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Archiver > DORSET > 2000-03 > 0951942185


From: "Bob Hatcher" <>
Subject: RE: Industries
Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 20:23:05 -0000


Hatcher Family Research http://home.clara.net/bob.hatcher
Bruton Somerset Information http://www.bruton-town.org.uk

Hi Helen & Beverly

Some of my Hatcher relatives at Marnhull were producing "Tobacco products"
at about this time unfortunately I have yet to find out just how big this
"industry" was. Don't forget as well that a lot of Dorset agricultural
labourers were also working on the Newfoundland fishing grounds to augment
their income.

Bob Hatcher
Bruton
Somerset

Mailto: or mailto:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Helen Jones [mailto:]
> Sent: 01 March 2000 20:06
> To:
> Subject: Re: Industries
>
>
> Hello Beverely
> The term 'industry' can only be applied very loosely to this area
> of Dorset
> at this time because there really wasn't anything substantial -
> mainly small
> cottage industries. This area of Dorset did not have any canals
> which were
> the main means of transporting goods at this and so was largely
> unindustrialised. Dorset labourers were mainly agricultural and
> were amongst
> the lowest paid in the country. This led to problems, particularly during
> and after the Napoleonic wars when high corn prices combined with
> low wages
> brought misery to southern England.
>
> Marnhull had quarries; I don't know of anything substantial in
> Motcombe and
> there was nothing other than agriculture in Melbury Abbas. The Manor of
> Melbury Abbas was part of the Wardour Estate (and records are at the Wilts
> CRO). You will find Motocmbe (and I think Marnhull) are part of the manor
> of Gillingham. I don't know whether Gillingham had anything that could be
> termed 'industry' at this time - there are some listers with specific
> Gillingham interest; maybe they know. If you can get hold of "Bound to the
> Soil" by Barbara Kerr (still in print but my copy was printed in the days
> before ISBNs!) you will find a chapter on the history of the
> Gillingham and
> Motcombe area. It gives the impression of an area relying almost
> entirely on
> agriculture. It hasn't changed that much today.
>
> You will find that workers moved around perhaps more than you
> would expect,
> some on an annual basis depending on where they could find work. The word
> labourer usually means agricultural labourer in this area.
>
> I'm not sure what family you are researching in relation to your
> Motocmbe/Marnhull/Melbury Abbas question - but you may be
> interested to know
> that I think John DAVIDGE who married Anne SMALL in Melbury Abbas was
> baptised in Marnhull, and that his family may have originated in Buckhorn
> Weston. I think Anne Small may have been from East Knoyle, Wilts. I have
> done a lot of work on these lines recently.
>
> Helen
> Helen Jones at Weymouth, Dorset, UK
> List Admin Dorset-L Scammell-L
>
> http://www.melcombe.freeserve.co.uk/
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: BEVERLY COTTLE <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 7:30 PM
> Subject: Industries
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Can anyone tell me what the allied industries were in Marnhull, Motcombe
> > & Melbury Abbas areas in the mid 1700's and 1800's? Also were laborers
> > farm workers?
> >
> > Thanks , Beverly
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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>
>
>
>
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