This narrative provides an update for any relatives who are interested in where my Taylor family research currently stands, whilst also offering a glimpse into the life of a Yeoman farmer.
Georgian Lancashire
I’ve been drawn back to the fields of rural Lancashire and the life of my 5x great grandfather, Henry Taylor, and to the world he inhabited as a Yeoman farmer.
Henry lived during the later Georgian Period, specifically in the ‘Regency Era’ under King George III and his son, George IV. This time was marked by significant social and economic changes, including the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and the rise of the Industrial Revolution.
During Henry’s childhood, prior to the industrial revolution, a large portion of England’s population lived and worked in rural areas, caring for livestock and cultivating crops.
By 1780, as Henry was having a family of his own, life in Lancashire for the majority combined a rural life of farming, with weaving and various other textile-related occupations. At this point in time, Lancashire was well on its way to becoming the industrial textile centre that is read about in history books today.
Before the 1830s passenger trains didn’t exist in Lancashire, so people travelled on foot or used carts and wagons pulled by oxen, mule or horses. For longer journeys, they relied on horse-drawn stagecoaches.
The social structure of the time was quite stratified. At the top was the Landed Aristocracy, followed by the Gentry. Below them were freeholders, or Yeomen, like my 5x great-grandfather Henry. Below the Yeomen farmers was a growing middle class of skilled craftsmen and lawyers. At the bottom of this social hierarchy were the working poor, which included labourers, farm workers, weavers, pedlars, and others living a predominantly hand to mouth existence.
In the context of early England, a yeoman was a landowning farmer, often of a fairly comfortable economic status. They were considered part of the rural middle class, above tenant farmers but below the landed gentry.
Old English Village
In a normal village there would be (1) a Lord of the manor, (2) Freeholders, some of whom might be large proprietors, and many small, both classes going by the general name of Yeomanry, (3) Copyholders, (4) Tenant Farmers holding various sorts of tenure, from tenants at will to farmers with leases for three lives, (5) Cottagers, (6) Squatters, and (7) Farm Servants, living in their employers’ houses. – The Village Labourer, J.L Hammond & Barbara Hammond
Enclosure
It’s hard to talk about rural life in this period without mentioning the Enclosure Acts, which transformed the agricultural scene dramatically. These acts contributed to the decline of the Yeoman farmer. However, in Henry’s case, he seems to have been one of the lucky ones. While many were forced to sell their land due to the economic pressures from the Enclosure Acts, Henry managed to buy land for the first time and went on to expand his personal estate.
I would like to explore this further in relation to my relative and plan to do so in a separate narrative. In this blog, I’m focusing on the key facts about Henry’s life – the when, where and with who. I hope this serves as a stepping stone to a later, more detailed exploration of Henry’s role amid the significant changes happening in rural Lancashire at this time.
Birth, Marriage, Death
Henry was born in 1749 and died on the 24th April 1824 aged seventy-five. Henry was buried at St Andrews in Leyland on the 27th April 1824.
Henry and his wife Mary had four confirmed sons.
.
Henry, baptised 23 Jun 1782 • St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston.
Thomas, baptised 4 Apr 1784 • St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston.
John, baptised 8 Jan 1786 • St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston.
George, baptised 9 Mar 1788 • St Mary the Virgin, Eccleston.
Marriage
I’m still digging into Henry’s early life, but through a process of elimination and looking at parish records, I’m honing in on a marriage between Henry Taylor and Mary Snowden.*
Henry Taylor and Mary Snowden were married by License on the 18th June 1776. The signature on the marriage license bears striking similarities to the signature on Henry’s will.
Henry Taylor of Shevington in the parish of Standish County of Lancaster and Diocese of Chester, Servant, Bachelor and Mary Snowden of the same place, spinster.
Witnessed by James Simm, parish clerk.
Yeoman
Who was a ‘Yeoman’?
A yeoman during Henry’s time was essentially a small landowner and farmer. Not only did they own land, but they also worked it themselves, and many were prosperous enough to hire labourers and servants. Being a freeman, a yeoman had the right to vote and typically held a respectable position within the community.
The records indicate that Henry’s social standing was above that of a regular farmer. This is evidenced by various documents pertaining to him and his sons, who were well-integrated into the local community both during Henry’s life and after.
Landowner
Henry had a number of small estates of farmland that he rented out, as well as a handful of cottages.
Using a number of sources I was able to pin point Henry’s landholdings all located in the old Leyland Hundred.
Details from Henry’s will written in 1821 confirms that he was in the possession of Longton’s Black Bull public house and the land adjoining. Henry’s son John was proprietor of the inn at this time.
Henry also had a 3 acre meadow known as ‘Ryding’s Field’ in Longton. The 1838 tithe confirms this parcel of land to be located on the southern border of Dobson’s Farm. Today that location would have been across the road from the junction of Drummacre Lane.
Additionally, Henry had a 10 acre farm on Bow Lane in Leyland called Bow Brook Farm – known to him as Brookhouse.
Cross referencing maps from the 1838 tithe and 1848 map of Farington I have plotted this farm and Henrys land below for reference. The smaller building adjacent to the farm house was a separate house also in Henry’s possession.
Henry bequeathed the farm and adjoining lands to his son John upon his death. John is listed as landowner on the 1838 tithe.
Bow Brook Farm is not to be confused with Bow Brook House. The farmhouse stood on what is now a green space between Ingleborough Way and Bow Lane. Bow Brook House which is still there today is situated further up Bow Lane.
Towngate
Henry also had two cottages with gardens in Leyland located on Towngate (then Chapel Street) as shown below. One of the cottage tenants during Henrys lifetime was a spinster named Ann Woodcock.
Euxton
As well as land and property in Leyland, Henry also had possession of a farmhouse with land known as Deans Hall in the Shaw Green area of Euxton.
Henry bequeathed the two Towngate Cottages and the estate of Deans Hall to his son George.
Home
While the information above outlines Henry’s landholdings that were occupied by either family members or tenants, it doesn’t offer much insight into Henry’s personal residence.
Baptism records for Henry’s sons reveal that he was living in the Parish of Eccleston during the 1780’s. Eccleston at this time was much bigger than it is today containing within its boundary the smaller townships of Heskin, Wrightington and Parbold.
One clue about the family’s whereabouts in Eccleston could be the previously mentioned Deans Hall. This house was situated north of the Yarrow river, positioned between Billinge Wood and Dawbers Lane in the small settlement of Shaw Green. Shaw Green is situated on the boundary of Eccleston and Ulnes Walton, or lies just south-east of Eccleston within the Euxton parish.
The circumstances of how Henry acquired Deans Hall remain uncertain. It seems probable that this property was one of Henry’s first investments or rental assets. Alternatively, the small farm estate could have been obtained through family connections, though at present, I have found no concrete evidence that supports this theory.
Farington
In the year of 1798, Henry appears in the records for Farington.
Farington is a township located within the parish of Penwortham. The boundary of Farington reaches Whitestake, an area significant for the Brown family who lived there and were close friends with the Taylor family. For the descendants of Henry’s son John, this detail is particularly significant because it relates to another ancestor’s home and allows us to imagine how the families lives intertwined over the years.
Henry’s presence in Farington marks an important moment in my research, as it allows for a timeline of the families movements and offers an explanation for the leap from Eccleston to Longton. It was clearly a gradual move northwards, with Henry seemingly bettering the families fortunes as he went. This record also confirms that the family had moved away from Eccleston before the sons reached adulthood.
The 1798 land tax redemption shows that Henry had established himself as one of the most significant tenant farmers in Farington. While the record does not name the farm explicitly, his tax obligations were notably higher than those of neighbouring farmers, indicating he managed a substantial operation consisting of a farmhouse, numerous outbuildings, and highly productive acreage.
The landowner was Rhodes & Barlow, a prominent landholding partnership in the Leyland Hundred.
High Constable of Leyland
A Lancashire Quarter Sessions record dated 1801 shows Henry Taylor of Farington (gentleman) listed in a formal order as the High Constable of the Leyland Hundred. In the primary record, his name is crossed out and William Critchley of Hoole is written above.
It’s unclear why Henrys name was removed, but it may have been that – he was exempt, or applied for an exemption (due to age, health, or already serving in another capacity). Perhaps Henry and the family relocated to Penwortham around this time. He may have declined the position for that reason, or perhaps another. Or it may be that William was the intended appointee, and Henry Taylor was mistakenly entered.
Brookhouse
It is not known when Henry acquired the farmhouse on Bow Lane, Leyland or whether Henry and family lived there at any time before moving to Longton, however the proximately of the farmhouse to the boundary of Farington suggests that it could well have been a Taylor residence at some point.
A description of Brookhouse comes from the sale of the estate in 1868 seen below. Interesting Henry describes the estate to be about 10 acres with premises in his will which tells us that it was a substantial property. Checking the tithe record from 1838, it appears that Henrys son John expanded on his inheritance being owner of the lots listed in the advertisement totalling 16 acres.
Penwortham
Henrys will gives a clue to the location of his home in Longton. At first glance it reads as Coy Lane, but I believe it to be Cop Lane.
*Exploring my theory further I see that Cop Lane meets with Pope Lane close to the Black Bull Inn (not to be confused with Longton’s Black Bull referred to previously in this narrative).
Next door to the inn was a row of cottage’s called ‘Browns Row’. Henrys son John was owner of a cottage and garden on this row. Neighbouring properties, including the Black Bull were in possession of the relatives of John’s wife Mary (nee Brown). Having not located a Coy Lane in Longton and then discovering Cop Lanes position to other known Property of the Taylor family as well as the Brown family it seems to me that Cop Lane may fit.
Cop Lane was made up of scattered farms as seen on the map below surveyed in 1828. The junction with Pope Lane can be clearly seen.
Michaelmas 1813
Further evidence found in Quarter Session records confirms Henry’s links within this area of Penwortham.
The Inhabitants of the Township of Longton were indicted at the last sessions for not repairing a certain part of the Kings Highway there leading from the Market Town of Preston towards and unto a certain place in the Township of Longton called Longton Moss Side. – Wigan, October 11th 1813
The above quote is taken from a Quarter Sessions document detailing an indictment against the residents of Longton for not repairing certain parts of the Kings Highway. The indictment related to sections of road in the area of Longton Moss Side, specifically along the then road between Hutton and Wham Lane and also in the location of John Browns residence at White Stake.
Henry and another Longton Yeoman named Henry Woodcock were charged with making sure the roads were repaired within one year of the Indictment.
Please to move the Court for Henry Taylor of Longton aforesaid Yeoman and Henry Woodcock of Longton aforesaid Yeoman on behalf of themselves and the rest of the Inhabitants of Longton to submit to the said indictment and to obtain time – till next Michaelmas – to repair the said roads.
Roads at this time were nothing more than pot holed tracks and were particularly nightmarish after winter rains owing to poor drainage. It was up to the local residents and landowners to maintain the roads ensuring that they were passable.
As described, Cop Lane is within the area of Moss Side suggesting further that this was the location of Henrys home in the parish of Longton.
Under the Common Law it was open to any one to indict, at Quarter Sessions or the Assizes, the parishioners or others
responsible, whenever “a common and ancient King’s highway” became, to use the form given in Burn’s Justice, “ruinous, miry, deep, broken and in great decay” so as to be “to the great damage and common nuisance of all the liege subjects of our said Lord the King.“At the trial, if the parish could not show that the obligation to repair rested by tenure or immemorial custom on some particular landowner, Quarter Sessions imposed a substantial fine upon the inhabitants generally, but usually deferred the levying of the fine for three months, in order to give the parish time to put the road into proper repair. If in the meantime they did the work, and one or two Justices gave a certificate that it had been done to their satisfaction, the fine would be excused. If not, the Sheriff would be directed to levy it by distress upon any of the occupiers of the parish, and to pay it, either to the Parish Surveyor of Highways or to some other person named by Quarter Sessions, to be by him applied to the mending of the highway.
…the fine eventually to be levied by the Sheriff — usually acting through the High Constable of the Hundred — in the form of an additional rate on all the occupiers in the parish, the proceeds being paid over to some person designated by Quarter Sessions – it might be the Parish Surveyor of Highways, it might be the County Surveyor, it might
even be two or more Justices selected for the purpose – to be expended on the particular highway in question.– The Story of the Kings Highway, Sidney & Beatrice Webb
Applying the information described in The Story of the Kings Highway above, Henry Taylor and Henry Woodcock likely attended the court as substantial occupiers. Under the law described by the Webbs, the “Inhabitants” of a township were collectively responsible for the roads. However, the court didn’t want 500 villagers showing up. Instead, two or three “substantial” men – likely the ones with the most land would appear as representatives.
To summarise the case in Wigan in 1813 – Wham Lane was in a “ruinous” state. The crown indicted the whole village of Longton. Henry Taylor and Henry Woodcock, both Yeoman and substantial occupiers, went to the Wigan Sessions. They told the judge – We admit the road is bad. Please don’t fine us yet. Give us until Michaelmas to fix it – The judge agreed, and Taylor/Woodcock paid a small fee (1/2 Guinea) to finalise the paperwork.
Day to day life
Henry’s daily life mirrored that of the farming majority at this time. The changing seasons dictated the rhythm of farm work, while religious holidays shaped family gatherings and events throughout the year. In contrast, running an inn would have offered Henry a chance for more diverse social interactions than the typical farming life. He would have been more involved in the local community, with the opportunity to engage with a wider range of peoples. Henry would have also made time throughout the year to meet with his tenants, usually to collect rent and handle other business relating to any of his freehold estates.
On a typical family farm, wives and older daughters usually took on the role of second-in-command, handling dairy chores and managing the household. In Henry’s case, it appears he didn’t have any daughters, so his wife Mary would have taken on the lions share of jobs, aided by a servant employed to help around the farmhouse. Households of Yeoman farmers were often wealthy enough to afford a servant.
Henry’s sons, Henry and John, didn’t marry until they were about thirty, which meant there was plenty of help for their father in running the farm and the family inn. This arrangement likely helped ease the workload and allowed the family to thrive.
The Black Bull
Farmers like Henry with greater acreage often had a secondary income from occupations such as innkeeping.
Henrys last will and testament confirms that he was proprietor of the Black Bull public house before it was passed to his son John upon his death in 1824. Subsequent census records and John’s own will confirm that the inn remained under John’s care, just as Henry had wished.
I give on to my son John Taylor all that from our Public House in Longton known by the name of the Black Bull, together with the lands hereunto belonging as also that other close of land called Ryding Field all of which said premises are now in the possession of my said son John Taylor. – 1821
The view of the Black Bull from Liverpool Road in Henrys lifetime was quite different from what we see today. Where the Parkgate shops now stand was an open field. Next to the inn, there was a farm complete with outbuildings and a wheelwright and joinery shop. Adjoining the inn, there was a barn that served as a stable.
Turn of the Century
A distinctive feature of the Black Bull is the overhanging sash window. Original Oriel style windows such as these date back to the 18th century. Likewise, the symmetry of the buildings frontage with an equal number of windows either side and a central doorway is typical of houses in the Georgian period.
Just down the road from the Black Bull on Liverpool Road, you’ll find Chestnut House, a beautiful Grade II listed building. If you compare the two, you’ll notice some similarities in their façades. The only major difference being the decorative window of the Black Bull, which reflects the unique style and flair of its builder or its early occupants.
According to Historic England, Chestnut House dates back to the early 19th century. Marjorie Searson’s book on Longton’s history tells us that the Black Bull was built in the late 18th century, so we can conclude that the house was built around the turn of the century.
The outbuildings linked to the inn indicate the buildings use for farming purposes, but the window doesn’t quite fit the typical farmhouse style. It makes me wonder whether the window could have been added to the house at a later date. If you know more about this, please get in touch!
A baptism record for Henrys grandson in 1819 just two years before the writing of his will confirms that the family are living in Longton and making a living from an inn. It is highly probable that this was the early Black Bull.
16 May 1819 at St Andrew, Longton.
Henry Taylor – [Child] of John Taylor & Mary
Abode: Longton
Occupation: Innkeeper
The only detailed maps from Henry’s lifetime are Yates Map from 1786 and Greenwood’s Map from 1818. Unfortunately, neither of these maps provides any evidence about whether the house of the Black Bull was in existence during that time. The public house first appears in detail on the Ordnance survey of 1844 – 1845 published in 1848.
For the purposes of Family History research, we can safely say that the Taylor family were among the earliest people to live in this house and certainly the first recorded landlords.
Henry and his family enjoyed more comfort than most in Longton at this time, making a living catering for weary travellers from the nearby Turnpike Roads. In Henrys lifetime before railways, commercial stagecoaches passed through Longton with great regularity. This consistent horse drawn trade was certainly welcomed by the early landlords of Longton. As well as running the inn, Henry and his three sons continued farming and expanding their landholdings.
The village has perhaps more than its fair share of pubs. There were… local links with the brewing industry, but before the railway the village was an obvious stopping place for travellers to and from Preston. Carts rumbled through the village very early on Saturday mornings and farmers from Hundred End and Banks also walked through with their produce on their backs. – North Meols to South Ribble, John Cotterall
Acquaintances
Details about Henrys acquaintances can reveal a lot about the people he spent time with and his friendships, which in turn helps us understand his social standing and connections within the farming community.
John Brown Esq, Longton – Henry’s son John married Mary Brown, daughter of John Brown on the 23rd of December 1816. John, also a Yeoman, was one of the executors of Henrys Estate.
John Moss Esq, Longton – Two of Henry’s granddaughters went on to marry relatives of John Moss Esq. John was one of the executors of Henrys estate and listed as a Gentleman in Baines Directory 1825.
Roger Wilding – Farmer of Longton. Roger was named as a witness to Henrys will. There is a record of a Roger Wilding innkeeper in the year 1814, making Roger one of the very earliest known landlords of Longton. In the year 1826 a Roger Wilding Snr farmed fields in Longton bordering with Hutton.
On Christmas day, Mr. Roger Wilding, of Longton, innkeeper, regaled every weaver who came into his house with a quart of hot ale and a noggin of rum in it. – Lancaster Gazette 1814
Below is likely Roger Junior, but gives an indication of the Wilding families standing in the community and long standing connections with the Brown family.
On Saturday last Mr. John Brown and Mr. Roger Wilding, trustees of the workhouse charity, distributed £20 to persons not receiving parochial relief in sums proportioned to the necessities of each applicant. This well-timed bounty has made warm many a cold and cheerless hearth and proved a most welcome boon at this season of the year. – January 1848
Edward Marsden was also listed as witness to Henry’s will. While not much is known about him, it’s likely he was a friend of Henry or had some connection to his household.
Another witness to Henrys will was Anne Worden. Anne was the wife of a weaver named John Worden. After the death of John, Anne married a farmer named James Eastham and they lived at the aforementioned Brookhouse Farm in Leyland.
Mary Taylor
In Henry’s time, when a husband wrote a will, he was required to allocate at least one-third of his belongings to his wife. Another third had to be shared among any children from the marriage, while the remaining portion was meant to cover his funeral costs and any debts he owed. This rule applied to everyone making a will within the Diocese of Chester, which included Longton at that time.
Henry’s final will, written in May 1821, indicates that both Mary and his son Thomas had already passed away by that time as there is no mention of them.
Searching for Mary Taylor in burial records is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, given how common her name is. The only convincing entry that I have found is as follows. What stands out is the adobe of Longton, but her burial took place at St Andrews in Leyland, which mirrors Henrys own place of death and burial.
Summary
Based on my research so far, it seems that Henry’s rise in wealth is primarily due to his hard work and luck rather than any inheritance. I don’t know much about Henry’s wife, Mary, so it’s hard to say if their marriage played any role in his ability to acquire freehold land.
Regardless of how Henry came to acquire his first piece of land, it’s evident that he put a lot of effort into his profession as farmer and found success in it. Henry’s rise in social status not only benefited him during his life but also had a lasting impact on his sons. They seemed to have embraced his work ethic, each managing large farms of their own. John and George were recorded as Yeoman themselves, with the former referred to as a Gentleman by one of his daughters after his passing. As they managed their own farms and acquired more land, they laid the groundwork for future generations. By the end of the 19th century, you could find a descendant of Henry on various farms or at different inns throughout the nearby villages and townships. It seems that this Taylor family not only had a knack for farming but also felt a strong calling to the innkeeping profession.
One notable aspect of Henry’s final will is how it breaks from the traditional practice of primogeniture, which typically favours the eldest son. Instead, he left what seems to be the lions share of his estate to his third son, John. The fact that John is mentioned first and given prominence in the will suggests that the Black Bull and its associated buildings were likely the main family homestead, or business. This detail not only reveals Henry’s intentions regarding his legacy but also hints at the significance of this property in his own life.
Another detail that highlights the significance of the inn to Henry is the mention of John’s son, also named Henry, in the will. By this time, Henry has several other grandchildren, but he specifically refers to John’s firstborn son when discussing the black bull and expresses his wish for him and his heirs to inherit it after John’s passing. While he mentions the potential sale of other properties to help fund the distribution of the inheritance, he seems particularly clear about his intentions for the public house. This suggests that the inn holds special significance to him.
Details of Henrys known acquaintances reveals that he had friends from all corners of society. It appears to me that Henry was a sociable individual who took pleasure in the company of his neighbours and fellow farmers.
I found the presence of Anne Worden, who served as a witness to Henry’s will in 1821, to be particularly enlightening. I looked deeper into records of Anne and found that she was the daughter of a weaver from the parish of Penwortham. Typically, during this period, a will was signed in the testator’s home. For individuals who were illiterate, like Anne, a mark would substitute for a signature. I could envision Henry at the conclusion of writing his will, with his friend Edward present, and Anne in the home at that moment, possibly as a paid servant, having been requested to act as a witness. Her subsequent presence at Brookhouse Farm seems to affirm a friendship between her and the Taylor family, thereby enhancing the perception I have come to have of Henry as a humble and unassuming character.
Exploring the life of Henry has heightened my curiosity about his family and in particular his father. My research into Henrys birthplace and his parents is still ongoing, but from the information I have gathered so far I am focusing on the area of Standish and Wigan.
Death and Burial
Henry’s final home was in Longton but he was laid to rest at St Andrews Churchyard, Leyland.
George and Henry Jr. were also buried at St. Andrews in Leyland. This indicates that the family had a deeper connection to Leyland than currently realised.
Research Ongoing.
Sources and Further Reading
- Ancestry
- Find My Past
- The Genealogist
- Family Search
- Lancs Online Parish
- Lancashire Archives
- Red Rose Collections
- General Record Office
- Wills and Probate
- Longton Online
- NLS Maps
- sixoversixwindows.co.uk
- The Story of the Kings Highway, Sidney & Beatrice Webb
- Genuki.org*
- The British Newspaper Archive
- North Meols to South Ribble – John Cotterall (inc J. Hosker illustration)*
- Longton, A village history – Marjorie Searson
- The village labourer 1760 – 1832 – Jl Hammond & Barbara Hammond
- Longton in the nineteenth century – Marjorie Searson
- Britannica
- .nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/the-land-tax
- A marriage record for Henry. The baptism records for Henry’s sons confirm that his wife is named Mary. The parish records indicate that Eccleston was the birthplace, which is further corroborated by subsequent census records for the Taylor sons. Consequently, I have concentrated on all potential marriages documented in the parish records between a Henry Taylor and Mary. I have examined each possible match and eliminated them, except for the marriage between Henry Taylor and Mary Snowden.