In the western world, shopping is now a popular leisure activity as well as a necessity
- looking at the records of a village like Farnham, reminds one that it was not always
so. In general, domestic goods are now made in factories and come to our shops from
all over the world - even 150 years ago it was not quite like that in the countryside.
The 1841 census for Farnham included:
William Baxter Carpenter/Wheelwright
Joseph Morrel Shoemaker
William Calvert Blacksmith
Richard Smithson Carpenter
Francis Smith Blacksmith
Isabella Hood Dressmaker
John Briggs Linen Weaver
James Barker Lime Burner
At the present day none of these trades are followed in the village - indeed one
could say that nothing is 'made' in the village. Of course, not everything was produced
locally and there has been a market in Knaresborough since the 13th century - no
doubt a weekly visit was made from the villages to buy and sell. The Lime Burner
worked at a quarry and kiln in the village - stone for building and lime for mortar
and agriculture. Also in the census is John Fox - Schoolmaster - teaching in the
National School - a small building in the village - existing from 1820 to 1875, when
it was replaced by a new school in the next village.
There was also a publican - and there has always been a publican - until very recently
when the pub. closed and became a dwelling house - another sign of the times. The
census of 1841 included six Farmers and over twenty Agricultural Labourers - there
is still farming but few Agricultural Labourers. From a Farmers notebook of the period,
there is an account of payment to villagers for picking plums, apples and pears -
not much of that done now - except in gardens. Animal husbandry continues - cattle,
sheep, pigs but no dairy cattle. There is now a high volume turkey farm - that would
have surprised the 19th century villagers.
