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  1. #1
    Rubina
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    Wink Any ideas anyone?

    Hi!

    I am keen to find information on the world my ancestors lived in during the pre-industrial period.

    This would be up to the late 18c to middle 19c ie 1770s to 1850s. During this period there was a massive change to working the land for the "Lord and Master" to working in Factories. During the 1700s, the majority of people worked from home for the landowner. The whole family (including the kids) worked either in the house or the land and lived in tied cottages. When the Industrial revolution started many left their tied cottages and worked away from home in Factories.

    I am finding it hard to find information on how "real" people lived during the pre-industrial time. If anyone has any info I would love to hear it!

    Rubina

  2. #2
    MythicalMarian
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    Rubina - it depends where your ancestors lived and what their occupations were. This question is akin to 'How long is a piece of string?' In fact, if your ancestors are Lancastrians, as you are (from your location tag) then life in the 1770s would already be subject to change in the great northern cotton centres - the industrial revolution began to take a hold around 1750-60.

    Sources and books on this subject are legion, and way too long a list to go into here. The change from the last bastions of feudalism to a factory based labour system only has relevance if your ancestors were based outside of the main cities and towns. 18th century Manchester, for instance, would be far different to 18th century Norfolk - the change brought about by industry would be far less traumatic in Manchester, as it had been taking root for some time.

    Can you pin down for us the geographical area you wish to look at, and give us some ideas on occupations you have found for your ancestors. I often find that generalised text books along the lines of 'life in the so-and-so century' are less helpful than a smaller case study of the parochial area you wish to concentrate on.

  3. #3
    Rubina
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    Hi Mythical!

    My ancestors were all Cheshire based on my Mother's side. They were a combination of bricksetters and tailors back to early 1700s. (The tailors were maybe the lucky ones having a particular skill although their property would probably still have belonged the the local landowner). However, I am aware that the majority of folk were "tied" to the landowners of an area both for their work and cottage. I suppose then, I am looking for a more general feel of how the none landowners lived and carried out their lives during this period. How hard must it have been to live in a time when you owned nothing and you and your family were dependent for your liveliehood and accommodation to the local landowner).

    Rubina

  4. #4
    ClaireDulanty
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    I think anyone working online for Cheshire ancestors is very lucky. The website is amazing - searchable tithe maps, wills, parish registers, BMD etc. Getting some of the Wills for your family, if they made any, is very illuminating. What about getting Wills for the gentry your family worked for? Unfortunately only a small branch of mine came from Cheshire, but it's been great fun researching them.

  5. #5
    MythicalMarian
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    As Claire says, Rubina, we are lucky, we Cestrians. As you are researching God's own county you will be able to find a wealth of info on the Cheshire family history website, and lots of links to set you on your way.

    Another great source for we of the greatest of Counties () is the catalogue of Chethams Society publications, some of which are available now online as free downloads. These are books dealing with many Cheshire based topics in detail. Also the LCAS volumes (Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society). If you can't download these, you will find shelves of them at Manchester Central Library, and many of the local libraries in the Stockport and Tameside areas have these as well - those that have local history departments. I have made untold use of these wonderful volumes over the years.

    Did your folks live near to one of main cities? Mine were all in North Cheshire in Cheadle, Northenden and the surrounding areas. They had easy access to Stockport and Manchester for markets and the like. If you need any more info drop me a PM and I'll be glad to help.

  6. #6
    Rubina
    Guest

    Wink Thank you!

    Thanks everyone for your seuggestions!

    All the bricksetters were from Over in Cheshire and the Tailors were around the Altrincham, Carrington area.

    GGrandad moved to Urmston in the middle 1800s, so the diaries you have mentioned, Fin, will be usually I am sure. The World We Have Lost, by Peter Laslett - this sounds really interesting I will check it out. It will be interesting to check out how we lived to how we do now.

    Also the LCAS volumes (Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society). If you can't download these, you will find shelves of them at Manchester Central Library. I will check these out on-line, Mythical and then go to the Library (when I can get time off!).

    Thank you everyone!

    Rubina

  7. #7
    MythicalMarian
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rubina View Post
    Thanks everyone for your seuggestions!

    All the bricksetters were from Over in Cheshire and the Tailors were around the Altrincham, Carrington area.
    Rubina
    If yer lads were in Over, you'll find that the 'lords of the manor' (as it were) were the Mainwarings - so researching at the Cheshire Record Office into their papers may yield fruit for you in terms of land rents etc. Leave no stone unturned, Rubina. Even though our ancestors weren't landowners themselves, I have found gems among the papers of the local gentry - account books, bailiffs correspondence etc. As I say, the sources are enormous for our little county. We are very fortunate indeed. Even if your folks aren't mentioned in the papers of these people, a study will help to build up a very good picture of life in these parishes.

  8. #8
    Rubina
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    Quote Originally Posted by MythicalMarian View Post
    If yer lads were in Over, you'll find that the 'lords of the manor' (as it were) were the Mainwarings - so researching at the Cheshire Record Office into their papers may yield fruit for you in terms of land rents etc. Leave no stone unturned, Rubina.
    Wow! Thank you very much Mythical! When I get some time off work I will go and visit. Before we have the internet to trawl through, I made many a visit to the Cheshire Record Office to track the ancestors! Then I found that many of the papers were held at Mcr Central Library - that made it far easier!

    Rubina

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