God Save Us From These Raiding Priests

 The Tithe Maps and Tithe Apportionments of the mid nineteenth century provide us with a valuable research resource.  The data for Cheshire is available online: https://maps.cheshireeast.gov.uk/tithemaps/
Derbyshire maps, however, require a visit  to a local library where they can be viewed on microfiche.
These were among the earliest large scale maps of England and Wales to be surveyed. The Cheshire maps are at a scale of 6 chains to one inch, approximately 1:4750; or 8 chains to one inch 1:6340
The maps indicate individual plots of land marked with a reference number. The Tithe Apportionment shows the historic field name for each plot, its ownership and the name of its occupier. These were often different as many farmers were tenants. The acreage of each field is given, together with its usage. 

 Part of the Yeardsley cum Whaley Tithe Map of 1845 including the centre of Furness Vale. Onthe left hand side, towards the bottom of the map is Yeardsley Hall and its associated barns.

The Tithe system was established in the middle-ages and was a tax on agriculture in support of the church and clergy. One tenth of all produce, originally in kind would be paid each year. Many parishes had their own "tithe Barn" where these goods were collected and stored.

There were three kinds of tithe: Predial tithes were the produce of the land such as grain and vegetables. Mixed tithes were products of husbandry including lambs, calves, wool and milk. Personal tithes were the product of  labour such as fishing and milling.
Predial tithes were also known as "Great tithes"  and were payable to the rector. All others were known as "Small tithes" and were paid to the parish vicar.

                                            Hartpury Tithe Barn, Gloucestershire

At the dissolution of the monasteries in the mid 16th century, much of the church land passed into lay ownership. Rights to the "Great tithes" became personal property which could be traded. The parish vicar continued to be receive the "Small tithe" as before.

Payment in kind was gradually superceded by sums of cash. Initially fixed sums were charge although in later years these were replaced aby an annual assessment. This was formalised by the Tithe Act of 1836 which replaced tithes with a new "tithe rentcharge". The rate calculated was based upon the national price of corn.

The Tithe Apportionment was an outcome of the 1836 act and recorded, as we have seen, details of each plot of land and the amount of the rentcharge. This was a par value and varied annually. It details the tithe owner and a record of the circumstances of ownership.  Common land and  roadways, not subject to tithes was also recorded.

Subsequent acts in 1839, 1840, 1918 and 1925, gradually saw the replacement of tithes with redemption annuities. The Tithe Act of 1936 abolished all tithe rentcharges and replaced them with an annuity payable by the Government for 60 years. Finally, the scheme was wound up by the Finance Act of 1977.

Many parts of the country had seen protests against the tithe system.These were recorded from the early 19th century. Often dubbed "Tithe Wars", they reached an intensity in the inter-war years. At the end of World War One, many tenant farmers purchased their land, often at high prices under heavy mortgages. Resisting payment of the tithes resulted in bailiffs attempting to seize goods or even evict farmers. Resistance, often violent included a large crown in Kent burning an effigy of the Archbishop of Canterbury. A famous incident was the "battle of the ducks" at Westwell, Kent in 1934.  The Ecclesiastical Commissioners seized ducks and other livestock when a farmer refused to pay the tithe. A crowd of up to 100 young men liberated the birds and returned them to their "rightful pond". Embarassed and angered by the incident, the Church sent their agents under police protection to retrieve the birds and to gather additional bounty.

                                                           Tithe protestors
 

The name "Tithe" originates from the Old English teogoþa, meaning "tenth".  The practice of giving one tenth of ones income to a religious body is an ancient tradition and predates Christianity. Jesus is said to have advocated it and the practice continues to this day although usually of a voluntary basis.

News In A Nutshell

 These news snippets appeared in the Witney Gazette in the  early 20th century

 Owing to the absence of the clergyman, a wedding party at Chapel-en-le-Frith, Furness Vale, had to return home and wait until next day. (The couple from Furness Vale were due to be married in Chapel-en-le-Frith)                                 

                     
A suggestion has been made in Flintshire to pay teetotal police constables 2s 6d per week more than those who drink.

                                                              
For striking a match on the panel of a Warrington tramway-car a man has been fines 5s and costs.

Out of the fifty six years of her life an invalid who has just died at Sheffield had been forty six years in bed.

Because she disapproved of her son's marriage, a Welshpool woman drowned herself on the wedding morning.

As the night was very cold a roadworks watchman at Edinburgh put his open fire inside his hut. He was killed by the fumes.

After he had stolen and killed six fowls and two ducks, a thief at Derbys sat down in a corner of the poultry yard and was found there next morning asleep.

 Burglars who broke into the Casino at Nice have carried off a considerable sum in notes and gold, but several heavy bags of silver were left behind.

Teeth marks left in a pat of butter have led to the conviction of a burglar at Northumberland Assizes.

A terrier whose owner never appears, is a regular spectator of the matches of the Stroud Football Club. He watches the games from the granstand and disappears directly the whistle announces the end of the game.

A singular trial recently took place in Brescia. A regular practicing wizard at a place called Gattolongo pretended to cure maladies, to foretell future events, and to charm fowls from thieves with the assistance of Satan. A woman was actually driven to madness, and afterwards to death, by the machinations of this wizard, and consequently a physician cited him before the Courts of Brescia. He received only a slight sentence.

Prolonged singing took place at an Eisteddfod in a village in Montgomeryshire. The preoceedings lasted without interval for six hours during which three women fainted.

Pink Pills for Pale People

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

VACCINATION AND HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT

Vaccination is a burning question, and divides public opinion today as widely as ever. "Objectors" and others may like to know, says the "Hants and Sussex News" that at Hawthorne Cottage, The Stroud, near Petersfield, there lives a highly respectable and industrious widow, Mrs L. Tribe by name, lately moved thither from an adjoining parish, and who at one time felt that vaccination had an adverse influence uppon one of her sons, until, thanks to Dr. Williams' pink pills for pale people, the greatest of all blood medicines, saved him.  This boy, now sixteen years old, had been ill ever since he was vaccinated as an infant, andMrs Tribe said, "I blamed vaccination for it, and always shall. Ever since he was vaccinated, he has been ailing on and off. He has suffered from complaints of the chest and chiefly from chronic asthma. There was some internal trouble as well and at one time his  kidneys were in a dreaadful state. He was always a trouble, and I didn't feel free to go anywhere or do anything. The doctor told me he would never live to see fourteen, and only a twelve month ago said, 'it will take a lot to make a man of that boy'. But he is sixteen now and a lot better and has got as fat as can be."

 "How do you account for that?" we asked.
 "Well,she replied, a great improvement took place in him about the end of last March. Several people had said to me 'Why dont you try some of Dr Williams' pink pills for pale people and see what they would do?  They have saved thelives of many young men and women  in a decline'.  Ofcourse, we had tried very nearly everything that we could think of,and had had the best medical advice, but the boy did not get better, so I decided ass a last resort to give Dr Williams' pink pills a trial. After he had taken two or three boxes he said he began to feel better in himself and so continuedto take them regularly until he had so far recovered as to be able to take a situation.  I shall give him some of thepills now and again" added Mrs tribe, " and I hope in time he will be quite well and that I shall be able to get him into a club. They wouldn't pass him for a club before.Vaccination and re-vaccination are blamed for many diseases really due to nothing more than impoverishment of the blood and general debility. It is a wide precaution for all who have been vaccinated to give a little attention to the blood by using Dr Williams' pink pills for pale people (Dr Williams' medicine company, Holborn Viaduct, London. will send them post free for 2s 9d),and, indeed, sogreatly do they strengthen and fortify the system that they are really almost as great a protection as vaccination itself. They have cured a large number of cases of anaemia, consumption, decline, general weakness, spinal weakness, paralysis, coughs, bronchitis, bile and liver disorders: the pure rich blood they give is not only a help to make the most of the protection afforded by vaccination, but also a guarantee against any possible evils which otherwise might follow in the train of vaccination. It is folly to expect anaemia and serious diseases to be cured by purgatives, which gallop out of the system.

  The text of this article appeared in the Buxton Advertiser in December 1901

Starved to Death

 John Warren of Furness Vale kept a diary of local events. This sad story was recorded by him on January 21st 1860.

"1860 Saturday Night Jenuarey 21th Robert EDGE of Gite Clof was starved to Death betwen Buxton and Gite Clof and he Left A wife and 7 children"

 No doubt in modern parlance, he would be reported as having died from exposure.

The story was reported in several newspapers at the time.   Robert Edge was employed by Ellam and Jones at  Goyt's Clough Works. He had left home to purchase provisions and was last seen returning at about nine in the evening. The night was rough and stormy and he didn't reach home. A search was made the following day but it was not until Monday morning that his body was found near Burbage Edge Plantation. He had strayed some distance from the path to Goyt's Clough. The verdict at the inquest was that he "died from the inclemancy of the weather".   He left a wife and seven children who were said to be quite destitute.

Mr and Mrs Grimshaw of Errwood Hall started a collection with a donation of £4 to relieve their needs. John Downs of Goyt's Bridge raised many more contributions in Buxton.

Robert Edge was a native of Reap's Moor, near Longnor.

Val Stenson and Chris Wilman have researched Robert Edge and found that his death was registered at Chapel-en-le-Frith. Records show a Robert Edge, born in 1822/3 and married to Jane Twigg on  16th January 1844 at Earl Sterndale. Jane was 20 and the daughter of a blacksmith; Robert's father was a labourer.  There is no proof that this is Robert Edge who died in 1860 but given the locations, it does seem likely.

 There were few homes in Goyt's Clough; just four Mill worker's cottages and Goytsclough Farm. The farm was for many years occupied by a Lomas family so one of these cottages may have been the home of Robert Edge.  photograph courtesy of David Stirling

  The works was also known as "The Paint Mill"; where barytes were ground into a powder for use as a white pigment in the paint industry. 

 "Starving" is an ancient term from Scotland, Ireland and Northern England meaning very cold. It was certainly still in use in this area in Victorian times and quite often appeared in local newspapers.

Furness Vale Methodist Chapel

 

Derbyshire or Cheshire

 There have been a number of occasions when our local county boundaries have been changed. 

 

A major change, came about in 1936 when Furness Vale, most of Whaley Bridge and part of Newtown were transferred from Cheshire to Derbyshire. At the same time Mellor and |Ludworth joined with Cheshire, becoming Marple Urban District Council’s responsibility, . The original county boundary following the River Goyt had caused numerous administrative anomalies and duplications of offices. Furness Vale for instance was divided almost equally between two civil parishes, Disley and Yeardsley-cum-Whaley, whilst homes across the river were in another county altogether. Whaley Bridge, divided in two, was under the jurisdiction of two county councils, one urban district and two rural district councils as well as three parish councils. The town even had two police officers, responsible for opposite sides of the river. Each of the parishes levied different rates and even the pubs kept different hours.

The Local Government Act of 1972 brought about changes throughout the country. 1^st April 1974 saw the creation of new Metropolitan Counties such as Greater Manchester and at the same time, many adjustments to the boundaries of Non Metropolitan Counties, particularly Cheshire. These were however, only administrative changes and the act did not seek to change or abolish the historic counties nor their traditional boundaries. The postal addresses of some towns, such as Marple still recognise the original county distinction. The Department of the Environment stated at the time “They are administrative areas and will not alter the traditional boundaries of counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change”. Nearly 50 years later, those loyalties have naturally become challenged. Many residents of Stockport and Marple now look more towards Greater Manchester whilst others, remain firmly attached to their Cheshire roots. It is the traditional loyalty that is strictly correct yet it is understandable that many feel that they now belong to the Metropolis.

Less clear is the situation in Furness Vale and Whaley Bridge. There are still a number of people who were born in Cheshire yet local allegiances are firmly with Derbyshire. Technically though, it might well be claimed that we are still within the old county for the notices issued in 1936 referred only to administrative changes.

Nearby Disley remains in Cheshire. The proposal in 1972 intended that the village should be within Stockport Metropolitan Borough but the decision was reversed after local campaigning. The question was raised again twelve years ago when a local referendum was considered to decide whether Disley might transfer to Stockport or High Peak. The village remains however, very much part of East Cheshire.

In the 1900s, it was within the Parish of Stockport but was included in the Hayfield Poor Law Union in Derbyshire (from the outset), despite being separated from Derbyshire by the River Goyt. The Hayfield Poor Law Union came into existence in 1837 and between 1839 and 1841 built the Union Workhouse in Low Leighton. Interestingly, New Mills, Derbyshire, did not join the Hayfield Union until 1885.

Historically, local government had been based upon ecclesiastical parishes with the power to levy a rate for the relief of the poor established by an act of 1601. This replaced an earlier feudal system of government. The 19^th century saw numerous reforms including the establishment of civil parishes in 1866. These followed common boundaries but population movement and growth led to many changes. 1894 saw the establishment of Rural and Urban District Councils which took over most of the powers of the civil parishes.

The map extracts below from wikishire.co.uk and the Association of British Counties websites indicate the traditional pre-1936 boundaries. It is interesting to note, and perhaps a surprise that Cheshire has a boundary with Yorkshire.

The third map has been coloured to show the modern Cheshire and the former Derbyshire; the unshaded area being that including Furness Vale and Whaley Bridge,and which changed counties.

 

 

 

 

Furness Vale Post Office in 1947

 

John Dean and his wife are photographed outside of their Post Office in Furness Vale. Their 13 year old daughter, Margaret holds her two week old brother, Kenneth. Mr and Mrs Dean took over the Post Office in 1944 having moved from Levenshulme. He was a retired police officer. The business was taken over in 1956 by Brian Smedley. 

The premises were extended in the 1970s to incorporate the house next door. This narrow, gale fronted building was erected in the late 19th century to fill a space between two buildings.

Hill's grocery shop is seen to the right of the picture. George and Evelyn Hill ran this grocery and confectionery business throughout the 1940s and 1950s. It was later taken over by Jane Ramwell. 

 The photograph has been digitally colourised from a black and white original from the collection of Margaret Bold (nee Dean).

The Longside Firing Range

The recent book by Elizabeth Mcormick, "Chapel en le Frith Takes Aim" makes several references to our local firing range on Whaley Moor.  This was sited in the field below the Dipping Stone and was used by the Whaley Bridge branch of rifle volunteers until at least 1905. The range was regularly used for firing practice and for rifle competitions. Longside was one of hundreds of such ranges throughout the country that were in use during the 19th century. They were mostly closed in the late 1900s for safety reasons. As can be seen on the map below, the range was marked out at 500 and 600 yards from the target, near which was located a magazine.

Our member, Hugh Wheeler recently braved the winter weather to explore Whaley Moor and despite the range having been out of use for more than 100 years, he was able to photograph the remains of the stone built structures. The line of the range can still be traced and Hugh was able to pinpoint the firing marks.

There had been other firing ranges in our neighbourhood, particularly at Taxal and Eccles Pike.

Copies of "Chapel en le Frith Takes Aim" are on sale at Reading Matters Booksho in Chapel and fron the History Society.

Memories Of When The Bombs Passed Over

By Michael Pickford My home town is Buxton in Derbyshire were I spent my formative years living with my Mum, Dad and sister Jill. My Gran and Grandad lived at 2 Charles street, Fairfield. Grandad worked for the London, Midland and Scottish railways, then during the First World War with Germany whilst serving with The Royal Scots Fusiliers. He had passed through Ypres to fight through the battle of Somme in France and to Mons where he lost many of his friends. He was a fine, proud, ex soldier and when he died I found in his chest of drawers his original Mons Star, still in its original and unmounted ribbon with his regimental number and date issue in 1919. Gran was everyone’s dream of a Grannie who baked bread such as you have never tasted. My Mum and Dad had purchased a house on Victoria Park road in Fairfield Buxton when all there was around it were fields of green and dry stone walls. Most of my memories which come to mind now would be from the time before I reached ten years old, and through the war with Germany. Dad was in a reserved occupation with the I.C.I (Imperial Chemical Industries) and was in the Home Guard. Mum would take me with her when she went shopping, which was usually the CO-OP Wholesale Society on Bridge street, Buxton. Whatever you wanted to purchase was of course covered by coupons in ration books. Everything was scarce and the stock phrase for refusal was always “Don’t you know there’s a war on.” I remember sugar in blue bags, MOF orange juice in flat bottles, Dolly tubs and pouches and big blocks of household soap. I still have the last issue of family ration books. Chocolates and fruit, you never saw unless you passed a greengrocer as the fruit arrived. I was shopping for my Mum once and a fruit shop on Holker road had just received a delivery of fresh apples. I spent most of my money for the days shopping on these apples, but Mum and Dad weren’t angry because it was such a rarity when you saw fresh fruit. All the vegetables we had were grown on allotments on Bench road with the advertisind slogan “Dig for Victory”. At weekends, you could go to the fields near Corbar woods on Lightwood road in Buxton and watch the Home Guards on manoeuvres. I didn’t really know what they were doing, except that they were supposed to be capturing a deserted farmhouse in a field, which seemed a long way off. I never really did find out if the captured the farmhouse! At Dove Holes outside Buxton there was a prisoner of war camp for Italians and all the POWs as they were called, were allowed into Buxton at the weekends. With their Latin features they were easy to spot because they wore brown battledress tunics and trousers with POW across their backs. One evening at Victoria Park road my Mum and quite a few of the neighbours were on the front. There was a lot of consternation as the sky was brilliant red and everyone was frightened. They thought it some fearsome weapon had been released from Germany. Grandad however was paying us a visit and put all the ladies at rest as he walked towards them saying “You daft things, its only the sun setting!” There were some equally frightening times, a lot of night my Mum used to put me together with my sister Jill, who would be only one year old, under the table in our front room. Jill was fitted with a large gas mask, which was designed for infants. As soon we heard the air raid sirens wail we had to this until the all clear sounded. The drone of the Dornier German Bombers is something I will never forget. They were passing overhead on their way to bomb Manchester and Sheffield, and although Manchester was some twenty miles away you could hear the awesome thuds and explosions as the bombs landed. One night we heard one fall right outside Fairfield and the house really shook. I seem to remember it had been jettisoned by a German Bomber returning to Germany. I paid three pence once to go and see a German Messerscmitt Fighter plane which was on display behind a big tarpaulin in Sylvan Car Park, Buxton. It had been shot down and all the money, which was collected from people viewing it went to the war effort. I used to stay with my Gran some nights and she would twist the controls on the big radio they had until you heard “Germany calling, Germany calling.” It was Lord Haw Haw broadcasting from Berlin, I didn’t understand what it was about but Gran used to laugh then turn it off. Everybody used to listen to Alvar Liddell on the radio with the news. It was always preceded with a drumbeat when it was broadcast to Europe. I think that it would probably 1944 when the most frightening thing I saw or have ever seen for that matter made everybody think that the world really was about to end. My Auntie Irene was staying with us at Victoria Park road, she worked for the Norwich Union, which at the time Spa Hotel in Higher Buxton. It was late evening and e could hear from outside the house a noise wich was like no other. Everyone was outside, although it was all those years ago, I can still see the sky full of orange. It appeared orange whichever way I looked. It was awesome and frightening. Everybody could only stand and stare, nobody knew what they were and there were so man. They were of course the V. 1s, the Buzz Bombs, the Doodlebugs, the terror weapon which flew unmanned towards its target until the fuel gave out and then it fell to the earth causing terrible explosive damage to both buildings and people. Again like the Dornier Bomber, it was a noise you can never forget, all flying again in the direction of dear old Manchester. At that time and for a long time afterwards, I always thought it if I had been standing on our roof I could have touched them with a clothes prop. There was nothing on the news the next day, security reasons I suppose, but I remember that a couple of Bombers had hit the hills somewhere around Buxton. Most of them had given poor old Manchester a pounding. On the 6th of June 1944, I don’t know whether I was gong to school or on holiday, but I know I was in the kitchen at 83 Victoria Park road. My Mum was upset and crying, Dad at work, and I didn’t know what was wrong. After a while Mum was able to tell me what had been kept a secret from everyone. She was crying because all our brave soldiers, sailors and airmen, together with some from so many other countries, had landed in France. He largest Military Armada ever, they had all gone to fight and possibly die in France. That is why she was crying. It was D-Day, the 6th of June. © Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author.   First published on the BBC People's War website

The School Snowman of 1953

 Thank you Dorothy Lovatt for sending us this lovely seasonal photograph of Furness Vale School in 1953.

Only a few of the children have been identified by Dorothy Lovatt (nee Wood)

Back row standing-  first 4 unknown and teacher unknown then one more unknown  girl before Carol Walker - unknown - Dorothy Wood {me} - unknown - unknown - Snowman - Jean Wood - Jennifer Hartle - Helen Lomas? - unknown - Ann Watson? 

Front row crouched, - First 4 unknown - Susan Wood [with ribbon in hair] - Joan Shore - unknown - Snow man - next 3 unknown - Jimmy Knox - unknown.

 

Can anybody name the others.

 

In the background we can see the Station Waiting Room and Booking Office and the Station Hotel, now The Crossings.