Fragments of Two Centuries

Fragments of Two Centuries, by
Alfred Kingston

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Title: Fragments of Two Centuries Glimpses of Country Life when
George III. was King
Author: Alfred Kingston
Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21352]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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FRAGMENTS OF TWO CENTURIES ***

Produced by Al Haines

[Frontispiece: King George III.]

FRAGMENTS OF TWO CENTURIES.
GLIMPSES OF COUNTRY LIFE
WHEN
GEORGE III. WAS KING.

ILLUSTRATED.

WITH AN APPENDIX SHOWING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE
RURAL POPULATION IN 45 PARISHES IN THE ROYSTON
DISTRICT, IN HERTS., CAMBS., AND ESSEX, FROM 1801 TO
1891.

BY
ALFRED KINGSTON.
ROYSTON: WARREN BROTHERS.
1893.

PREFACE.
Though the town of Royston is frequently mentioned in the following
pages, it was no part of my task to deal with the general historical
associations of the place, with its interesting background of Court life
under James I. These belong strictly to local history, and the references
to the town and neighbourhood of Royston simply arise from the
accidental association with the district of the materials which have
come most readily to my hand in glancing back at the life of rural
England in the time of the Georges. Indeed, it may be claimed, I think,

that although, by reason of being drawn chiefly from local sources,
these "Fragments" have received a local habitation and a name, yet they
refer to a state of things which was common to all the neighbouring
counties, and for the most part, may be taken to stand for the whole of
rural England at the time. For the rest, these glimpses of our old
country life are now submitted to the indulgent consideration of the
reader, who will, I hope, take a lenient view of any shortcomings in the
manner of presenting them.
There remains for me only the pleasing duty of acknowledging many
instances of courteous assistance received, without which it would have
been impossible to have carried out my task. To the proprietors of the
Cambridge Chronicle and the Hertsfordshire Mercury for access to the
files of those old established papers; to the authorities of the Cambridge
University Library; to the Rev. J. G. Hale, rector of Therfield, and the
Rev. F. L. Fisher, vicar of Barkway, for access to their interesting old
parish papers; to Mr. H. J. Thurnall for access to interesting MS.
reminiscences by the late Mr. Henry Thurnall; to the Rev. J. Harrison,
vicar of Royston; to Mr. Thos. Shell and Mr. James Smith, for access to
Royston parish papers--to all of these and to others my warmest thanks
are due. All the many persons who have kindly furnished me with
personal recollections it would be impossible here to name, but
mention must be made of Mr. Henry Fordham, Mr. Hale Wortham, Mr.
Frederick N. Fordham, and especially of the late Mr. James Richardson
and Mr. James Jacklin, whose interesting chats over bygone times are
now very pleasant recollections.
A.K.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Introduction.--"The Good Old Times" . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CHAPTER II.
Getting on Wheels.--Old Coaches, Roads and Highwaymen.--The
Romance of the Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CHAPTER III.
Social and Public Life.--Wrestling and Cock-Fighting.--An Eighteenth
Century Debating Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
CHAPTER IV.
The Parochial Parliament and the Old Poor-Law . . . . . . . 32
CHAPTER V.
Dogberry "On Duty" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
CHAPTER VI.
The Dark Night of the Eighteenth Century.--The Shadow of
Napoleon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
CHAPTER VII.
Domestic Life and the Tax-Gatherer.--The Doctor and the
Body-Snatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
CHAPTER VIII.
Old Pains and Penalties.--From the Stocks to the Gallows . . 83
CHAPTER IX.
Old Manners and Customs.--Soldiers, Elections and Voters.--"Statties,"
Magic and Spells . . . . . . . . . . . 92

CHAPTER X.
Trade, Agriculture and Market Ordinaries . . . . .