A bit of Brookvale genealogy - farming, farming and more farming.

I've been doing a bit of research on the cottages at Brookvale, and although a little superficial, it does give a glimpse of what life was about in the latter part of the 19th century.

The cottages were built from 1872 and the first record of their occupants is the 1881 census. This shows that Henry and Elizabeth Payne Lived at Number 1, with their three daughters. Henry, unsurprisingly was an agricultural labourer, whilst his wife and two of the daughters (the youngest being 12) were straw plaiters - probably making hats for the local hat industry. The youngest daughter Zilpath was eight and a "scholar".

Next door at number 2, things were altogether a tad more crowded as Isaac and Sophia Jenkins lived there with their 6 children. Isaac follwed the obvious trade of agricultural labourer, with Sophia and their eldest daughter Anne being straw plaiters - as next door. Three of the five sons were agricultural labourers too, the youngest, William being only 14.

What a change in 1891 - Henry and Elizabeth Payne now lived alone, and Isaac and Sophy (not Sophia) Jenkins had only a granddaughter for company. One hopes that her name - Beatrice Rainbow brought a little colour into her life - but what of her parents? And how far away did the children go? More research may show us.

Two more of the cottages were shown as occupied in 1891, but not which numbers. The census shows George Nottingham (widower) 58, agricultural labourer a solitary occupant in one house, and John Millard 76, late coachman gardner in another. I've managed to track the Millard family back to 1871, before Brookvale Cottages were built, at which time the family lived in the "Village" Upper Stondon. I assume this to be the area around the church. John and his wife Sarah are shown as having three children at home, whilst another Millard, Lucy, is shown as living at The Rectory - I assume in service to the local vicar.

As its a very small community I would like to try and build up a picture of the village and track its families. Something for the winter perhaps?

"Who do you think you are" of Clifton