Georgian Tradespeople Maureen Anderson July 2024
The Allen map of 1626 showing the church and lands marked Vicre to the west (courtesy the Wiltshire History Centre)
This is the third and last article based on the research of Maureen Anderson and the vicar of Box, Rev John Phillipps who died in 1707. His estate accounts list his assets, who bought them and their value, which enables us to assemble details of people, particularly tradesmen, who lived in the Georgian village.
Village Traders
As might be expected, John Phillipps shopped locally, trading items with Bayly’s beerhouse (now called The Bear) which was near the church. He bought malt and chickens from John Bayly, probably the publican, who appears to have been a close friend and witness to his will. John Bayly bought two washing tubs from the estate for 7 shillings. He also rented out part of his glebe land (the vicar’s own landholding) to Thomas Bayly, calling him my tennant (sic), who owed rent of £15 on Phillipps’ death (although he is called Thomas Barly in the manuscript). Relations appear to have been amicable and John left 10 shillings to him in his will. Thomas Lee of Box was a witness to Phillipps’ will and was paid for horse hire. There is a suggestion that he was related to Baylys (possibly grandson).
There are many tradesmen mentioned in the estate accounts but it is impossible to determine where the people lived. Shops in Box were often different to our modern understanding. Many residents offered goods for sale from their front room whilst undertaking repair and manufacturing in the back yard and living above the premises. This was the period of “one-size fits all” for most people and local tradesmen were needed to alter garments including trousers, shirts and even shoes. John Powell ran a large carpenter’s workshop and garden behind his house. Powell built the coffin for which he was paid £1.1s.6d. He was still alive in 1727 when he paid the considerable sum of £5.7s.5½d in tithes, reflecting his large landholding.
Rural Community
Farmers were still the most common of tradespeople, selling fresh agricultural foodstuff and needed to supply horse requisites. Phillipps bought oats from Clement Harding, farmer. The Harding family were significant landholders but Clement was not mentioned in the 1727 tithe list and had probably died before. The family were well-known to John Phillipps and William Harding was a church warden. The Cottle family farmed various small fields at Wadswick and Wormwood in 1626 and William Cottle is mentioned by the Phillipps’ executor. One branch of the family appears to have moved to Bristol and John Cottle is referenced in the documents.
Ralph Willett’s executor accounts make it clear that Willett did not live in Box. He is constantly paying for horses to travel to the village, including to Mr Clutterbuck, who appears to have operated a transport business and later bought a coach and 2 horses for the huge sum of £64.10s. There are references to the delivery of documents to Box, and the executor paid for sending three letters to George Millard. It might be suggested that valuable items were removed from Box because there was a payment of 2 shillings to John Brown for buckling up the wagon to transport goods. Mr Harold, the valuer of the estate assets, was paid £1.10s.3d for his journey to the village. Mr Reynolds of Box was paid for horse hire.
Church Community
There are very few references to the nobility of Box and it seems strange that the Speke family, the holder of the church advowson who appointed John Phillipps, are not mentioned at all. However, we know that the male Speke line had died out in the 1680s-90s and Dame Rachel Speke was the last surviving direct family member, albeit by marriage. Several members of the Webb family of Alcombe are recorded: Nicholas Webb, Mrs Webb and Samuel Webb, Gentleman, who was a witness to Phillipps’ will.
There are several references to the local church community. As well as the teachers in the Charity School (Henry Arlett, clerk, and Dame Nichols) there are mentions of a scribbler (presumed to be a scribe), although it could refer to a Box weaver. It is apparent that John Phillipps liked to associate himself with churchmen. The executor, Ralph Willett, was the rector of Stratton, a trusted colleague. The signatories to his will included churchwarden, John Nutt. The coffin bearers included Mr Atkinson, of Badminton, James Butter, Benjamin Griffin, Mr Kellway of Trowbridge, and Thomas Tottershall, connected with Monkton Farleigh (Alban Hall). All the coffin bearers were described as clerks.
Medical Treatment
On John Phillipps’ death, he was only 56 years old but we do not know the nature of his illness. He was attended by several medical men: Dr Gregory of Hempstead, who was gifted a mourning ring, Mr Grevel, apothecary and later freeman of Gloucestershire, and his son Giles Grevel, apothecary of Bristol, and Dr Henry Lane, physician. There is no mention that these men were Box residents and Phillipps was sufficiently wealthy to gather experts from around the region.
John Phillipps appears to have retreated from life by the time of his death. The so-called “Glorious Revolution” ended with the invasion of William of Orange and the overthrow of James II. It brought the re-establishment of the Elizabethan religious settlement, restoration of bishops, and the Act of Toleration granting right to Nonconformists. John Phillipps settled into this period of religious harmony. It was left to his successor, Rev George Millard, to rebuild the church’s significance in the centre of Box.
Village Traders
As might be expected, John Phillipps shopped locally, trading items with Bayly’s beerhouse (now called The Bear) which was near the church. He bought malt and chickens from John Bayly, probably the publican, who appears to have been a close friend and witness to his will. John Bayly bought two washing tubs from the estate for 7 shillings. He also rented out part of his glebe land (the vicar’s own landholding) to Thomas Bayly, calling him my tennant (sic), who owed rent of £15 on Phillipps’ death (although he is called Thomas Barly in the manuscript). Relations appear to have been amicable and John left 10 shillings to him in his will. Thomas Lee of Box was a witness to Phillipps’ will and was paid for horse hire. There is a suggestion that he was related to Baylys (possibly grandson).
There are many tradesmen mentioned in the estate accounts but it is impossible to determine where the people lived. Shops in Box were often different to our modern understanding. Many residents offered goods for sale from their front room whilst undertaking repair and manufacturing in the back yard and living above the premises. This was the period of “one-size fits all” for most people and local tradesmen were needed to alter garments including trousers, shirts and even shoes. John Powell ran a large carpenter’s workshop and garden behind his house. Powell built the coffin for which he was paid £1.1s.6d. He was still alive in 1727 when he paid the considerable sum of £5.7s.5½d in tithes, reflecting his large landholding.
Rural Community
Farmers were still the most common of tradespeople, selling fresh agricultural foodstuff and needed to supply horse requisites. Phillipps bought oats from Clement Harding, farmer. The Harding family were significant landholders but Clement was not mentioned in the 1727 tithe list and had probably died before. The family were well-known to John Phillipps and William Harding was a church warden. The Cottle family farmed various small fields at Wadswick and Wormwood in 1626 and William Cottle is mentioned by the Phillipps’ executor. One branch of the family appears to have moved to Bristol and John Cottle is referenced in the documents.
Ralph Willett’s executor accounts make it clear that Willett did not live in Box. He is constantly paying for horses to travel to the village, including to Mr Clutterbuck, who appears to have operated a transport business and later bought a coach and 2 horses for the huge sum of £64.10s. There are references to the delivery of documents to Box, and the executor paid for sending three letters to George Millard. It might be suggested that valuable items were removed from Box because there was a payment of 2 shillings to John Brown for buckling up the wagon to transport goods. Mr Harold, the valuer of the estate assets, was paid £1.10s.3d for his journey to the village. Mr Reynolds of Box was paid for horse hire.
Church Community
There are very few references to the nobility of Box and it seems strange that the Speke family, the holder of the church advowson who appointed John Phillipps, are not mentioned at all. However, we know that the male Speke line had died out in the 1680s-90s and Dame Rachel Speke was the last surviving direct family member, albeit by marriage. Several members of the Webb family of Alcombe are recorded: Nicholas Webb, Mrs Webb and Samuel Webb, Gentleman, who was a witness to Phillipps’ will.
There are several references to the local church community. As well as the teachers in the Charity School (Henry Arlett, clerk, and Dame Nichols) there are mentions of a scribbler (presumed to be a scribe), although it could refer to a Box weaver. It is apparent that John Phillipps liked to associate himself with churchmen. The executor, Ralph Willett, was the rector of Stratton, a trusted colleague. The signatories to his will included churchwarden, John Nutt. The coffin bearers included Mr Atkinson, of Badminton, James Butter, Benjamin Griffin, Mr Kellway of Trowbridge, and Thomas Tottershall, connected with Monkton Farleigh (Alban Hall). All the coffin bearers were described as clerks.
Medical Treatment
On John Phillipps’ death, he was only 56 years old but we do not know the nature of his illness. He was attended by several medical men: Dr Gregory of Hempstead, who was gifted a mourning ring, Mr Grevel, apothecary and later freeman of Gloucestershire, and his son Giles Grevel, apothecary of Bristol, and Dr Henry Lane, physician. There is no mention that these men were Box residents and Phillipps was sufficiently wealthy to gather experts from around the region.
John Phillipps appears to have retreated from life by the time of his death. The so-called “Glorious Revolution” ended with the invasion of William of Orange and the overthrow of James II. It brought the re-establishment of the Elizabethan religious settlement, restoration of bishops, and the Act of Toleration granting right to Nonconformists. John Phillipps settled into this period of religious harmony. It was left to his successor, Rev George Millard, to rebuild the church’s significance in the centre of Box.