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My
family name was spelt in a variety of ways in nineteenth century documents
and, (to my disappointment), appears to be a corruption of Mitchelson /
Michelson.
My
direct ancestors lived mainly in the villages of Acklam and Duggleby on the
north western edge of the Yorkshire Wolds.
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Malton
was the nearest market town.
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During
the Napoleonic Wars, Christopher Midgley was able to rent a small plot of
land, but later in the century his son, Thomas, and grandson, John, were
paid for the manual work they did, and, in all probability, lived in tied
cottages.
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They
were probably skilled men who could turn their hand to most jobs on
the farm, but they didn’t make the difficult transition to hind or tenant
farmer (before 1892).
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Informal
instruction would be given by family members or neighbours: John Midgley was
able to sign his marriage certificate in 1859 - without any formal
education.
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As
soon as elementary education became available in their village, the young
Midgleys were sent to school, probably until they were 12
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At
12 or 13 the Midgleys left home to become servants. The boys and young men
probably attended the hiring fair at Malton market place on a Saturday in
mid-November.
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They
sampled several farms around the north Wolds / Vale of Pickering before
marriage.
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The
Midgley menfolk probably met their partners while they were away from
parental supervision. They married younger women from a similar background.
Three of the four couples married in August.
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Premarital
pregnancy was common in our
line but it ought to be remembered that the old saying ‘No child, no wife’
was widely quoted at this time.
