Chippenham <1>
20th Febry 1833
Dear Sir/
Mr Harman <2> is gone to Town for a short time, but I have consulted with Captn Fielding & Thos Moore <3> upon the subject of letting Land to the Poor at this time & I now take my Pen to inform you the result of your thoughts about it –
It seems impracticable to commence upon a large scale & as the Farmers Lands are either sown or in preparation for cultivation this year, Thos Moore thinks it will be best to apportion part of the Land rented by the Parish, which is not yet sown, among the Applicants in the List which you sent me the other day & for that purpose, he & Phelps <4> are to look thro’ it minutely & allot it to such as appear to be in want of it most & who are parishioners of Lacock – This Plan will enable them to raise a good quantity of Potatoes for the next Winter & previous to Michaelmas we shall be able to consider attentively what Lands can be spared from each Farm most conveniently for the Tenant as well as for the Poor & having come to a conclusion upon that head, then to give Notice to each Farmer accordingly that such parts will be wanted at the ensuing Lady day–<5> by this Plan no favour will be asked of the Farmer & he will have his option to decline taking the other part of the Estate & cannot complain after making his choice – we shall also be enabled to judge how the Poor manage the thing upon a limited scale & to hold out inducements, in conjunction with the overseer, to the most industrious, who may be willing to relinquish all aid from the Poors [sic] Rate – I hope that you may approve of this Plan & if so – we will lose no time in setting the People to work on the Land s now vacant wch is about 12 Acres –
I understand from Moore, that the Scheme about the Roads is not likely to be entertained at present & I therefore need not say anything further on that head – That respecting the Workhouse system must, I presume, depend a good deal on the result decision of a Vestry & the ability to raise money by Mortgage of the Rates – when Mr Harman returns, I will enter fully into that subject with him if you wish it – I have now only to request your decision respecting the Land, as above –
I spoke to Mrs Ring’s Son about the shoeing your Garden Horse, He said that it took nearly double the time that was spent in doing a Farmers Cart Horse, on account of its cutting & the Farmers’ Horses are shod more roughly – but rather than lose your custom, he would if you required it, charge the same as to the Farmers – Mrs Ring has lately rebuilt the Shop at her own expence (about £25) & as she is at present in considerable distress, I did not say anything about an advance in the Rent –
I am Dear Sir Yr Obliged Sert
W. H. Awdry.
W H F Talbot Esq M .P.
31. Sackville Street
Piccadilly
London
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. Ezekiel Harman.
3. Misspelling for Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father, and Thomas Moore (possibly d. 1854), member of the Lacock Parish Vestry.
4. Philip Phelps, Surveyor of Taxes & Bailiff, Lacock.
5. Lady Day is one of the traditional English quarter days, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, on 25 March.