Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

houses. Several people, male and female, maintained the gardens at Coughton Court in
the 1660s and 1670s, while at a later date James Hume no doubt directed operations in
the gardens of Hewell Grange. 66
The large estates, such as Coughton, employed many
people in a wide variety of roles and were managed by gentlemen bailiffs and stewards,
who were often also lawyers. 67
The primary sector’s percentage in probate and marriage licence data showed a
steady decline over the two centuries. 68
Baptism data suggests the agricultural
percentage (farmers and agricultural labourers) continued to fall during Period D. 69
In
the 1831 census 169 occupiers employed labourers while 81 did not. Beoley was the
only parish where occupiers employing labourers were in the minority. The 1841 census
records 34.4% of adult males in the primary sector.
Although labourers and farmers comprise most of the agricultural sector in Period
D, there are also references to graziers, cow-keepers, dairymen, milkmen, horse-breakers,
land-drainers, drovers, nurserymen, seedsmen, gardeners (sometimes now specified as
market-gardeners), game-keepers and stewards. Studley also had a rat-catcher. 70
Females in this sector are naturally under-represented, but probably include many termed
as ‘labouring’, ‘jobbing’ or ‘working’ women as well as those described as labouresses,
field workers and agricultural labourers. 71
66 WaRO, CR1998/LCB/40, Throckmorton MSS. TNA, PCC probate of James Hume, Hewell,
(Tardebigge), gardener, 1781.
67 Discussed in professional section.
68 See Tables 7.1 and 7.3. The increase in labourers in Table 7.4 may reflect a real increase or just a trend
for more labourers to marry by licence. The baptism data for Coughton and Studley to 1769 show a
decreased share for primary, followed by a resurgence. In Studley’s case the primary sector declined again
into the nineteenth century. See Tables 7.9 to 7.17 above.
69 See Table 7.6.
70 WaRO, 1841 census, Studley.
71 WoRO and WaRO, 1841 and 1851 censuses, and WoRO, Beoley baptisms 1813-1840. The latter source
gives more occupational information about unmarried mothers than most other local registers.
266