Henry STEPHENS - Snr & Jnr - Lydney (General)
by m p griffiths 
, Sunday, August 28, 2011, 13:54 (4889 days ago)
Yesterday I received from the Gloucestershire Records Office the Will of my x Grandfather Henry STEPHENS of Lydney - who died in 1794 (amongst other things, leaving the bed he lies on, to his Son Henry, then Henry's wife Sarah, and then onto Elizabeth is Granddaughter (after the demise of each one). Also his Son Henry - 1800, both Yoeman Farmers/with bits of land/a few houses in and around Lydney.
In Henry STEPHENS will dated 1800 - he is leaving his Wife Sarah, ......all my Bond and other securities and Book debts due to me, likewise one Mare, all my Sheep, my Implements in Husbandry, Guns, Household Furniture, Sin Hhogsheads painted blue and all such and singular my person estate of whatsoever......
Any ideas (what reads like) Sin Hhogsheads painted blue? - it's quite a clear copy
Henry STEPHENS - Snr & Jnr - Lydney
by mrsbruso , Sunday, August 28, 2011, 17:22 (4889 days ago) @ m p griffiths
Hi, MP.
A hogshead is a cask or barrel of liquid -- most frequently beer, wine or spirits. They vary in size depending on their contents but they average about 50 imperial gallons. My guess is Henry had six of these . . .
Henry STEPHENS - Snr & Jnr - Lydney
by m p griffiths , Sunday, August 28, 2011, 18:41 (4889 days ago) @ mrsbruso
Thank you - No wonder he died aged 47! that's an awful lot of alcohol
Henry STEPHENS - Snr & Jnr - Lydney
by mrsbruso , Monday, August 29, 2011, 00:27 (4889 days ago) @ m p griffiths
Since Henry owned Orchards, could be he was making hard cider for sale. And at some point in history beer was the beverage of choice over water. Since it was processed it was actually healthier than some water sources would have been. He didn't mention the contents of the hogsheads, and they were painted a distinctive colour, so I would say odds are at least even that he was using them to produce income in some manner . ..
Henry STEPHENS - Cider/Scrumpy Making
by m p griffiths , Monday, August 29, 2011, 07:24 (4888 days ago) @ mrsbruso
'Scrumpy' - by name (Cider)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A689060
- that and a bag of crisps, was our treats as children, when we had to sit in the garden of a 'Pub'- Adults only where allowed inside. Reminded me of 'apple noggin' - grabbing apples off neighbours trees without permission!
Looking at the Will of Henry STEPHENS in 1793 - one witness was Richard HOOK
Lydney/Lidney 1791
HOOK Richard, Malster
So the family could well be 'brewing'