Its owners and some historical connections - Lackham Countryside ...

The Manor of Alderton 3rd edition
Records for Alderton are scarce for this period; few of the Montagu papers
that have survived from the late eighteenth century mention it.
Some details are known, the names of some of the wealthier people living in
Alderton in the mid 1790’s are available as a result of the Hair Powder Tax.
This rather strange example of taxation was introduced in May 1795 and “every
person who shall use or wear powder, commonly called hair powder of whatever
materials the same shall be made shall previously enter his or her place of
abode and annually take out a certificate” 358
The powder was used to dust the wigs commonly worn by the well to do, both
male and female. It was commonly chalk or flour. The annual certificates cost
£1 1s each and, not surprisingly, the use of hair powder quickly went out of
fashion. In 1796, however, certificates were issued in Alderton to Lewis
Brotherson, his wife and two daughters and to Mr Verecfield, the only records
we have of these people.
A small glimpse of late eighteenth century society that we rarely think about
today is given in the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre précis of an Alderton
will. In 2009 this read
Will of Lewis ?Brothman formerly of St Christopher, now of
Alderton Wilts 1799 bequeathing his property, including
slaves and negroes to nephew Lewis B Verchild of Alderton
Wilts 359
But now that the actual will can be seen it is clear that the name is actually
Lewis Brotherson, as in the Hair Powder Tax return.
358 Hurley, Beryl (ed) The Hair Powder Tax Wiltshire 1796 & 1797 WFHS W&SHC
A1,395
359 W&SHC 254/4
When undertaking the research for the 2009 edition this document was too fragile to
be viewed and so I had no other details of what it actually said. However since then
the conservators at Chippenham have worked on the will and it is now (2012) available .
Because of the poor condition parts are missing but a transcription has been made by
the author and is presented as Appendix 1.7.
105