The Local Historian Volume 25, Number 1 February 1995

By H.R. Loyn

Concise essay summarising the advances made in Anglo-Saxon studies since the late 1940s, in which the pioneering work of Stenton and Whitelock is discussed. Loyn suggests that there have been three major areas of enlightenment, which together have shown that Anglo-Saxon society was more complex and sophisticated than had hitherto been assumed. The first is the development of numismatics, in which the work of Michael Dolley in the 1950s was seminal. This revealed much about financial and currency management and thus gave evidence for the strength and control exercised by the English monarchy and for the development of sophisticated urban societies. The 1960s saw advances in archaeology, notably with the remarkable work of Martin and Birthe Biddle at Winchester, which not only allowed the history of the site and the city to be rewritten but also shed new light on the urban development of the period. The work at the 8th century mausoleum at Repton, with its associated burial of a Viking chief, is also singled out as being of special importance. Finally, Loyn refers to the progress in the study of charters and the work of Keynes, which has revealed much information about the processes of governing and the way these evolved over time. The article has a select bibliography of publications which the author considers are of special value.

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By Jack Howard-Drake

A detailed account of a project to calendar the depositions on the Oxford diocesan church court records 1542-1694, to make these difficult documents more readily accessible to local historians and others. The article outlines the role and importance of church courts, including the significance of the many civil cases which they dealt with, and indicates their value to historians. The litigation between local people which they record gives valuable insights into social organisation and interaction, but they are notoriously difficult to read and with a mixture of Latin and English present many problems to researchers. The article describes the calendaring methods, including the organisation of the records, and discusses examples such as: i) tithe cases which reveal details of crop and livestock management; ii) commodity prices; iii) topographical material; iv) disputes over boundaries, probate and contracts; v) matrimonial cases; and vi) slander. Many of these give detailed accounts of everyday lives and lifestyles. The author points out that the calendars of these records also provide lengthy lists of individuals and that much family history information can be gleaned from this source. He encourages others to undertake calendaring projects of this sort, and offers practical advice and guidance on how to proceed with such work.

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By Martin Gorsky

After noting that all the records of Bristol's corporation workhouse were destroyed in the Blitz, Gorsky explains the background to the city's later poor Law system and the creation of the city-wide incorporation in 1696. Private charity and its role in poor relief are considered, but it is suggested that by the early 19th century the scale of the problem was so great that innovative action was needed. In the winter of 1816 there was a crisis of poor relief, as numbers grew rapidly, the city experienced a trade depression and the usual seasonal downturn in employment began to take effect. The Prudent Man's Friendly society began soup kitchens in the November and this body is described in some detail, while its role in relieving distress is assessed. By early December the position was so bad that the Corporation sent out a survey questionnaire to each parish asking for details of the local poor and these are used to indicate the scale and extent of poverty. In the first months of 1817 various schemes for the practical relief of poverty were suggested, several identifying cyclical unemployment as the basic cause and therefore suggesting 'job creation' projects. There was considerable unrest and disorder in the city and direct action was needed to demonstrate that the authorities were doing something. But the radical suggestions for the larger-scale intervention by the city in favour of helping the poor were eventually rejected and the corporation eventually settled back into a low key and non-interventionist pattern.

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By Brian Bennison

The only national league table in which the North East performed outstandingly well between the wars was that of convictions for drunkenness. This article investigates the role of the public house and the influence of the brewing industry in the region, noting how the changing nature of leisure and the advent of alternative attractions such as football, cinema, cycling, and licensed clubs had a very marked impact upon traditional pubs in the cities and towns of Northumberland and Durham. Many licensees went bankrupt, many pubs closed, and the role of the breweries became more important as privately-owned freehouses dwindled. There is extensive description of the decline in the trade, with evidence from licensing authorities, police reports and brewery records. In order to improve their image, gain new custom, and compete with rival attractions, public houses were extensively rebuilt in more modern and agreeable styles, and significant numbers of totally new ones were opened. The second half of the article looks at this phenomenon, considering the costs, operation, amenities and decor of the 1930s roadhouses and their contemporaries. The role of the breweries and their advertising campaigns is highlighted.