The Notebooks of Rev James Hesselgrave Thompson

Speculum Gregis

The Notebooks of Rev James Hesselgrave Thompson

James Hesselgrave Thompson, vicar of Cradley WOR from 1856 to 1889, wrote two notebooks which he entitled “Speculum Gregis” (Latin: “A mirror to the flock”). These contain censuses of the inhabitants of the town; one complete in 1857 and one incomplete in 1863 (it is surmised that there was originally a third notebook completing the 1863 census, but if so, this is now lost). Entries consist of 5 columns

Thompson's reference number for the household
The surname of the head of the household
Details of the male head of the household. This may include the christian name, occupation, church, status within his church, age, and occasionally other personal details (sometimes these are coded, usually by being written in greek letters, although the words themselves may be in english, latin or greek: eg ιδλε for “idle”, or μεθ [“drunk” in greek])
Similar details of the female head of the household
Details of other members of the household. The number of childen is given, then their name, age, month of birth, daytime occupation, school and/or church attended. Finally details of any other member of the household are listed.

Entries pertaining to people listed in these pages follow. The actual entries are highly abbreviated, and have been expanded for clarity.

1857
Tyes Lane
86	HUGHES	William Iron, church seldom	Eliza No church, ill	2: Mary Elizabeth, 4, Sophia,2, unbaptised A niece, Henrietta Adams, 12, scholar
Two Gates
181	BEESLEY	John Matchets. church. Son of Beesley of Blue Ball	Eliza Church sometime Daughter of Cox no 182	6: Simeon, 15, May, chains, school, night school. Charles, 14, May, chains, school, night school. Louisa, 11, Apr, home, school. Fanny, 9, school, national school. Lucy, 3, Mar. Emma, 1, Nov.
182	COX	James Retired	Ann Church, was pew
High Town
402	FOWKES	Thomas Chains. 31, Aug, no church, baptised by JHT	Rhoda No church	1: Ann Sophia Phyllis, 1, June Samuel Penright? alias Fowkes, 14, chains, no school, night school
Bloomer's Row
409	COX	Thomas Nailer. New Connexion sacrament Members of New Connexion more then 30 years	Sarah New Connexion sacrament	4: Benjamin, 20, Oct, chains, no church. Thomas, 14, Sep, nails, no church, night school. Absalom, 12, Oct, chains, New Connexion school. Matthew Henry, 7, March, New Connexion school, national school.
Colley Lane
421A	CLIFT	Thomas Nailer, 68 baptist sacrament, plays bass viol at baptists 46 years	Mary 69, baptist sacrament disaffected. She is sister to Ann Cox 2 Gates 182 & thinks baptists have 140 members
421A	CLIFT	Levi Nailer no church	Mary Ann Chapel, seldom daughter of 409	3: Neri, 3, Jan, New Connexion school, unbaptised. Alfred, 3, New Connexion school, unbaptised. Emily, 2, unbaptised.
High Town
430A	POOL	Richard Coal, no church	Elizabeth No church	2; Joseph, 7, baptist. Caroline, 3. Her mother, Elizabeth Grove, church
High Street
432A	POOL	Richard Coal, no church	Elizabeth No church	3; Joseph, 7, Jan, baptist school. Caroline, 3, Dec. Amelia Maria, 0, May. Her mother, Elizabeth Grove, church
Back Lane
501	BILLINGHAM	Eli Corngreaves, was New Connexion sacrament	Jane	2: Janetta, 25. Jemima, 14. 2 Grandchildren, Elizabeth Davis, 6. Henry Davis 4.
502	ADAMS	Henry Carpenter, church seldom, pew	Elizabeth No church or seldom	4: Joseph, 25, carpenter, no church Lydia, 21, baptised by JHT, has Joseph, 2, Sep, unbaptised Martha, 18, March, baptised by JHT. Jane, 16, Nov, school, night school, baptised by JHT. A grandson, James, 10, Feb, work, church, no school, night school
Butcher's Lane
572	HEAD	George Shoes, ranter sacrament, preacher	Jane Ranter not sacrament	7: Timothy, 21, July, Corngreaves, ranter. John, 19, Sep, puddler, church evenings. George, 14, Aug, Corngreaves. Jane, 11, June, home, ranter school. Thomas, 9, Aug, national school, ranter school. Francis,7, Dec, national school, ranter school. Henry, 4, Nov, unbaptised. John attends church with John Yates.
Vaughan's Fold
575B	COLEY	William Labourer, church twice	Mary No church	5: Maria, 19, chains, ranter school. Joseph, 16,Corngreaves, was ranter school, now church seldom. Benjamin, 13, chains, was ranter school. Phoebe, 10, June, nails, was ranter school, night school. William, 7 no school, no clothes
Ash Bank
599B	WALKER	Joseph Nailer, no church, ignavus	Mary Baptist sacrament immersed 1857, bad knee.	3: Elizabeth, 5, Aug, Nurse. Phoebe, 2, Jan. Clara Crevella, 0, Mar, unbaptised. Her mother Hannah Walker, 56, one eye.
1863
Two Gates (North Side)
216	BEASLEY	John Matchets, Carter. Church sometimes	Eliza Church sometimes	7: Simeon, 21, chain, church. Charles, 20, chain, church. Louisa, 17, Apr, home, school. Lucy, 9, Mar, school, school. Emma, 7, Nov, school, school. Caleb, 5, Feb, school, school. Her mother, Ann Cox, widow, church, pew, sacrament.
Colley Lane (High Town)
365	CLIFT	Levi Nail No church or New Connexion	Mary Ann Chapel, seldom	4: Neri, 11, Jan, nail, New Connexion school, unbaptised. Alfred, 9, Mar, nurse, no school. Emily, 8, Nov, nurse, New Connexion school. Heber, 1, June, unbaptised. His father Thomas Clift 74, baptist, was sacrament
High Town Top
393	POOL	Richard Coal, teaches ragged school, was no church	Elizabeth Teaches ragged school, was no church	4: Joseph, 13, Mar, chain, ragged school. Caroline, 9, Dec, ragged school, no school. George, 4, Sep. William, 3, Dec. Richard, 1, Jan. Her mother, Elizabeth Grove, ranter sacrament
Church Street Alley
437	FOWKES	Thomas Chain, μεθ, no church	Rhoda Cancer, no church	2: Ann, 7, June. Elizabeth, 4, Mar. , 0, April. , 0, April.
no address given
1138	WALKER	Joseph B Nail, no church, ιδλε	Mary Baptist sacrament bad knee.	3: Elizabeth, 11, Aug, home, no school. Phebe, 8, Jan, no school, no school. His mother Hannah Walker, 61, blind.
1142	FOWKES	Thomas Chain, μεθ, no church	Rhoda No church	3: Ann, 7, June. Elizabeth, 4, Mar. Richard born July 1865. Her mother Rosannah Walker, blind. Note that the above two entries both seem to refer to the same woman under two similar names. Rhoda Fowkes née Walker was sister to Joseph Walker
1142	WALKER	Joseph	Mary Baptist	2: Elizabeth, 11, Aug, home, no school. Phebe, 8, Jan, no school, no school.

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