to</strong> be the <strong>to</strong>wn’s first printers, while nineteenth century<br />

direc<strong>to</strong>ries advertise more printers, a circulating library, booksellers <strong>an</strong>d stationers, one of<br />

whom also dealt ‘in f<strong>an</strong>cy articles’. 280<br />

Alcester also had a stamp office <strong>an</strong>d a post office<br />

<strong>to</strong> keep it in <strong>to</strong>uch with the outside world <strong>an</strong>d postboys <strong>to</strong> deliver the mail. 281<br />

Baptism data from 1813-1820 show 18% of Alcestri<strong>an</strong> fathers working in either<br />

the pub trade or in retail, food sales, dealing or service industries, while 1841 census<br />

figures show 16% of men <strong>an</strong>d 10% of women in these two sec<strong>to</strong>rs. 282<br />

There must have<br />

been m<strong>an</strong>y female shop assist<strong>an</strong>ts <strong>an</strong>d barmaids, while direc<strong>to</strong>ries list women in charge of<br />

a variety of businesses. 283<br />

As described above m<strong>an</strong>y men in the retail sec<strong>to</strong>r were men of<br />

subst<strong>an</strong>ce. The jurors’ lists include the following occupations: maltster, baker, grocer,<br />

mercer, draper, victualler, butcher, shopkeeper <strong>an</strong>d dealer. 284<br />

One service provider, the chimney sweep, (frequently a lowly itiner<strong>an</strong>t), was often<br />

absent from contemporary documentation. The first we find is in 1764, but we know<br />

little about him or his modus oper<strong>an</strong>di. 285<br />

Seven sweeps emerge from Alcester’s records<br />

279 WoRO, marriage licence of William Chatterly, Cough<strong>to</strong>n, wheelwright, April 1767, witnessed by John<br />

Scambler, Alcester, merch<strong>an</strong>t. Also Redditch Indica<strong>to</strong>r 22 Dec 1860. Scambler may also have been a<br />

turner.<br />

280 UBD 1792. Members of the Hemming family were schoolmasters, mercers, drapers, printers <strong>an</strong>d booksellers.<br />

Johnson was also a schoolmaster.<br />

281 Information about the post office is given in Appendix 14.<br />

282 Tables 4.6 <strong>an</strong>d 4.8. The 1841 census figures given here are for men <strong>an</strong>d women over 20.<br />

283 For example,UBD 1792 <strong>an</strong>d TNA, IR1, inl<strong>an</strong>d revenue apprentice returns, show female innkeepers,<br />

ironmongers, m<strong>an</strong>tua-makers, milliners, shopkeepers, grocers, mercers, butchers, bakers, confectioners <strong>an</strong>d<br />

a postmistress.<br />

284 WaRO, QS76/3, jurors’ lists, 1772-99.<br />

285 WoRO, marriage licence of John Glover, Alcester, chimney sweep, 1764.<br />

126

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