50-Day Family History Blogging Challenge - Day 6
Fragments of Family History - Ploughing Match
Jennifer Jones from TRACKING DOWN THE FAMILY has initiated a 50-Day Family History Blogging Challenge. This is a big writing commitment but I have decided to participate. I have decided my topic will be “Fragments of Family History”. I will write short posts of newspaper items or single stories connected to my family history. This may expand over the 50 days.
Annual Ploughing Match and Cattle Show – Surrey Agricultural Association
John Pratt Giles, the father of John William Giles, my possible 2x Great Grandfather, was involved with the Surrey Agricultural Association in the 1830s and 1840s.
John Pratt Giles took part in ploughing competitions. There were seven classes in the annual ploughing match. John Pratt Giles won Class 1 of the ploughing match. Although not specifically stated, Class 1 was likely using a swing plough with two horses. The winning owner, John Pratt Giles received a piece of plate worth 3 sovereigns and his ploughman, James Burdock, 2 sovereigns.1
At the same event, there were prizes for six classes of servants.
Class 1 - “To every male servant having obtained the first premium either in class 1 or 3 in former years, and having served the same master, or on the same premises, 35 years and upwards, and still continuing in such service, unless incapacitated by age or infirmity, a premium of £2.10s.”2 Award amounts were in a sliding scale depending on meeting the criteria.
Class 2 – Boys under 18 years employed in husbandry with the longest service.
Class 3 – Male servants not employed in husbandry with the longest service, having brought up a family without parochial aid and of good character.
Class 4 – Shepherds – for having brought up the greatest number of lambs in proportion to the flock under his care in the preceding year, and for general good management of his flock.
Class 5 – Shepherds – for having fatted the greatest number of lambs reared by him in proportion to the flock under his care in the preceding year, and for general good management of his flock.
Class 6 – Male Servants with the longest service.
One of the fifteen winners in Class 1 was “George Peacock, aged 62, a labourer in the employ of Mr. John Pratt Giles, of Great Bookham, for a service of 32 years, and having brought up a family of seven children, exclusive of two who died in infancy, with only trifling parochial aid, and bearing a high character”3, awarded £1.10.0.
In 1837, George Peacock had been in service for 32 years. It must have been at the same premises, that is, since 1805 rather than the same employer as John Pratt Giles was only born in about 1790.
‘Surrey Agricultural Association’, Surrey and Middlesex Standard, London, England, 30 September 1837, https://www.findmypast.com.au/.
Ibid.
Ibid.
This is an interesting look at country life Diane. My family had an interest in country Agricultural shows as my grandfather was caretaker of the Showgrounds