BoAr: Doc: Bourne
Economy
http://boar.org.uk/abiwxo3Bournedoc002.htm
Latest edit 26 Feb 2008.
Interactive
version ©2008 R.J.PENHEY
The Bourne Archive
Notice of the proceedings at a public meeting,
concerning Bourne markets and fairs: 1824.
Names
mentioned.
People. Places.
Edward
Arden Bourn
Edward
Baker
Robert
Chapman Town-Hall
R.
W. Chapman
John
Clifton
Drakard
Mr.
Edwards
Edward
Eldret
Marquis
of
Thomas
Green
Henry
Hand
William
Hardwick
John
Harrison
John
Hodgkin
Hugh
Holland
William
Hopkinson
Daniel
Larratt
Thomas
Lawrence
William
Lawrence
William
Layton
William
Munton
John
Mawby
Robert
Nicholls
John
Osborn
George
Pochin
Henry
Ryde
Edward
Thompson
John
Ullett
RE-ESTABLISHMENT
OF
Fairs & Markets
aT
Bourn,
TOWN-HALL, Bourn, Saturday,
21st August, 1824.
AT a very numerous and
respectable Meeting held at the place and time above-mentioned, pursuant to
advertisement, to consider of the Expediency of Re-establishing the ancient
Fairs, and establishing a Weekly Corn Market;
Mr. HENRY RYDE (Agent to the Marquis of
The
following RESOLUTIONS were unanimously agreed to:
1st.
That in consequence of the great number of cattle bred and fed in the neighbourhood,
and from the great quantity of corn and other agricultural produce supplied
from a large tract of fertile land surrounding the Market-town of Bourn, and from the extensive
improvements and accommodations recently made and now making there, it is the
opinion of this meeting, that the Town of Bourn affords a most convenient
situation whereat to hold FAIRS for the SALE and PURCHASE of CATTLE of all
descriptions, and of all other articles of AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE.
2nd.
That the Re-establishment of Three of the Fairs
formerly held at Bourn would be
of considerable advantage, not only to the breeders, feeders, and purchasers of
cattle, but also to the consumers, and all other persons in the town of
3rd.
That Three Fairs be in future held in the Town of Bourn in every year, for the sale and purchase of Fat and
Store Cattle, and of all other articles; namely, on the Seventh day of April, the Sixth day of May, and the twenty-ninth day of October, except when such days or any
one of them shall fall on a Sunday, and then on the Saturday immediately
preceding such fair days.
4th.
That as the next Fair will be held on Friday
the 29th day of October next,
this Meeting doth pledge itself that a Supply of Fat and Store Cattle of all
sorts, equal to the probable demand, shall be forthcoming at the ensuing Fairs.
5th.
That the following persons be, and they are hereby
appointed, a COMMITTEE, viz., Messrs.
EDWARD
ARDEN, WILLIAM
LAWRENCE, THOMAS
GREEN, JOHN OSBORN, JOHN
THOMAS
LAWRENCE, DANIEL LARRATT, ROBERT
CHAPMAN, EDWARD THOMPSON, WILLIAM MUNTON,
WILLIAM
HOPKINSON, WILLIAM HARDWICK, JOHN HODGKIN, JOHN HARRISON, AND
ROBERT
NICHOLLS, HUGH HOLLAND, EDWARD BAKER, WILLIAM
JOHN
ULLETT, HENRY
HAND, EDWARD ELDRET, R. W. CHAPMAN,
with power
to add to their number; and that they be requested to make all necessary
arrangements for the accommodation of buyers and sellers and stock at the
ensuing fairs, and that Five of such Committee be a Quorum.
6th.
It being the opinion of this Meeting that great advantages would result, as
well to the growers of corn in the neighbourhood of Bourn as to the buyers thereof, if the WEEKLY CORN MARKET at
Bourn were re-established, -- Resolved,
that the persons present at this meeting do use their utmost endeavours
to procure such a show of samples of corn on each weekly market-day, as will
ensure the buyers a steady and certain supply equal to the demand and that the
first show of such samples be made on Saturday
the 30th day of October next.
7th.
That a subscription be entered into to defray the
expenses of advertisements, and other incidental expenses; and that such
subscription be forthwith paid to Mr. John Mawby, of Bourn, to be at the
disposal of the Committee.
8th.
That these Resolutions be thrice inserted in each of
the Stamford Newspapers, and Copies printed and distributed in the town and neighbourhood
of Bourn.
Signed at the request of the meeting,
HENRY RYDE, Chairman.
_________
The Chair
being vacated, the Thanks of the Meeting were unanimously voted to the Chairman
for his able conduct in the chair, and to Mr. Edwards (agent to George Pochin,
Esq.) for his zeal in promoting the objects of the Meeting.
_________
DRAKARD
AND WILSON, PRINTERS,
Commentary.
A photocopy of this document was kinly given to me by
Mrs. P. M. Edmunds.
Viz. is an abbreviation of the Latin vide-licet and
is read as ‘namely’ or ‘that is to say’.
Today, there is little pastoral,
or mixed pastoral and arable farming in the vicinity of Bourne. In the early
nineteenth century, things were different. Heavy machinery was not available
for working heavy land so that was more economically used as pasture. There was
no nylon, terylene and so on, so wool was much in demand
for making clothes. There was no railway for transporting meat. So animals were
bred, reared and fattened for market in areas which tended to be progressively
nearer to the main markets, so that between each stage, the animals moved on
the hoof and the business was widespread. Refrigeration was not available so
meat was not produced in
Even commercial canning was a couple or three
decades away. The effects of experiments in this direction were seen in the expedition
of the
Socio-economic pressures had led to the outlawry of slave trading
and would lead to Roman Catholic emancipation,
the Reform Act, emancipation of
slaves, Factory Acts,
the Poor Law
Amendment Act and so on. This was a time of economic uncertainty and change
but under the leadership of the two main estates in the parish, businessmen
were seeking to get themselves organized.
The selection of printers at