11. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: Aunts, sisters, cousins: “a jolly walk we had”

John’s aunt Elizabeth Hirst – his father’s sister, still commemorated in stained glass in Boroughbridge church – had been a loving companion to her husband Henry:

Monday November 3rd 1856
Went to Office  Had breakfast at Uncles as he was going to London & Aunt wanted to go to the Station to see him off …

She kept a cow:

Tuesday November 25th 1856
Went to Office.   Retd to Breakfast   At Noon Had a walk with Capes towards Kirby Hill by the fields.   At Night Joe & I walked to see Aunt Hirsts cow which they were expecting to calve.   Went home  read Law

and, like John, she too sorted the letters for the post:

Friday February 15th 1856
Was at the Office   Had breakfast at Uncles   went to Howells with a letter Aunt had missed putting into their bag …

10. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: "Very ill not likely to get better"

Death was never far away. 

Monday January 26th 1857
… Rode Joes Mare to Humberton to enquire of Lydia Smith who was very ill not likely to get better …

Saturday March 12th 1859
…   Mrs Clark of Ellinthorp Hall was confined   child dead  Mother was there

Tuesday March 22nd 1859
To office.   At Night went to a spread to Mrs Powells   Two Miss Smiths of Burton   Charlesworth  Miss R Stott   Steele  Capes & I were there     we played cards    got home about ½ past eleven
Annie Sedgwick died today

In September 1858, John’s parents and Uncle and Aunt Hirst had gone away with friends and family to Redcar for a holiday.  Mary Hirst and her sister Jane were with them, but the others had remained behind:

Tuesday September 28th 1858
To office.   At Noon went down to the Cricket field.   At Night went to Joes & from there to the train to meet the Hirsts & Miss Thompson coming from Duncombe Park.   Leonard Sedgwick was telegraphed for to Aunt Hirst who was ill at Redcar

Wednesday September 29th 1858
To office.   At Noon at the Cricket Field.   About 3 o’clock Rd Hirst came with a note which Mr Roger Buttery had brought from Redcar to say Dora  Sophy & Rd [Hirst] were to go by the 6 train to Redcar as Mrs Hirst was very ill   They went by the train but received a message at Pilmoor [station] to say they were to return as poor Aunt was dead.   Leond came home from Redcar & Mary Hirst also came with him.   She died about 3 o’clock of paralysis apoplexy

Thursday September 30th 1858
To office.   Had breakfast at Uncles  At noon Father & Mother came from Redcar also Uncle Hirst & Mrs Chas Stubbs and the corpse came by Ripon  At night Had tea at Joes

Mrs Charles Stubbs was the Hirsts’ eldest child Jane, now thirty four years old.  She had married one of the London cousins, Charles Stewart Stubbs, when she was twenty.  Four years later she was widowed when Charles died in a riding accident.  Her third child, Alice, was born three months later. 

Saturday October 2nd 1858
To office.   At Noon at Uncles directing funeral cards …

Monday October 4th 1858
To office.   At 12 o’clock we committed the remains of poor Aunt to the grave.   She was borne shoulder height by 6 men & a pall was borne by 8 ladies.   There was a large funeral.   Holdsworth & Owen performed the ceremony   At Night read law

9. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: Boroughbridge

Threading through the diary entries are glimpses of Boroughbridge and the countryside around: John records taking visitors to see the Devil’s Arrows or the Aldborough Pavement; riding his cousin Richard Hirst’s mare to the top of Gibbet Hill; going to the river “to bathe through the pasture and jolly it was”; walking down the river past Ramsdens; walking through Langthorpe down Dog Kennel Lane; going to the Water Cress Spring near Low Dunsforth; walking to the Ouseburn Bar. 

People appear, mentioned fleetingly.  In April 1856 John had his hair cut at Bulmer’s and his watch mended at Glew’s.  He got a dog from Capes, that Capes had bought from Mr Peacock, the relieving officer.  He went fishing and ferreting with Slater, the Roecliffe gamekeeper, or at the Mill with Baldrey (possibly the young schoolmaster lodging at Whixley in 1851).  He and his friend Smallwood walked up the river to drink porter at Bickerdikes.  On summer evenings he would play or watch the cricket – on 3 July 1856 he watched the match between Langton Wold and Boroughbridge.

There were annual events: the fairs, November the Fifth – in 1856 John walked round the town to see the fireworks on November 5th (Dr Sedgwick had his display two days earlier).  There were visiting attractions – travelling circuses  (Cookes or Pablo Fanque’s) were always a great favourite but sometimes the entertainment was rather more unusual:

Monday January 14th 1856
Went to Office   Sat with Aunt Hirst as all the rest were at Eagles Clairvoyant Entertainment   Read Blackstone

Miss Eagle of Eagles Clairvoyant Entertainment was staying at the White Horse Inn – a couple of days later Bessie Carrass went to ask her for news of John’s uncles Richard and Giles Henlock, who had emigrated to New Zealand in about 1835.  Miss Eagle (inaccurately) predicted Richard’s return in 1857.  Both are mentioned in Uncle William Henlock’s Will made in 1865 and it seems Richard died in Australia in 1876.

Monday November 7th 1859
to office.   At night read Equity at the office.   Went at noon to call at Mrs Parkers   Went at night to Miss Grace Egertons entertainmt at the White Horse

Mrs Morrell of the White Horse also kept vehicles for hire – in May 1857 the cab was hired to take John’s parents, sister Jane and Mr Capes to Joe’s wedding in York; in March 1858 John and his friend Mark Smallwood went in Morrells’ phaeton to Ripon to visit friends; in February 1859 John and a friend went in Morrells’ dogcart to a party in Humburton; and in November 1859 a large party of ten people took Morrells’ omnibus to Thornton Bridge to a party at Thomas Lund’s house.

8. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: "About in the Fair"

Wednesday June 18th 1856
Went to Office   At Noon Was about in the fair   At Night Steele  E.C.Clarke  Leonard  Joe  Capes  Schofield & I went down to the Swale Nab in the boat  it came on wet & we got wet through   we pulled up through the far arch   there was a little fresh down but we grated on the bottom.

The Barnaby Fair in June was the highlight of the year.  John’s parents were busy entertaining – they usually had people staying for the fair and friends, relations and valued customers would be invited to dine.  The young men were free to enjoy themselves – when they were not at work:

Monday June 23rd 1856
Drove home from Dishforth   Went to Office   At Noon I rode over to Dishforth for some Deeds   I had dinner there.   came home & went to the Office   At Night was walking about in the fair    saw two or three battles & a tumble off or two   helped the Constables & had some fine fun

Tuesday June 24th 1856
Went to office   At Noon was about home   Mr Robt Workman & Mrs W.  [of Arksey] dined with us & Uncle Wm & Aunt [Henlock].   At Night was about in the fair   Went to sup at the D[octo]rs came away about 11   Capes  Joe & I walked round the fair   had some fun & came home.

Wednesday June 25th 1856
Went to office.   At Noon was about home   At Night The Clarks of Ellinthorp  Steele & E.C.Clark  The Sedgwicks & the Hirsts were at our house to tea    we had a walk in the garden   we had singing &c   Sophy H.   Mary Sedgwick & I went into the fair to buy pins &c of Mrs Dickinson.   They left about 11

Monday June 22nd 1857
Went to Office.   At Noon was about in the fair   Nineteen of us sat down to dinner   After dinner Mr John Mitchell & I had a walk in the fair.   At Night Richd Paver, Young Houseman  Joe  Capes & I had a stroll in the fair

Richard Paver was the twenty-year-old son of the vicar of Brayton, near Selby, and related to the Picks and Howes of Ouseburn, where he learned farming.  When in 1872 he inherited Ornhams Hall from Mr Crow, he changed his name to Paver Crow.

By the early 1880s John’s mother was writing sadly,

The town looks miserably quiet and all the families are going away for Barnaby, what a change from the old times.

7. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: “Got out at the back door & went to the Newsroom”

Tuesday January 29th 1856
Went to Office   at Noon had a walk with Jane & Lizzy & Joe a mile up Topcliffe road & round by Milby   At Night went & read Blackstone at H Carrass’, before tea   After tea went again to Carrass’ with Joe had a rubber at wist   Uncle Hirst came for Sophy.   Joe & I got out at the back door & went to the Newsroom

The Subscription Newsroom at the White Horse Inn was a favourite place for John to read the papers – the lurid details of the Palmer poisoning trial, perhaps, or a little of the Tory periodical, the Quarterly Review – to meet friends or even, as in May 1856, to clean his gun. 

Saturday January 3rd 1857
Went to Office   Returned to Breakfast.   At Noon went to Capes’.   At Night I went to Newsroom Met Leond  Tom & Jim Sedgwick there   Leond & I had a regular split because our Tom called at their house once when he was here & would not go again because he was not asked in  he did not see the Doctor.   Called at Henry Carass’  Read Shakespeare

John’s older brother Tom had been home for a few days over Christmas, and clearly John was very angry with the Sedgwick brothers for the breach of hospitality – Tom had not been asked in to the house when he called on the Sedgwicks during his brief stay.  Perhaps the doctor’s household was in some disarray – Dr Roger Sedgwick died in early April.  At any event the “regular split” did not impair their relationship – they remained friends for life.

6. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: "Enjoyed ourselves extremely"

Tuesday January 15th 1856
Went to the Office   Mrs Workman  Mr Robert W  Mr Henlock & Mrs dined with us at 2 o’clock   I left the Office at  2  returned at 4   Went to the Doctors [Sedgwicks’] in the Evening   Danced   had supper & enjoyed ourselves extremely   A Family party  Leonard’s birthday

Breakfast was after a little bit of studying or opening the post at the office.  Dinner was the main meal of the day – whenever it took place – but here in rural Yorkshire it was generally in the middle of the day or the early afternoon.  Tea was in the early evening, supper later on.  Dinner, tea and supper – all were opportunities for parties and gatherings in this gregarious, sociable world.

Mr Robert Crawshaw Workman farmed at Arksey, near Doncaster.  The Workmans were connections of the Henlocks, John's mother's family – Margaret Henlock married William Workman.  Mr and Mrs Henlock were John’s uncle and aunt from Great Ouseburn. 

Tuesday January 22nd 1856
Went to office.   Retd to Breakfast   felt rather tired.   At Noon walked with Jane up the Topcliffe Road   Had tea with Aunt Hirst   went to a small party to supper at Aunt Bells.   had my fortune told by her.   Got home about ½ past eleven.   Uncle Hirst & Dora came home from London & Ann Stubbs came with them

No wonder John felt tired – he had been up till 4 o’clock in the morning waiting for the cow to calve.  Jane was his elder sister, who would soon marry young Mr Capes of her uncle Hirst’s office.  Dora was his cousin Dorothy Hirst, who died unmarried aged fifty-one.  She led a quiet life of useful works to the community and her family and is commemorated by a stained glass window in Boroughbridge church.  Ann Stubbs was one of the London relations.

5. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: Holidays

If the working day in the 1850s was a great deal less frenetic than today, holidays were fewer.  John’s parents would generally go to a seaside resort, often Redcar, for a week or two.  They went in a large party of family and friends to stay in lodging houses – in 1856 they went twice, in July and in October.  John went on Saturday 18th October to meet them there:

Saturday October 18th 1856
Went to Office.   At Noon about home   At Night I went to Redcar   left at ¼ past six   got there ½ past nine   Mr Clark of Ellinthorp went at Noon   Father & Mother  Aunt & Uncle Redmayne  Sarah Sedgwick & Miss Cunnyngham were there   Mr Clark & I slept and had breakfast on Sunday & Monday   he pd my exps at the Inn

Heaton Clark of Ellenthorpe Hall married Miss Jane Hewit Cunynghame in November 1857 – the groom was sixty seven years old and the bride aged thirty seven.  Sarah Sedgwick married John’s brother Joe in 1857.

Sunday October 19th 1856
Clark & I went on the Sands before breakfast   Uncle R & I went to Redcar Church   the rest went to Coatham  Had a walk in the afternoon   Sarah  Aunt & I went to Coatham at night

Monday October 20th 1856
Got up had breakfast at the Inn   Saw Clark off by the 7.50 train to Yarm Fair  Saw Uncle R & Aunt & Miss Cunnyngham off by 11 train   Had a bathe in the Sea   Father & I walked to Coatham  had some porter at the Lobster   Walked about all day   Set off for home at 5.20.   Had a very jolly visit