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Manor of Newcastle

man 42 Courts throughout Reginal years

£6.00

This extensive document containing twenty-seven pages was a huge project in extracting from the court rolls entries between the year 1414 and 1806.
The variety of court cases that appeared before the manorial courts – first at the castle at Newcastle and then at what is now the Greyhound Inn, Penkhull is fascinating and here just a few of the items covered as an example: Frankpledge Reports for each of the areas within the manor, names and details of the Open Fields within the former Manor of Penkhull, The Great Court entries, over-stocking the common, attempted murder, occupants of Shelton Mill, Village Stocks and the uses they were used for by law, The Commonwealth period and Maj. Gen Thomas Harrison and the rebel’s army and his home at Newcastle under Lyme, encroachment of cottages, the use of payne’s for fines for work not completed, Twyfords and the Greyhound in 1729.
This is not a complete list but illustrates just what is included and a perfect introduction for manorial studies for schools, colleges and universities.

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Manor of Newcastle

man 43 Fenton’s Law Book – on Copyhold tenants from early 16th century

£12.00

FENTON’S LAW BOOK Compiled largely in the early 17th Century,
The original purpose of the book was a draft for a legal textbook on copyhold tenure. The author has not been specifically identified, but there are clues to suggest that it was probably started soon after 1600. Subsequent owners of the book used it for a variety of purposes up to the middle of the 18th century, in particular:
A record of the service of the office of Reeve in the Manor of Newcastle. Contains also a record of the service of the office of Reeve in the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme from 1577 to 1752. Amongst the notes added by subsequent users of the book are contributors to parts of the Collections of Rates in the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme. The remainder of the book comprises other miscellaneous notes which include a few 17th century extracts from the records of the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme, and personal accounting notes by various contemporary owner of the book.
This book was discovered hidden in the archives at Stafford, almost by accident. It should be held along with all other manorial material in the National Archives. However, the contents over seventy-tree pages are truly a treasure-trove waiting to be studied and placed into contacts. Wonderful study for a Masters or Phd student or even a local group. This is a mid-blowing history book never before used or perhaps seen since its deposit at Stafford.

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Me at Newcastle Book signing

man 44 Manorial Courts – how they were administered.

£5.00

ByRichard Talbot

From the outset for those readers who are not familiar with the term Manorial Court, its functions, and responsibilities it is necessary to first refer to its function as not to confuse any reader with the functions of a Crown or Magistrates court. I know that even some local amateur historians have failed to grasp the basic difference and as ‘fools rush in’ they have gone into print only to prove just how little they know of the subject. The manor court was the lowest court of law in England, feudal law and governed those areas over which the lord of the manor had jurisdiction
These courts dealt with copyhold land transfers, managing the open fields, settling disputes between individuals and manorial offences. There was, in addition, a twice-yearly court leet, held after Michaelmas and after Easter, which all residents of the manor were obliged to attend. Business included a view of frankpledge, at which all men over the age of twelve were bound to appear and make their “pledge” to keep the king’s peace.
I hope that this fraction of what is found within the transactions is sufficient to stimulate interest and like myself have gained an invaluable knowledge of the area. A great subject to study.

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man 45 Words used in Manorial Court Rolls

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

This final folder under the heading of Manorial Records in many cases is the most important as without which manorial court rolls in many cases would just be a number of words in a foreign language.
If the Domesday Book had not been compiled a detailed insight into many hamlets, villages and towns would be denied to us. Domesday records the first documented evidence we have for many places in the UK as well as Penkhull and its importance with regard to its higher recorded monetary value than that of many other villages in North Staffordshire during that period. Penkhull, as we know it today, is a small rural suburb overlooking the town of Stoke, whereas for hundreds of years Penkhull comprised a huge slice of Stoke-on-Trent stretching from Parliament Row, Hanley to Hanford, and incorporated around half of what is today considered the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Without the necessary tools it would be totally impossible to understand just what the entry on 1086 meant. This also applies to all of the manorial court rolls listed on this site. They all use standard terms, that in time become familiar and easier to read and understand t exactly what was meant in the original documents.
Containing five sheets the documents give first illustrations of various documents you could well come across with examples there illustrating the importance of this fundamental tool.

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Manor of Newcastle

man 5 1327 – 1377 Edward ll 3

£1.00

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Manor of Newcastle

man 6 1378 – 1399 Richard ll

£1.00

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Manor of Newcastle

man 7 1400 – 1413 Henry IV (Child King)

No record 1400 – 1413 Henty lV Child King

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Manor of Newcastle

man 8 1414 – 1422 Henry V

£2.00

court record 1414 – -1422 Henry V five x A4 pages

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Manor of Newcastle

man 9 1423 – 1461 Henry VI 25

£5.00

Court Record 1423 – 1461 2p x A4 pages

All transcribed from Latin from the original rolls

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Minton

min 1 Thomas Minton, Master Potter

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Thomas Minton was one of a number the famous potters towards the end of the eighteenth century such as Spode, Whieldon, and Wedgwood. He was born Shrewsbury in 1766 commencing his employment in the 1780s as an apprentice transfer print and engraver. specialising in copperplate. Upon his completion of his apprenticeship he went to London where he executed commissions for Spode and others. Whilst there he married Miss Sarah Webb shortly afterwards, he and his wife removed to Stoke. After twenty-six years of engraving Minton decided to try his hand at potting for himself by this time, he had already engraved the famous Willow pattern, adapted from a design of Chinese origin.

At Stoke he rented one of four houses in a rather dilapidated condition that had been built by Thomas Whieldon called Bridge House at the junction of what was Whieldon Road and Church Street. In April of that year at the ages of thirty-three Minton and set up his own pottery factory for the manufacture of white glazed earthenware tableware in 1793. Three pages.

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minton 2

min 2 Thomas Minton, Master Potter – the wider picture.

£4.00

ByRichard Talbot

The 1790s was a time of major changes to the geography of Stoke with the cutting of two major transport facilities, first the turnpike road to Hanford (London Road) and then the canal from Stoke to Newcastle both opening up development opportunities in town. But first he had to grasp the opportunity to set up his own works as an ideal plot of land in the town of Stoke became available in 1793. It was in London Road with a good turnpike road. Later with a new canal the Stoke to Newcastle canal gave him direct acsess direct into his new factor in London Road – both for expoerts and the unloading of raw materials.

In 1796 Minton went into partnership with Joseph Paulson who was already producing china (porcelain containing bone ash) at a factory on land he purchased in 1792 just across the road from Minton.

The artical then continues with other partnership and the development of some of his best known early products. Thomas had two sons Thomas and Herbert both being taken into partnership. Thomas Webb decided to enter holy orders and in 1821 left Stoke. The title of the company known as Thomas Minton and Sons was dissolved and reverted back to the form of Thomas Minton. The termination of the partnership was brought about by the desire of Thomas Webb to study for the church. Subsequently, whilst he was the Rector of Durham, he gave the sum of £2,000 to be invested to provide a salary of a priest for the newly parish of Penkhull. It was his son, Samuel Minton who became the first incumbent of Penkhull Church.

Enough for now but this piece is just a shortened version of how the full article moves on to discribe the life of Thomas Minton. Three pages and photos. Three x A4 pages

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Twins in pram

mis 1 A Personal prospective of post-war family hardships.

£1.00

ByRichard Talbot

Probably the most significant thing for the immediate post war years was rationing and little money. For families it must have been especially hard for mothers and hardships continued as for a decade following 1945. What is more surprising they are all within a person’s lifetime and have no relationship to present-day austerity.

As children we only had new clothes at Eastertime and these were purchased from the Co-op Emporium in Liverpool Road, Stoke, with the ‘divvy’ mother received on what we had spent at the co-op over the year. I was totally fascinated by the overhead wires carrying the Dart Cash Carriers from every corner of the store to a central elevated cashier’s desk.

Just a short part of an interesting view of life in the early 1950s. 2 pages

One of the highlights was when our landlord Mr. Bourne decided it was time to replace the ducket lavatory with actual clean fresh flushing one. The whole yard was dug-up for a water supply from the kitchen. I could not believe it; it was flushed with clean water you could drink – such wonders of the world I thought. But having water laid on brought a whole new set of problems in the winter months with freezing. Old rags were used as lagging to wrap around the pipe, but this was not sufficient. So, in addition a paraffin lamp had to be secured and placed by the pipe to keep the water from freezing ultimately leading to a burst-pipe and possibly no water for weeks.

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highway

mis 11 Highway Robbery in North Staffordshire

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

My guess is that the words ‘highway robbery’ or ‘stand and deliver’ conjure up words that belong to the past and probably have little equivalent in use today. However, in the 17^th and 18^th centuries they were frequently used so was ‘money or your life’. There was however a distinction between ‘highway robbers’ who were people on foot, whereas ‘highwaymen’ were on horse-back and promoted by the most famous highwayman of all Dick Turpin. Turpin had a short life of thirty-four years 1705-1739. He was the son of an alehouse keeper, and apprenticed to a butcher, but later known for his cattle stealing. He joined a notorious gang of deer stealers and smugglers in Essex later turning to highway robbery in Lincolnshire with his partner Tom King. After shooting his partner by accident he fled to Yorkshire and changed his name. In 1739, he was caught and jailed for horse theft in York.

The thought if Dick Turpin could be duplicated, yes his rewards would be far greater that those of North Staffordshire where you would rob and receive severe custodial punishment for just a silk scarf or a sheet. The author uses accurate press reports to illuminate life and the consequence. A great read and an asset for school, colleges or humanities. Three pages. Nearly 1500 words.

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The Grapes001

mis 12 A brief introduction to History and Archaeology of Stoke.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Stoke Market, built in 1900 still dominates the central section of Church Street. It is of red brick in the Flemish style with curly gables and a central tower. Next to this stood the former National Provincial Bank dating from the 1890’s built also of red brick in the Jacobean style. The opposite side of the road there is a mixture of properties, but mostly of the mid-late 19^th centuries for which the upper floors still retain the original architecture.

The history of Stoke-upon-Trent is interrelated with the parish church of St. Peter-ad-Vincula. It is known that there has been a church on this site from 805a.d. but probably was a firmer site for Pagan worship.

Prior to the coming of the industrial revolution Stoke was the place where the parish church, rectory and parish clerks house was situated. There were no other buildings in the immediate vicinity except an old Inn known by the sign of the Red Lion. (now demolished). In 1296, Stoke was the joint largest parish in the country and lates there became a number of Chapels of Ease dotted around North Staffordshire but remained under the authority of the Rector of Stoke. They became separate parishes by an Act of Parliament in 1807 as the parish was becoming too burdensome for a single priest and a curate.

Stoke town formed a part of the Township of Penkhull with Boothen until it became a Borough in 1875. From early times, the inhabitants of the township did not live in Stoke town, but in either the small hamlet of Boothen, half a mile to the South or the larger Domesday Village of Penkhull standing high above the town to the Southwest.

This article is packed with date from 1807 and follows through with details of the towns development to become a commercial success with the building of a Town Hall which still remains the base of authority but other advances such as the public market and so many other examples of early developments during the 19th century. Again, a good read but also an asset for students of all levels.

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Bottom of Homeywall & St Andrews

mis 13 Honeywall Penkhull origins of name.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

For those coming up the hill to Penkhull from Stoke, the question was where did Stoke end and Honeywall start? In fact, the name of Honeywall, a rather strange name, did not start from the bottom as it does today. That area was originally called Castle Cliff- changed to Cliff Bank. The next higher section was called Upper Cliff Bank followed by Princess Street before being known the whole length by the name of Honeywall. The name of Castle Cliff is really important and yet there is no evidence to support this name of a castle at the top of the hill. Perhaps this explains why parts of what Honeywall is now went by the name of Castle Cliff. Food for thought! The area known as Honeywall commences from just about where the Beehive now stands to its junction with Penkhull Terrace and in fact refers to the hamlet of Honeywall and not the road name.

To add even further to the mystery in 1870, whilst digging near to the White Lion an ancient boulder pathway was found. Could this have any connection with some form of early settlement?

Rev.Aston, in his little book of 1942 suggests without any evidence to support his claim that it could mean Hole in the Wall, pointing to a possible wall around the ancient royal forest where a hole in the wall was used for game hunters! But in saying this there is an argument presented to that part of Honeywall being the boundary of the once Iron Age Fort that capped the hill of Penkhull. Why? We have the name of Castle Cliff, and we have the evidence of a boulder pathway being uncovered outside the White Lion. Also, the name of Honeywall could derive from the old English – ‘hill fortress’ and lastly, it’s the name given to a small hamlet not a road. People would be known by the place where they lived (not a street name, but a district) and the name Hole in the Wall, the entrance area of the hill fort, could be just that place where a group of small traders resided. Lastly, it was recorded in the 19th century that beekeepers were resident in the area, so could the name originated from there? The Bee Hive Inn could be named following the known occupation of Bee Keepers in the area. A further conundrum. Two pages and photographs.

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SENTINEL ARCHIVE SCAN – STOKE – Majestic Buildings, London Road, 1958

mis 14 Majestic Cinema Stoke-upon-Trent. A history from 1912

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

The formal opening of the majestic, the latest picture house in the district situated in Campbell Place Stoke was held before a large invited guest list.in . The building is architecturally admirable, ihaving so many advantages over other buildings used for the same purpose that it is certain to become extremely popular place of resort.

A gallery, holding around two hundred, is so well pitched that every seat holder can be sure of an uninterrupted view of the screen, and at the same remark applies to the holders of eight hundred seats on the ground floor. The seats themselves are exceedingly comfortable, and there is a roominess about the place which will be generally appreciated. In another respect the architect Mr R T Longsden of Stoke and Burslem is to be congratulated. The building is splendidly ventilated. Notwithstanding the crowded state of the hall the atmosphere on Saturday afternoon remained practically the same throughout the 2 ½ hours that the entertainment lasted. Early in the proceedings a message was thrown on to the screen from the Mayor and Mayoress, (Alderman Philip Elliott and Mrs Elliott), were spending a short and well-earned holiday in Harrogate, expressing regret of being unable to attend, and successful future. One feature which is to distinguish the house of entertainment will meet with public recognition. The management has engaged a small band consisting of a piano, a violinist, a cello player, a clarinettist, and a double bass player. The men are very capable players and have good instruments. On this occasion, they provide music which synchronised with the picture subjects. Thus, during the exhibition of the principal film, a four-part historic picture ‘Napoleon,’ the band played the Marsellaise and snatches of the famous 1812 of Tchaikovsky. The pictures also included the Kentish industries, Tiny Tim, the Letter Writer – a drama, With Eyes, so Blue and Tender, Troubles of a flirt, That Suit So blue, General Bunco’s victory and the Pathe Gazette. Tonight, will be given exclusively a sporting drama, in the hands of London crooks. One additional feature of the new cinema that it had tip-up seats. A nice piece of Social History at 1000 words in two pages with photographs.

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