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  1. #1
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    Default William Hodges - Yeoman

    hi All
    I hope some one can help. We have a William Hodges (wife Ann) whose son Thomas Hodges born All Saints Hereford marrying his 2nd wife Sarah Edwards 8 Feb 1838 Cheltenham Gloucestershire. On Thomas marriage cert, it states his father William is a Yeoman.
    Trying to find more info on William Hodges and his wife Ann. It is mentioned earlier that Yeoman are just a bit lower than gentry. Where would I go to try and find more info. There are a lot of Hodges. I have had help on my other request with his son Thomas in the innkeeper section. thanking you, Doreen, Australia

  2. #2
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Hi Doreen
    I have given your post a spot of its own in the Herefordshire forum. That way it will generate more attention.

    This
    is the link to the other post that Doreen refers to.
    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  3. #3
    kiwicatz
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    Quote Originally Posted by DoreenH View Post
    hi All
    I hope some one can help. We have a William Hodges (wife Ann) whose son Thomas Hodges born All Saints Hereford marrying his 2nd wife Sarah Edwards 8 Feb 1838 Cheltenham Gloucestershire. On Thomas marriage cert, it states his father William is a Yeoman.
    Trying to find more info on William Hodges and his wife Ann. It is mentioned earlier that Yeoman are just a bit lower than gentry. Where would I go to try and find more info. There are a lot of Hodges. I have had help on my other request with his son Thomas in the innkeeper section. thanking you, Doreen, Australia
    I have a similar interest - my relative Hugh Crosby, who died about 1678 is described in his will as a Husbandman, I assume this is like a Yeoman, and later a Farmer or Landholder. Another relative, William Crosby died about 1640, but there is nothing in his will that says what his occupation was. Can you tell me what to look for to get some idea of his status. And was 30 ponds a lot of money back in 1640?
    Regards
    Jan

  4. #4
    Allan F Sparrow
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    Husbandman did rather imply someone who controlled a farm, rather than just working on one for somebody else. In the 19th century censuses, it's the difference between being called a farmer and being called an agricultural labourer (often ag.lab. for brevity). The word yeoman usually meant such a farmer. Some yeomen were well below the gentry, and some were so little below that they might rise into the gentry. Similarly, gentlemen could be of very varied wealth, and the term was used in different ways by different people, depending on how secure their gentility was! People's status in the 17th century would generally be estimated by birth (i.e. family history) and by the extent of their land. If you find your man called a gentleman, or clearly in possession of more than just a farm, then you can see what that means; but if not, then he would stand lower in the social scale, obviously. The wife he was able to marry would be another indication, if you knew anything about her family.

    As for the value of 30 pounds: I think it would be fair to say that one individual could live (frugally perhaps) on that sum for maybe five or six years, but it's hard to make direct value comparisons, because there was so much less that most people could spend money on in those days.

    I hope this is some help!

  5. #5
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    I find this a very useful site when trying to get an idea about old occupations and what they entailed: https://rmhh.co.uk/occup/index.html


    It defines Husbandman as:
    "1) Tenant farmer 2) Farmer dealing with animals (14th century From the Anglo-Saxon husbonda) - a shepherd"
    Yeoman as:
    1) Farmer who owns his own land rather than a tenant farmer; qualified to serve on juries and vote for shire representatives. 2) Assistant to an official. 3) Crewmember (Navy petty officer) in charge of ship's stores.

  6. #6
    Allan F Sparrow
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    Thanks for the web reference. However, both the dictionaries in my possession say that husband is from Old Norse meaning (literally) house-dweller - not specifically a shepherd. So, "you pays your money and you takes your choice"! The first definition of yeoman is spot on for the original usage, of course.

  7. #7
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    UK Residents - please don't forget the wealth of online reference material available through your local library service. This usually includes The Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History which is well worth a look. For example

    Husbandman: The old word for a farmer below the rank of yeoman. A husbandman usually held his land by copyhold or leasehold tenure and may be regarded as the ‘average farmer in his locality’. The words ‘yeoman’ and ‘husbandman’ were gradually replaced in the later 18th and 19th centuries by ‘farmer’.

  8. #8
    janbooth
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    Hi again Doreen,

    I do not know whether this will be relevant to your William HODGES but Dymock is relatively close to both Hereford & Cheltenham. Hereford Journal dated 19 April 1809 gives details of Land to be sold at Auction "Arable Land lying in Common Field, known as Snatch Field, bounded on the north by land of John THACKWELL, Esq., and on the south by lands of William HODGES". Speculative, I know but as your William was a Yeoman .... Another article in 1814 which states "part of the Estate called Leddington Farm situated in Dymock in the occupation of the Proprietor Mr William HODGES". Although on further consideration, I do not think this William HODGES is likely to be your William as the Gloucestershire Wills on Ancestry show Wills for William HODGES as Dymock going a fair way back.

    Perhaps another possibility is a Death Notice in the Hereford Journal dated 21 February 1827 - "On Friday last at Hom Lacey, Mr William HODGES, late of the Above Eign in this city, in the 61st year of his age".

    Ancestry Select Births & Christenings show a baptism at All Saints Hereford on 12 April 1803 for an Elizabeth daughter of William & Ann HODGES - perhaps the sister of Thomas?

    Not much help here, I'm afraid, but will keep looking.

    Janet

  9. #9
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    Hi Janet.thankyou for your tremendous help.
    What I have for son Thomas is:
    Thomas born 1795 All Saints Hereford. died 25 Oct 1858 Union workhouse cheltenham gloucestershire.
    1st wife: Catherine Baugh born 1803 Marden, died 1 Jul 1835 Woolhope Herefordshire. daughter of Henry Baugh and Mary Oliver. 2nd wife: Sarah Edwards born 1802 Selleck Herefordshire, died 1876 Cheltenham Gloucestershire.
    children of Thomas and Catherine: William born 1826-1908; John 1828-1828; Thomas 1829; George 1832. children of Thomas and Sarah: Frederick 1844-1867; Sarah 1847-1853.
    with regard to William and Ann. All I have is possible marriage 1795 Hereford. Dont know Ann's maiden name. William's occupation was listed on Thomas marriage cert to Sarah.
    Its a pity that in England, they dont mention mothers names on death and marriage cert.
    Here in Australia. on all birth, death and marriage cert, both parents are listed. on Birth cert, both parents including their occupations and places of birth plus any siblings. On death cert, it also states both parents, all previous marriages and names and ages of all children at time of death.
    I will keep looking. I have 2 options for Ann's maiden name: Minton and Bridges. these seem to match close to the time period.Doreen
    Quote Originally Posted by kiwicatz View Post
    I have a similar interest - my relative Hugh Crosby, who died about 1678 is described in his will as a Husbandman, I assume this is like a Yeoman, and later a Farmer or Landholder. Another relative, William Crosby died about 1640, but there is nothing in his will that says what his occupation was. Can you tell me what to look for to get some idea of his status. And was 30 ponds a lot of money back in 1640?
    Regards
    Jan

  10. #10
    Valued member of Brit-Gen
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    dear Allan
    thank you for your help.
    I will try and find info on farms in that area. Its a bit hard from Australia.
    Some family history centres offer help and no charge. many want to charge a lot.
    I prefer to try and get help online and offer help in return.
    thanking you
    Doreen

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