Henry Grey Bennet and Other Reformers

We have already met the Hon. Henry Grey Bennet, M.P., as Whitbread’s friend and as the Whigs’ principal spokesman on prison matters. The first reference to Bennet in Bedfordshire comes from Lord John Russell writing in his diary shortly after his eleventh birthday, on 29 August 1803: ‘I went out hunting today for the first time in my life, with Tavistock’s harriers. Mr. and Mrs. Whitbread and Mr. Bennett (sic) came here today from Southin’.

Twelve years later, on 1 February 1815, Bennet wrote to Whitbread: ‘I shall have my jail fees Bill ready and I hope to have your aid in support of a committee to examine into the state of the prisons within the Metropolis’. The Bill was successful and became the Act which finally abolished what remained of jail fees. The total abolition of jail fees had been advocated in 1808 by Sir Richard Phillips in a letter to Romilly, dated 12 May, copies of which the writer sent to several influential Members of Parliament, including Whitbread. Phillips, a London publisher and journalist, had himself been imprisoned years earlier for selling Tom Paine’s Rights of Man. When appointed a Sheriff of the City of London he followed the example of John Howard, an earlier ex-prisoner who achieved the office of High Sheriff, and inspected London’s prisons, becoming one of their sternest critics. Pursuant to Bennet’s Act the Bedfordshire justices abolished Thomas Warner’s remaining fees in 1815 and ordered, ‘That the yearly sum of ￡25 be allowed and paid to the jailer in lieu of all fees and gratuities abolished by the said Act, the same to be paid out of the county rates to his salary’.

Bennet also got his Select Committee, which with him as chairman went into far more questions than are suggested by its name, the Select Committee on the State of Police of the Metropolis. Romilly was a member but also gave evidence; so did Capper on the question of the hulks. James Elmes, the architect, was so impressed by their committee’s work that in 1817 he dedicated his pamphlet on prisons to Bennet and his colleagues.

The General Account of the number of persons in each house on January 1st, 1782.

The text of the 1782 Listing is printed in extenso with editorial additions. Its index has been incorporated into the Index for the whole volume. The headings for date, hamlet, and age in “Y. M. D.” have not been repeated from each page of the original. The general format on each page has been preserved, though pages have been run together here whilst in the document each household began a new side.

Capitalisation has been preserved, as have the clearer examples of punctuation. Abbreviations have not been expanded, though letters above the line, indicating a contraction, have been brought down to line level.

Each individual named in the original listing has been given a reference number in bold type in the left-hand margin. The same number occurs in bold type where relevant in editorial matter elsewhere in this volume. Those for Cardington hamlet have no prefix letter, while Fenlake, Harrowden, Cotton End and Pastors are distinguished by F, H, C and P respectively. The original listing numbering by tenement households allows people to be numbered within their housefulls. Those listed in one household but presumed to be resident elsewhere in the parish have in effect two reference numbers; the same applies to children listed in the parental household and also as heading another household elsewhere in the parish. No numbers have been given to unlisted individuals added editorially from associated documents.

All other editorial additions, comments and clarifications to the individual entries are in italics. These are normally placed after the 1782 entry, and follow the common form abbreviations. They include information from the following sources, which are discussed in the general introduction:

Before 1833 the amount of information in the Parliamentary Papers about elementary education was relatively small, but once the government began to put money into school buildings the number of returns and reports multiplied. At first a simple statement of applications and grants awarded for each county was all that was required. Next, details of every application for a grant were recorded; then, once inspection was established in the 1840s, information on a wide range of aspects of elementary education became available through the Inspectors’ reports for the various regions. In many cases these reports provide the first precise information about individual schools.

The system of government grants was intended to stimulate and supplement local effort, not to replace it. If a parish wanted to build a school in connection with the Church of England and the National Society, it could rely on grants from the local Diocesan Board of Education, the National Society and the government, and this would provide about one third of what was required. However, the government grant would not be paid until all other debts were cleared. When the Marston and Lidlington National School was built in 1847 the Rev Thomas Tylecote sent the completion certificate and balance sheet to the Committee of Council on Education to claim the government grant and received the following response:

‘My Lords observe that the Balance Sheet shews a deficiency and that funds have still to be received to meet the liabilities incurred.

‘It is contrary to the Regulations of Their Lordships to give directions for the payment of Their Grant while any debt of any kind whether of moral or legal obligation shall remain on account of the Buildings not actually and entirely liquidated.’

Although this problem was solved and the grant of £160 was duly received, it was many years before the school account book was able to show the school as solvent. Such a situation was not in any way exceptional for a village school unless there was a wealthy and generous local patron who was prepared to contribute what was required.

The following extracts from the Parliamentary Papers show what happened in Bedfordshire before the establishment of the Committee of Council in 1839 and also provide examples of a variety of early grant applications.

In its early years the Independent church at Rothwell had groups of members in the Kimbolton area on the Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire border: also in and around Bedford. Those in the Kimbolton area became members of the Kimbolton Independent church when it was formed in 1692 by a peaceable separation from the Rothwell church. Those in the Bedford area became part of the Bedford Independent church (later the Southill Independent church) when this was formed in 1693 by a peaceable separation from the Rothwell church.

The Rothwell Church Book is very detailed and shows the following Bedfordshire persons joining the Rothwell church between March 1691 and December 1692: Mary Mee of Keysoe, Mary Barringum of Swineshead, Judin Virley his wife of Berry Fields (Keysoe), Sarah Eaton of Pertenhall, Susan Coales of Keysoe, Elizabeth Dawson of Riseley, Edward Marlin of Bletsoe, Mary Marlin of Bletsoe, Ann Gary of Bolnhurst, Rebecca Richards of Keysoe, Henry Wattford of Keysoe, Ann Wattford of Keysoe, John Arch of Bletsoe, William Medbury of Bletsoe, Elizabeth Bossett of Keysoe, Joseph Henson of Swineshead, Ann Hills of Bletsoe, William Woodham of Riseley, Samuel Gury of Bolnhurst, John Conquest of Colmworth, Thomas Wagstaff of Colmworth, Grace Cradoc of Keysoe, Elizabeth Conquest of Colmworth, William Carter of Kempston, Grace Pheasant of Berry Fields (Keysoe), John Johnson of Colmworth, Steven Rich of Keysoe, Samuel Booth of Bolnhurst, George Fisher of Colmworth, Samuel Shepherd of Pertenhall, Thomas Mores of Bletsoe, Thomas Wagstaff, senior, of Colmworth, Joseph Richards of Keysoe, Mary Milton of Colmworth, Farmer Casse of Colmworth, Mr Clark of Bedford, Mary Carter of Kempston, Thomas Fisher of Stagsden, Alice Sea of Keysoe, Sarah Woodham of Riseley, Alice Hopkins of Riseley, Luke Folick of Bolnhurst, Elizabeth Melton of Bolnhurst, Grace Cook of Bolnhurst, Joseph Barringer of Swinesliead, Thomas Woodham of Riseley, George Hull of Colmworth, Thomas Eaton of Pertenhall, Sarah Stiles of Bolnhurst, Susan Dauson of Riseley, Mrs. Richards of Keysoe, Elizabeth Henson of Swineshead, Susannah Tompson of Riseley, Edward Hains of Bolnhurst, Peter Shrewsbury of Kempston, Mrs. Charlton of Wootton Pillinge, John Henson of Swineshead, Sarah Clifton of Keysoe, Katharine Basingham of Keysoe.

Ickwell Bury to 1823

The Manor of Ickwell Bury in Northill, “late part of the possessions of the Hospital or Priory of St.John of Jerusalem now dissolved”, was granted to John Barnardiston in 1543. The estate stayed in the Barnardiston family till George sold it to John Harvey of the Inner Temple, London, for £3,250 in 1680. Included in this sale was the capital messuage or manor house called Ickwell Bury.

It has been assumed previously that the house that was burned down in 1937 had been completely rebuilt for John Harvey (1631-1692). Modern photographs suggest that this is so. Work was done in the 1680s. The mason's bill of Elisha Allen for £107, for work done in 1683 and 1684, includes six marble mantlepieces, 183 feet of window stones, “takeing up and new laying of 3 fire harths.” The stable block dates from 1683 and has a clock of that date, probably by Thomas Tompion.

Late seventeenth century detail in some of the rooms survived till the twentieth century? This consistent picture of a late seventeenth century house being added to in the nineteenth century is questioned by the tiny illustration on Gordon's map of 1736. This shows an irregular house with a prominent gabled door that is more likely to be early seventeenth century or earlier. The number of windows tally with later photographs of the east front. The drawing also suggests that the house had an irregular layout which included a mansard roof, that was subsequently remodelled. It would seem John Harvey remodelled the interior of Ickwell Bury and added the existing stable block.

By the time he made his will on 10 December 1691 he was clearly short of money. He made provision for the sale within a year of “the estate at Ickwell & the house called Ickwell Bury” to pay off debts and legacies of £4,700 to his younger children. Other estates were also included if the sale of Ickwell Bury raised insufficient money. In the event the estate was not sold and successive Harveys added to it. John, son of John Harvey (1631-1692), made ten purchases including the Rectory of Northill, so that the financial problems may have been more imagined than real.

At some point during the middle to late eighteenth century the house was remodelled with sash windows and the gabled porch removed.

This cause dates from 1655 and was at first Independent but soon became Baptist. In February 1689 the church cast out four of its Independent members who then formed an Independent church at Carlton, one of them, John Greenwood, becoming its first pastor. The Stevington first Church Book entries show that in its early days that church had groups of members not only in Bedfordshire but also in Northamptonshire. The first Church Book was in a state of advanced decay in 1955 when it was expertly repaired at the County Record Office, Bedford, where it now is on deposit loan, together with a copy of my typed transcript of its entries. Other copies of the transcript are with the Stevington church; with the County Library, Bedford; with Bedford Public Library; with Luton Museum and Art Gallery; and with the Angus Library, Regent’s Park College, Oxford.

1673: About eighteen years ago some of the faithfull in Christ did gather together at Steventon in the county of Bedford, for to walke in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, with their beloved brother and teacher Stephen Hawthorne their overseer, whose names, with the names of them that have been since added unto them are hereunder written.

Gregory Reade of Steventon, an old disciple, gone home.

Katherine Reade his wife, gone home also.

John Reade, asleep in Jesus: he was a teacher and was also appointed to breake bread to the church as an elder in the cheife brother’s absence, and to baptize beleivers.

Judith Reade, his first wife, departed.

Richard Laughton of Steventon, departed.

Thomas Wooton of Steventon. Departed.

Mary Coxe of Steventon. Departed.

Elisabeth Finden of Okley, daughter of Gregory abovnamed.

William Ashburn, he died at Milton.

Henry Savage of Milton.

Elisabeth Savage his first wife, departed.

Thomas Kinge of Woollaston in Northamtonshire.

Mary Read wife of Edward Reade of Steventon.

Mary Hine of Rodwell, widow.

Margeret White of Okley, widow.

Elisabeth Negus of Steventon, wife to Henry Neg[us[.

John Allen of Steventon.

Elisabeth Allen his wife.

Frances Laughton of Steventon, wife to John Laughton.

Mary Smith, the wife of Giles Smith of Thurley.

Higher education for girls

Historically the education of girls was considered to be of less importance than the education of boys for ‘women were identified with the private domain of the home’. This was believed to be a ‘natural division’; women were ‘relative rather than autonomous beings’ and were ‘inferior and subordinate to men’. From about 1845, there grew up a movement which fought for the provision of secondary and higher education for women, but no evidence has been found to suggest that this movement had any support in Luton where education for girls was seen to be unimportant. According to June Purvis one reason for the campaign to educate girls from the middle classes was the large number of ‘poorly educated middle-class women [who] had to earn their own living’. This was not significant to Luton in the context of the hat industry.

After 1874, girls in Luton received a basic elementary schooling, but middle-class parents did not see this as appropriate for their daughters. The education which they received has been considered more fully in Chapter Nine, but it is safe to say that most of them were either taught at home or attended private schools. Another route which could be taken by girls who wanted to improve their own education was the pupil-teacher system and this is addressed in Chapter Five. Crucial to this study is the establishment in 1904 of a recognized secondary school which began to take significant numbers of girls from the middle classes as well as capable girls who earned a free place. With the arrival of this school, opportunities for girls began to match those for boys although, in the early days at least, boys still seemed to have received more consideration.

When a separate secondary school for girls was opened in 1919, it was run on similar lines to the North London Collegiate School, the pioneering school run by Frances Mary Buss. She had introduced a wide curriculum and expected high standards from her girls, many of whom received a college education and became headmistresses themselves. In this way a network of similar schools grew up throughout the country.

Honour of Ampthill with members in counties of Bedfordshire

and Buckinghamshire

Accounts of all and singular Bailiffs, Port Reeves, Beadles, Farmers, Collectors of Rents and other Ministers of several lordships, manors, lands and possessions and all those hereditaments whatsoever both Temporal and Spiritual by the Authority of the Lord King now Henry VIII’s Parliament held at Westminster in 33rd year of his reign attached and annexed to same Honor being accountable from Michaelmas 33 Henry VIII….. to Michaelmas 34 Henry VIII That is for one whole year as within

Lordship of Ampthill with members

Accounts of Wm. Button, king’s Bailiff there for time aforesd.

Arrears

None because this is first set of accounts by same Accountant for use of lord king since establishment of sd. Honor

total

Rents of Assize

Ralph Morton tent, and apts. late Jn. Salesburye 12d and tent, and adj. close late Thos. Myddelton (12d) in le Churche ende strete Ampthill as appears in cert. Rental made there by Jn. Asshton, Auditor there in Aug. 34 Hen. VIII [1542]

Jn. Geliys tent, and apts. in N. end of le Bedd[ford] Strete 2d and tent, and adj. close called the Teynterclose nxt. aforesd. tent, late Jn. Davye 7d as in sd. Rental Jn. Davye tent. opp. Market Cross in Ampthill as in sd.

Rental

Jn. Davye tent, and adj. close in Dunstable streete on E. side of highway late occ. [blank] Buttes as in sd. Rental

Jn. Davye tent, and apts. opp. Market Cross nxt. house called the Yeldehall as in sd. Rental Constance Hopkyns 2 tents, with apts. in [Bedford?] strete of which one lies on the E. and the other on the W. as in sd. Rental

Wm. Stephyns tent, and apts. in Dunstable Streete and 4 acs. land in fids, of Ampthill and Maulden as in sd.

Rental

Edw. Russell tent, and apts. in Beddtford] strete and 3 acs. land in le Oldefeild as in sd. Rental

Edw. Russell 2 tents, and apts. in Bedlford] strete as in sd. Rental

Edw. Russell tent, called the Cornerhowse in the market place of Ampthill opp. the cross as in sd. Rental

Edw.