The Local Historian Volume 19 Number 3 August 1989

By Gillian Clark

Nurse children were those raised by families other than their own. This study focuses on the experience of London children, in the period 1540-1750, who were sent to be brought up by families outside London. Parish registers and related sources provide data which suggests that over 8000 nurse children died, but the sample size is shown to presented difficulties when making statistical analyses, as only a small number of relevant and detailed records could be extracted. The analysis notes a number of interesting aspects for further study, including: i) gender differences; ii) family size; iii) occupation of parents; iv) procedures for the selection of nurses; v) burial practices; and vi) the social standing of the children and nurses.

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By Dave Thorburn

Study of the plaiting industry in 19th century Hertfordshire, taking as a case-study the village of Breachwood Green. The article examines the relationships between family life, schooling and the work of women plaiters. Straw-plaiting was an established industry in the region and represented a significant source of income for women and children. Breachwood was also a centre for non-conformity and appears to have been a strongly independent community. There were plaiting 'schools', but formal education was minimal and working conditions were poor. Disputes occurred in the late 19th century because these schools were classified as workshops under legislation designed to prevent children under eight years of age from working. The author discusses the impact of the 1870 Education Act on the plaiting industry and suggests that the industry was seriously affected by the trend towards compulsory schooling. He comments on the problems of investigating the industry, because of its flexible nature - plaiting could be undertaken virtually anywhere - and on the way it offended Victorian middle-class morality.

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By Catherine Bowden

Description of this important library, which was established in 1872 and includes substantial collections of family records, local antiquarian notes and the original manuscripts of the Compton Census of 1676.

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By Barbara English

A Hull University project of 1988, which aimed to list all materials held by East Yorkshire libraries, including specialist journals. The data is stored electronically and is available on-line.

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By Peter J. Larkham

Short general review of a range of local authority data sources, including building plans, building surveyors' records, planning permission applications, which could be used to reconstruct or investigate aspects of urban and building history.