Pew allocation, Ghyll Church. 1832

[Stanley]

Pew allocation, Ghyll Church. 1832
Copy of an entry in a transcript of the Ghyll Church Parish Registers held
in the safe at Ghyll Church.
October 1832
List of the owners of the pews in Gill Church, with the numbers as at
present painted thereon - October, 1832
No. 1. The parish
2. The Parish
3. The Parish
4. Upflats
5. Higher Clough (part claimed by Mr T. Broughton for Greenhill)
6. Letcliffe
7. Greenhill House, Mr Wilkinson
8. Brockden Hall, one half; - Seven Stars & Lidget Flat the other half
9. Far Hey
10. Wood Farm
11. Bawmier one half, house of Mr Hall, Salterforth the other half
12. Lower Clough
13. New House in Brockden
14. Springs & Whitehouse
15. Long Ing
16. Aynhams & West Close
17. Rain Hall
18. Lower Park
19.
20. Cross Keys
21. New House (or Lane Ends) Salt.
22. Two cottages of Mark Hartley
23. Syke House
24. Dam Head
25. Parish
26. Parish
27. Parish
28. Lidget Flat one half, Parish the other half
29. Dam Head
30. Well House & Mean Lathe Flat
31. Spenhead
32. New House, Salterforth.
33. Kayfield
34. New Field (or Esp House)
35. Monks House
36. Windles House, Bar. property of Mr C. Bracewell
37. Higher Park
38. Jack House
39. Kirk Clough
40. House in Salt; property of Thom. Wilkinson
41. Cowpasture
42. Barnoldswick Mill
43. Engine Inn
44. House of John Lamb
45. Coverdale
46. Coates Hall
47. Greenberfield
48. Gill House
49. House of Wm. Bracewell, Cotes
50. Moore Close
51. Dye house
52. Gill House
53. Wood End
2 large seats on each side of the communion table are the property of the
incumbent of the Parish, but James Crook has the privilege of sitting in
the one on the North side during his life.
[posted on oneguy 18/10/2004]

[Stanley]

Gives an idea of hierarchy in the parish.

[Cathy]

I wonder how much the use (reservation/ownership) of each pew cost.
No. 50 Moore Close, I wonder if that refers to Moor Close Farm.

[PanBiker]

I wonder how much the use (reservation/ownership) of each pew cost.
No. 50 Moore Close, I wonder if that refers to Moor Close Farm.

With a few exceptions most of the others are all farming establishments or were.

[Stanley]

That's an interesting question Cathy and one I have no answer for.
Ian is correct, most of the listings refer to farm names. In 1832 apart from the professions and one or two trades there was no other economic activity.

[Tripps]

I think there is a connection between the pew allocations and this article about a Chinese (Cambridge) PhD student's research on Victorian Manchester. Not sure if it is mentioned in this Guardian article but it is elsewhere. I have Engels' book about the period. Chase it up with Google if you want. It was well covered in the media.

I'd been wondering lately about how to reconcile school pictures of the 1920's showing apparently well fed and well dressed happy children. I've also thought about family stories of growing up in a 'Roberts' type slum, and these don't correspond. I realise that the Engels is a bit earlier. This post is all over the place, and a bit lazy - but I'm watching Dragons Den as I write.

Someone has said that servants lived in the same house as the wealthy which might explain the figures.

Engels' Manchester

PS here's the bit about pews - back to the topic. . .

Even when the poor did attend, many churches and chapels deliberately kept different classes apart. Morning services rented out pews on an annual basis, and catered towards the middle and upper classes, while afternoon or evening services were more likely to be frequented by the working class who could not afford regular rents.

[Stanley]

I'll agree with the lady on one of her observations....
“I think it proves that local history still matters and uncovering local stories actually allows you to really dig in deep and find things that you wouldn’t if you’re only looking at big national pictures.”