26 May 2011
Around 1820 the last of Thatcham’s open fields are enclosed under the Enclosure Award of 1817. The Award is made mainly on the basis that it will lead to better farming practice. However, the enclosures become one of the main causes of rural unemployment and depopulation.
25 May 2011
In 1819 Forty boys in the Bluecoat School are clothed and educated under the terms of the Lady Frances Winchcombe trust. A further 40 to 50 boys are educated on payment of a small subscription. All are taught reading writing and arithmetic.
24 May 2011
A rather specialised local industry was that of making sacks, rope and twine. This was carried out in a small factory of Carter and Son at Newtown along the Bath Road to the west of the village near St Johns Road. Here Albert Carter employed a total of ten (three men, two boys, three women …
23 May 2011
Local government in the 1880’s was a rare source of employment, so much that the only full time representative was W M Draper who lived in The Broadway. He was Registrar for Births, Deaths and Marriages. He was also Relieving Officer, which meant that he was personally involved in distributing charity to those in need, …
22 May 2011
During the 1880’s there were about half a dozen smithies in the parish, probably the largest was that of Charles Wheeler near the King’s Head in the Broadway (or Broad Street as it was then known). He employed three men who were probably members of his family, Charles, George and William.