West Country Family and Local History

Sorry it has been a long time since the last posting. Pressure of work! I hope to update a bit more regularly in future, so please keep coming back.

Some more entries from the “Physitions Library”

This time some herbal remedies. Please DO NOT try these remedies as you may end up a little bit dead!

Mulberry-Tree. The bark of the Root is bitter, hot and dry, opens stoppings of the Liver and Spleen, pugesth the Belly, and kills worms. Boyled in Vinegar, helps Tooth-ach

Ginger. Helps digestion, warms the stomach, clears the sight and is profitable for old men., heaths the joynts, and therefore is profitable against the Gout, expels wind. It is hot and dry in the third degree

Artichokes. They provoke lust and purge by urine

Laurel. The Leaves purge upwards and downwards, they are good for Rheumatick people to chew in their mouths, for they draw forth much water.

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SOMERSET FACTS

St. Culbone’s Church near Porlock is the smallest church in England, measuring just 10.5 m (35 feet) by 3.7 m (12 feet)

The Sweet Track on the Somerset Level.s near Westhay is the oldest known roadway in the world, dating from 4000 BC

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY (22 May)

1802 Martha Washington died

1813 Wilhelm Richard Wagner the German composer was born

1907 The English actor Laurence Olivier was born.

1936 The Irish Government founded Aer Lingus as the national airline of the Irish Republic

I have recently been looking through a book called the “Physitions Library” that was published probably in the 1600’s and have found some really good cures and potions in this and I will be putting a few in my blog over the coming weeks. All I can say is that I am living in the 21^st century and not the 17^th!

Warning: These remedies might have worked in the 1600’s but most would be dangerous, and probably illegal, today. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

1. The brain of an Hare being roasted, helps trembling, it makes children breed teeth easily; their gums being rubbed with it: it also helps scald heads, the falling off of hair, the Head being anointed with it

2. The brain of the Sparrows being eaten provoke lust exceedingly

3. The head of a coal-black Cat being burnt to ashes in a new pot, and some of the ashes blown into the Eye every day, help such as have a skin growing over the sight; if there be any inflammation, moisten an oak-leaf in water, lay over the Eye; Mizaldus saith (by this one medicine) he cured such as have been blind a whole year.

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ONE THIS DAY (20^th January)

1987: Terry Waite the Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy, disappeared in Beirut.

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TODAYS FEAST DAY

Is that of Fabian, Bishop and Martyr. It is said that when choosing the bishop of Rome, a dove settled on his head whereupon he was elected as Pope. He was martyred on the 20^th January 250

The Heritage Album: 175 years in North Devon (1824-1999)

1912
Bideford is infested with tramps attracted by ‘the softness of the stones given to them to crack’ and the fact that they can spend 36 hours in bed over the weekend in the Workhouse.

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100 years ago today British Miners ballot in favour of strike action

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Repair work on a notorious section of road between North and South Wales began six years after temporary traffic lights were installed

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Today is the feast day of Prisca who was martyred because she refused to denounce Christ. She was said to have beheaded at the age of 13 having survived being thrown to the lions. Her body was protected by an eagle until Christians arrived to take it away.

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Books on CDs relating to the West Country also mounted vintage images visit www.westcountrybooks.com

Family History Research visit www.bdwfh.com

King John gave Lord William Brewer of Bridgwater “the third best ships that our sailors captured”

Dr. ROOKE’S POCKET-GUIDE TO HEALTH AND HEALTH-RESTORING PLACES. Published in 1885

TORQUAY
Torquay lies on a beautiful bay encircled by hills covered with villas. The three principle hills are called the Braddons on the north; Walden Hill, with a fine fir wood, to the west; and Park Hill on the east. Torquay is well sheltered form the N. and N.W., and tolerably well from the N. E., and this protection extends over a considerable part of the immediate neighbourhood, so that there is unusual opportunity for exercise as well on level ground as on gradual ascents, a great advantage to invalids. The general character of the climate is very much like that of Queenstown; but the air of Torquay is drier, and according to Mr. Vivian, it is drier than at any other place in South Devon, which Sir James Clark ascribes in part to the limestone rocks that are contained in this neighbourhood, and partly between two streams, the Dart and the Teign, by which the rain appears to be in some degree attracted. Various portions of the town differ greatly, that near the sea being more sedative and relaxing, that on the hills towards Babbacombe rather bracing, at all events by comparison; and the different aspects of the three hills offer to invalids a considerable choice.

TODAY IS THE FEAST OF ST. ANTHONY

Who is said to have lived, as a hermit, in a cave for thirty years living only on bread, salt and water. He later returned the outside world preaching to large crowds. Legend has it that he died in 356 and the age of 105.

For books on CDs relating to the West Country also mounted vintage images visit www.westcountrybooks.com

Family History Research visit www.bdwfh.com

Headache: A stalk of crossword tied to the head with a red scarf
Lack of Virility: Agrimony boiled in milk
Shingles: A potion made of 15 types of bark
Spider bite: Fried and crushed black smails.

15 January

On This Day
In 1759 the British Museum first opened

East Coker
In this small village lies buried the American born poet T. S. Eliot. He was born in St Louis, Missouri, came to study at Oxford in 1911 and decided to stay. Eliot could trace his ancestors back to this village until Andrew Eliot sailed for New England in the mid 1600’s where he settled in Salem and was a juror on the famous witch trials.

Also buried in the church yard in William Dampier (1662 to 1715) who circumnavigated the world on three occasions. He was the first Englishman to set foot in Australia. The notes he took on various trips relating to the local flora and fauna influenced Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and is also said to have provided inspiration for Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

Today is St. Ide’s day who was a female Irish saint.

Remedies for common illness, found in a tenth-century document
Back Pain Smoke from burned goat’s hair
Baldness Apply ashes of burned bees
Chilblains Treat with eggs, fennel and wine

14^th January – today is the FESTIVAL OF THE ASS

The first house in the world to be lit by gas is in Redruth, Cornwall. William Murdock was a brilliant engineer who was the local manager for Boulton and Watt, a Birmingham firm that made steam engines which were used in mining.

In 1794 he built a closed coal fire in his garden and ran a pipe into the house. He lit the gas coming through that was produced from the burning coal thus giving the first gas lighting system.

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14 January 1742 – EDWARD Halley, the English astronomer, who calculated the orbit of the comet named after him, died.

In the year 612
In this year Geoffrey of Monmouth states that Dubricius crowned Arthur King of Britain

Off Side!
Henry VIII was the first monarch to play football (soccer) and in 1525 he paid four shillings for a pair of football boots, which is the equivalent today of around £96 ($140). True to form in 1548 he banned football as it incited riots. Nothing changes!

On this day
In the year 1697 George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends (Quakers), died

Today is the Feast of St. Hilary. He was a famous teacher of enlightenment and made Bishop of Poitiers but was banished in 356 by the Emperor Constantius. He was later allowed to returned and died in 368

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Books on CDs relating to the West Country also mounted vintage images visit www.westcountrybooks.com

Family History Research visit www.bdwfh.com

I now have a number of reproduction images of various locations available for purchase from my website. These are ideal for illustrating where your ancestors lived, or your village. Most date from the early 20^th century around the time the 1901 or 1911 census was taken. There are also other subjects such as humorous lithographs dating from the start of the 19^th century and early “glamour” images (not pornography but “Windmill Theatre” style poses from the early 20^th century).

More location images will be placed on the site regularly.

FEUDAL RANKS (Part 2)

Squires: Young knights-in-training, usually between 14 to 21 years old.

Seigneurs: Lords of the manor, a manor being the smallest plot of land

Villeins/serfs: Live on and are bound to the manor or fief. They pay rent to the lord that owns it.

Servants: The lowest in rank. Workers owned by the wealthy including nobility and wealthy merchants

ANYONE SEEN THE KING?

In 955, officials were puzzled when young King Eadwig did not turn up for his own coronation feast. Puzzlement turned to rage when the 14 year old king was discovered in his bedchamber, enjoying the company of a young lady and her mother, his new crown discarded on the floor with his clothes.

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Books on CDs relating to the West Country also mounted vintage images visit www.westcountrybooks.com

Family History Research visit www.bdwfh.com