Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

sources such as smaller population growth, demonstrate Alcester’s relative stagnation as
a market town over the study period. This contrasts with Smith’s findings for the
Nottinghamshire towns in her study, whish, ‘irrespective of size, supported a
considerably increased range of trades and services’ between 1680 and 1840. 13
Appendix 3 shows that the average (mean) value of male probate inventories in
Alcester fluctuated over time, but were for the most part higher than those of the
surrounding countryside. 14
If any significance is to be read into these values, it suggests
that Alcester may have prospered from 1680 until the early 1720s. 15
However, in the
period 1720-39, Alcester’s average inventory value fell dramatically and became
significantly smaller than the value for the other zones. Many of those leaving probate no
doubt died prematurely in the epidemic circa 1730 before building up their personal
wealth, but the town’s commercial activities would also have been adversely affected
both by any general slow-down in the economy and by the hardships suffered by its
customers from the town and its hinterland during the epidemics circa 1730. Although
the numbers of inventories after 1740 are small, they suggest that personal wealth in
Alcester may have shown signs of recovery in mid-century.
13 C. Smith, ‘Populations growth and economic change in some Nottinghamshire market towns, 1680-
1840’, p. 39.
14 Although PCC wills have been included in the study area’s probate statistics, accompanying probate
inventories do not survive, so potentially high value inventories are missing. Alcester’s (average) mean
values are higher than for any of the other zones in the study area at the time and provide an interesting
comparison with Stratford (average £153 from1660-79 and £168 from 1680-99). Figures for Stratford
mentioned here are taken from J. Jones, ed., ‘Stratford upon Avon inventories, 1538-1699, vol. 2, 1626-
1699’, Dugdale Soc. Publications, 40, (2003), which lists 29 different occupations in Stratford’s probate
inventories from 1660-1699.
15 Ripley, ‘Village and town: occupations and wealth in the hinterland of Gloucester, 1660-1700’, p.178,
shows that mean personal wealth in probate in the city of Gloucester at this period was £244, in market
towns around Gloucester £154 and in the countryside £137. By comparison, mean personal wealth in
Alcester 1660-99 was £168 and in the villages of the study area £111.
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