We Walk In Their FootstepsA Few Of Our Predecessorsis fascinating to discover who lived in the village in days gone by. The census of 1851 provides the names of all Ecton residents, adults and children both, but it is too comprehensive to be reproduced here. It can be viewed by members of the public on microfilm at the County Record Office, Wootton. Less well-known sources include the Militia Lists from which a fighting force could be raised for the defence of the realm against invasion or rebellion. Liability to serve rested on able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 45 years with some exemptions such as the clergy, peers and poor men with three or more children born in wedlock. ( List A ). There are numerous Northamptonshire Directories for the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, ‘Kelly’s’ being the most well thumbed. These give brief details of leading worthies together with persons engaged in any kind of business, usually in alphabetical order, in every town and village. (Lists B, C, and D ). Though these lists make interesting reading, they do not lend themselves to statistical analysis. However, we can compare the high proportion of servants and labourers in 1777 with the later diversity of trades. Prior to the First World War, Ecton was plainly a self- contained community of hustle and bustle. Since then, change has been ever increasing and revolutionary; much that was of value is now lost. On a more light-hearted note the boast of certain villagers to belong to families stretching back generations can be put to the test! Dr Douglas and Mrs Betty Shearing.
Postscript: It should be noted that in the past the spelling of names was not standardised and possibly leaned heavily on local pronunciation. In addition there was no agreed schedule of occupations; the description of “farmer”, for example, was particularly broad. A - Militia List of Ecton Males, 18-45 years, 1777 servants to Ambrose Isted BLASON William BROWN John CLARK Thomas GAUDERN William MARSTON Richard PRENTICE Stephen servants ABBOT Ruben BLASON John BARRRET James BAIZLEY John GARRET Robert KNIGHT Joseph LUCK Richard ORLEBAR Samuel PINNEY Thomas ROBINSON William THOMPSON Jonas WILSON John YAOUL John carpenters BAYES John LANGLEY John LANGLEY Stephen KING John STONEBANKS Lovell constables CHILDS Arthur WALTON Thomas husbandman’s sons CHILDS Anthony CHILDS Jonathan LOVELL Allen LOVELL Peter LOVELL Jonathan SLATTER John cordwainers COX William HENSMAN Edmond NICHOLLS Robert SIMMONS John bakers CLARK Anthony MAINE William gardeners COLLINS Thomas LUCK John MORRIS Henry THOMPSON James labourers COLLINS JohnGOODWIN Edwin HART Thomas HENSMAN John INGRAM James JOHNSON William JOLLEY William JAMES Edward JAMES Samuel KEMP John NABERRY Bartholomew PETTIT John PINNEY William ROBINSON Thomas servants to Rev. Whalley HERN James MUSKEE William butchers HOWKINS Jonathon JOHNSON John esquire ISTED Samuel parish clerk JOLLEY Edward blacksmith MORRIS William masons NORRIS John NORRIS Henry keeper THOMPSON Thomas schoolmaster VAN John Victualler WHEELER EdwardB - Kelly’s Directory, 1847 Lord of the Manor Ambrose ISTED Patronage Rev. John C WHALLEY Curate Rev. John SWAINSON BARRET Alice (Mrs) mistress of Free School BARRET James master of Free School BLASON George baker BLASON Thomas farrier BRADSHAW Charles butcher CHILD Anthony farmer CHILD Arthur farmer CHILD William draper DAWES Josiah butcher DOWNS Richard farrier FASCUTT W Woolston farmer (Glebe farm) GORDON Hugh farmer DUNKLEY Henry The Cottage ELSON Esther (Mrs) manager, Co-operative Stores FIELD John butcher GREEN J George wheelwright, carpenter HOWARD J Thomas builder HUNTER Afra (Miss) mistress, Infant School ISTED Ambrose esquire, The Hall KIRBY Thomas timber merchant and beerhouse LANGDELL G Arthur shoe manufacturer LANGDELL Thomas blacksmith LANGLEY Mary (Mrs) shopkeeper PENN John shopkeeper PERKINS Charlotte (Miss) PETTIT William blacksmith SLOW William victualler, `World’s End’ STREET William E master of National School TARRY John market gardener TARRY Sarah (Mrs) market gardener TASSELL Daniel gamekeeper TASSELL Henry baker
D - Kelly’s Directory, 1914 ( the population in 1911 was 504 ) Parish clerk Archibald ROBINSON Post Frank JOHNSON Private residents FIELD Rev. John Baptist GAMBLE Concrad The Cottage JEPHSON Rev. Arthur Rectory SOTHEBY (Mrs) Ecton House STOPFORD SACKVILLE (Mrs) L. The Hollies TASSELL (Mrs) BAKER Frost blacksmith BARKER John shoemaker BLASON George farmer CALLIS Elizabeth (Mrs) farmer COPNALL John estate carpenter DARKER Ellen (Mrs) beer retailer DARKER George tailor DICKS Edgar farmer EALES Stephen J. beer retailer EARL John farm bailiff to Mrs Sotheby HAWKES Stephen farmer LANGDELL Elizabeth (Mrs) `Horse shoe’ LANGDELL Thomas blacksmith LANGLEY Charles wholesal boot manufacturers, LANGLEY Andrew grocers and butchers PELL Samuel farmer JOHNSON George tailor JOHNSON John watchmaker JOLLY Mary (Mrs) carrier WALTON T Augustus farmer WATSON Margaret (Miss) ladies boarding school WILLS Joseph `World’s End’ WRIGHT John builder, wheelwright, blacksmith and timber merchant
C - Whellan’s Directory, 1874 BLEASLEY Henry gardener BLASON George baker BRADSHAW Charles butcher BRADSHAW Daniel road surveyor BUCKLAR William shoemaker DARKER George tailor DAVIES Rev. C Tizard M. A. rector ECTON INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY Ltd. FIELD John T. butcher GOOSEY Thomas E. bailiff at N Irrigation farm GREY William gamekeeper to Mrs Sotheby GREEN J. George wheelwright HORNE Rebecca (Mrs) market gardener KNOTT Wilfrid carrier LANGLEY George W. shopkeeper, carrier MABBUTT Charles foreman builder to Lady Wantage MALLARD John haulier PENN David W. shopkeeper PERKINS William C. `World’s End’ RICKETT Arthur farmer ROBINSON Archibald insurance agent, assistant overseer and sec. Reading Room ROBINSON William F. farmer, The Lodge SMITH William head gardener to Mrs Sotheby |
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