PIRTON, HERTS

PIRTON, HERTS.

Coprolite Workings were recorded in Pirton as early as 1870. According to George Beaver, John Bennet Lawes’ coprolite surveyor. “During the past year coprolite works and surveys have claimed attention at Billington near Leighton Buzzard and Cambridge in addition to those in the immediate districts around such as Pirton, Shillington, Stondon, Ashwell, re Arlesey etc.etc.” (Hitchin Museum, G.Beaver’s diaries,1870, p93a.) He later added that “Coprolite diggings are carried on this year at Pirton Grange, Henlow Oldfield, Astwick Bury, Ashwell and Stondon... all of which have required attention and have given a very acceptable supply of work. (Hitchin Museum,G.Beaver’s diaries,1870, p117a)

The financial gains to be made by those involved eventually encouraged Mr Hanscombe, the tenant of the then named Rectory Farm in Shillington, to venture into the very lucrative business. The only outlays were for tools, barrows, planks, pumps, washmill, steam engine and sheds, all of which could be sold off afterwards. In the 1871 census he was described as Landowner and Farmer of 400 acres employing 14 men and 5 boys. Living with him were his mother, sister, cook and housemaid. The population of 1081 was made up of 582 women and girls and only 499 men and boys. Although agricultural labour was the most common male occupation, the dominant activity was straw plaiting. The enumerator felt inclined to include a note about it. “There are in this village several cottages used as “Plaiting Schools” where children are often at work till past 9 o’clock at night. Close and crowded places - Nurseries of moral and physical disease.”

One alternative male occupation was coprolite or fossil digging of which there were five. The eldest was 42 year old Charles Titmus of Holwell Road with George Weedon the youngest at 19 living near Little Green. The average age was 28.4 and they were all local men.

On the 12th December of 1873, the Lord of the Manor, George Musgrave, allowed Hanscombe two fields, amounting to just over seven acres. These were on Pirton Grange, being Four Acre Close (No.262 on map) and Marsh Close, "for the purpose of working and digging the same hereditaments for four years". The agreement stipulated he was to pay Musgrave, "for such his license a fine or Royalty equal to one third of the value of the same coprolites". (BCRO, HE 194) These were the only fields in Hertfordshire worked in this area, on either side of the Shillington road to Pirton. No evidence has emerged to indicate whether he had his labourers work it or he then leased it to one of the other contractors. How much he made from this transaction again was not recorded but to be able to afford a house for £10,000 suggests he had made a fortune somewhere.

In 1881 Hanscombe aged 38 was described as married with five children and four servants. He had increased his holding more than 100% to 950 acres employing 36 men and 15 boys. At a ratio of 18.4 per acre it was considerably less than the 23.1 on Frederick Coxall’s farm but similar to the 18.6 of William Wood’s farm. It made no reference to any diggers suggesting the pits had been closed and the seam exhausted. See Shillington account for more details.