Agriculture
1808: Graves noted that “there are no common, or uninclosed lands, which is a circumstance of some advantage and consequence to husbandry”.
1853-70: The “Golden Age of Farming”
1877: the price of wheat began to drop disastrously
1894: Royal Commission noted that in the Stokesley area wheat growing land had fallen in value by two thirds since 1879, farmers had lost their capital and three had even applied for poor relief
This depression in farming only came to an end with the First War
1801 Census
Skutterskelfe, Sexhow and East Rounton wholly agricultural
Hutton, Rudby and Middleton 20 % agricultural and 80 % manufacturing, trade or handicraft
1808
Graves commented that in the parish the number of people engaged in agriculture and the number engaged in trade or manufactures was nearly equal.
1831-41
Ord noted in 1846 a decrease in population between 1831 and (probably) 1841, and attributes it to “the removal of families to Middlesborough”.
1841-51
the linen industry collapsed.
1841 Census
there were 37 farmers, 2 hinds and 71 agricultural labourers, 62 % men and 38 % women. 9 of the women and 10 of the men were 65 to 85 years old
1851 Census
there were 94 farm labourers and 41 farm servants – 86 labourers were men, and only 5 men and 1 woman were over 65. The young men had been displaced from the linen industry into agriculture.
1861 Census
there were 52 farmers, 111 labourers and 38 speciality farm workers eg ploughmen, milkmaids.
A number of Drainers are listed in the Census – 12 men aged between 24 and 50. One was born in Hutton, one in Stockton, 4 were Yorkshiremen, two of them married to Hutton women, one was born in Lincoln and 5 in Ireland.