farming and agriculture

 

working the land

water mills

windmills

working the land

Farming and agriculture was the most common occupation for the men of Cottingham in 1841 and 1901. There would also have been seasonal work for women and children.

In medieval times, a church bell was rung in the morning (usually 5am) to summon villagers to work. In Cottingham, another bell was rung at noon to tell workers in the fields that it was midday.

Within Rockingham Forest there were areas of common grazing land for Cottingham and the neighbouring villages. Animals grazing on this land were branded with a symbol to identify them according to the local rhyme "Oakley O, Gretton G, Corby cross and Cottingham key". The key and cross symbols for Cottingham and Corby were also used on a boundary stone which used to stand on Cottingham Road.

In the 17th Century, it was common for villagers to leave land, animals and produce to their families in their wills, for example:

  • Thomas Peake, husbandman, Cottingham (Wd 13 Feb 1690) left five woods of land in Cottingham to his wife Elizabeth and eldest son Thomas.

  • Elizabeth Peake, widow, Cottingham (Wd 30 Jan 1698) left the brown buck mare to Thomas Peake, a cow to Ann Chapman and, to John Peake, 'three maires and horse and geare and the waggon cart plows and harrows'.

(With thanks to Maureen Bryson for the will information)

Daphne Joiner (nee Cannam)'s  father was forced to leave school at 12 (in 1920) to work on his father's farm in Church Street. She recalls her father telling her tales of walking to Market Harborough with cattle for the market, and milking cows in the fields where Cottingham school is today before carrying the milk back to Church Street in pails on a yoke. He ran away from home at the age of 16 to become a gardener at Rockingham Castle!

1841

Occupation

Total (all male)

Notes

Farmer 14

x

Agricultural labourer 68

x

Tallow chandler 2

Francis Cooke (65), King Street, Henry Cooke (30), Blind Lane

Sadler 1

George Goodwin (25), Priory Street

Total 85

x

1901

Occupation

Total (all male)

Notes

Farmer 12

x

Farmer's son/farmyard boy 7

x

General agricultural worker 45

x

Carter 6

x

Horseman/keeper 6

x

Cattle dealer 1

Charles Pretty (55), self employed

Cattleman 1

John Wardle (78), Cardigan Farm Lodge, Corby Road

Yardsman 3

x

Hedge cutter 1

x

Hay trusser 1

x

Total 83

x

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