Trunch 1881 Census
The 1881 census for Trunch, when 451 people (225 men and 226 women) were recorded, paints a fascinating picture of village life at that time, as can be seen below.
Click here for Trunch 1881 census details
Summary
1. Agriculture
2. Brewing
3. Other trades
4. Women
5. The Poor
6. Families
1. Agriculture
The majority of the men and boys (over 12) were listed as agricultural labourers. Boys as
young as 11 were farmer’s boys and men as old as 75 were still working as agricultural
labourers. In all there were 9 farms:-
There were also trades aligned to agriculture. Clement Sexton was the gamekeeper, John
Steward the blacksmith and Thomas Starling was a fowl dealer. Four men gave their
occupations as grooms – James and Isaac Riches, Robert Frarey and Henry Bloom and
John Cutting was a harness maker.
2. Brewing
After farming the brewery was an important employer. Betsy Primrose, a widow, was
running the brewery, employing 11 men and 1 boy. William Amies gave his occupation
as a brewer (retired) and his grandson was an employee in the brewery. Thomas Learner
and James Flaxman were brewer’s draymen, Henry Flaxman and Stephen Coleman were
brewery labourers, and John Greenhill was a wine and spirit merchant.
3. Other trades
It is also striking how many people living in the village were employed in trades and
services which meant that the village was fairly self sufficient. Edward and William
Wegg were brick makers and Robert Harmer, Robert Burton and William Self were the
bricklayers. Alfred Bullen, Thomas Allard, James Thompson and John Hall were
carpenters, William Gibbons and his son were carpenters and wheelwrights, Richard
Burwood was a cooper and Samuel Lacy a shoe maker. As far as shops were concerned,
Benjamin Buck was the postmaster and grocer, Josiah Fuller a carter and grocer, Richard
Wegg a master butcher, Edward Seago, was a butcher and his son was a basket maker.
The village also had two publicans, for the New Inn and the Crown, one police constable
and 2 ministers of the church.
4. Women
Apart from Betsy Primrose who was running the brewery, the roles of other women give
some interesting insights. Women who lived alone or who had been widowed gave their
occupations as dressmakers, housekeepers, washerwomen or charwomen. Some widows
appear to have taken over their husband’s businesses such as the farmer Sarah Clarke and
Hannah Bullen who gave her occupation as carpenter and farmer employing 2 men.
Caroline Baker gave her occupation as grocer, while her husband was a journeyman
gardener. Susan Whitworth was the young school teacher and she had come to Trunch
from Norwich, while her assistant was 15 year old Selina Martins who had been born in
the village. The 78 year old retired school mistress was also living in the village.
5. The poor
Two of the villagers were listed as army pensioners, several as servants, mostly in the
farm houses, and some were said to be paupers, presumably relying on someone else in
their household. There is one mention of the poor house with Edward Coleman being said
to have been born in the Beckham Union in 1877.
6. Families
While most people had been born in Trunch or nearby villages there were a few people
who come from further afield. Ellis Price, the curate had come from Birkenhead in
Cheshire, the wine merchant from Kent, Robert Wilson who was a market gardener had
come from Sprowston, the Bakers from Andover in Hampshire, the clerk in the brewery
was born in Burton on Trent in Staffordshire and a brewer had come from Berkshire.
Although the Flaxmans and Boulters were Norfolk born, some of their children had been
born in County Durham, so they had obviously lived there for a few years. And although
most people seem to have met their life long partners within a few miles of where they
were born there are exceptions such as George Ducker and James Thompson whose wives
were born in Middlesex.
There is also evidence of the strength of the extended families with grandchildren staying
with grand parents and nephews, nieces, parents in law, and parents or grand parents
staying in relative’s homes.
1. Agriculture
2. Brewing
3. Other trades
4. Women
5. The Poor
6. Families
1. Agriculture
The majority of the men and boys (over 12) were listed as agricultural labourers. Boys as
young as 11 were farmer’s boys and men as old as 75 were still working as agricultural
labourers. In all there were 9 farms:-
- Robert Thirtle – 108 acres employing 4 men and 2 boys
- William Hardingham – 70 acres, employing 3 men
- Thomas Bidwell – 126 acres, employing 4 men and 2 boys.
- William Primrose – 500 acres, employing 16 men & 4 boys.
- William Primrose (Junior) – 360 acres, employing 12 men & 3 boys
- George Ducker – 79 acres, employing 3 men
- Sarah Clarke - ? acreage not given but employing 3 men
- Henry May – 150 acres, employing 4 men & 3 boys
- James Thompson – 11 acres.
There were also trades aligned to agriculture. Clement Sexton was the gamekeeper, John
Steward the blacksmith and Thomas Starling was a fowl dealer. Four men gave their
occupations as grooms – James and Isaac Riches, Robert Frarey and Henry Bloom and
John Cutting was a harness maker.
2. Brewing
After farming the brewery was an important employer. Betsy Primrose, a widow, was
running the brewery, employing 11 men and 1 boy. William Amies gave his occupation
as a brewer (retired) and his grandson was an employee in the brewery. Thomas Learner
and James Flaxman were brewer’s draymen, Henry Flaxman and Stephen Coleman were
brewery labourers, and John Greenhill was a wine and spirit merchant.
3. Other trades
It is also striking how many people living in the village were employed in trades and
services which meant that the village was fairly self sufficient. Edward and William
Wegg were brick makers and Robert Harmer, Robert Burton and William Self were the
bricklayers. Alfred Bullen, Thomas Allard, James Thompson and John Hall were
carpenters, William Gibbons and his son were carpenters and wheelwrights, Richard
Burwood was a cooper and Samuel Lacy a shoe maker. As far as shops were concerned,
Benjamin Buck was the postmaster and grocer, Josiah Fuller a carter and grocer, Richard
Wegg a master butcher, Edward Seago, was a butcher and his son was a basket maker.
The village also had two publicans, for the New Inn and the Crown, one police constable
and 2 ministers of the church.
4. Women
Apart from Betsy Primrose who was running the brewery, the roles of other women give
some interesting insights. Women who lived alone or who had been widowed gave their
occupations as dressmakers, housekeepers, washerwomen or charwomen. Some widows
appear to have taken over their husband’s businesses such as the farmer Sarah Clarke and
Hannah Bullen who gave her occupation as carpenter and farmer employing 2 men.
Caroline Baker gave her occupation as grocer, while her husband was a journeyman
gardener. Susan Whitworth was the young school teacher and she had come to Trunch
from Norwich, while her assistant was 15 year old Selina Martins who had been born in
the village. The 78 year old retired school mistress was also living in the village.
5. The poor
Two of the villagers were listed as army pensioners, several as servants, mostly in the
farm houses, and some were said to be paupers, presumably relying on someone else in
their household. There is one mention of the poor house with Edward Coleman being said
to have been born in the Beckham Union in 1877.
6. Families
While most people had been born in Trunch or nearby villages there were a few people
who come from further afield. Ellis Price, the curate had come from Birkenhead in
Cheshire, the wine merchant from Kent, Robert Wilson who was a market gardener had
come from Sprowston, the Bakers from Andover in Hampshire, the clerk in the brewery
was born in Burton on Trent in Staffordshire and a brewer had come from Berkshire.
Although the Flaxmans and Boulters were Norfolk born, some of their children had been
born in County Durham, so they had obviously lived there for a few years. And although
most people seem to have met their life long partners within a few miles of where they
were born there are exceptions such as George Ducker and James Thompson whose wives
were born in Middlesex.
There is also evidence of the strength of the extended families with grandchildren staying
with grand parents and nephews, nieces, parents in law, and parents or grand parents
staying in relative’s homes.
