Edward Albert ASHCROFTs, and Charcoal Burners. (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Wednesday, October 03, 2012, 00:34 (4430 days ago) @ aitch2oh

Hi again, really pleased you're reading up on the Vurrest and checking-out the rest of this site too. For an insight into the history this is a good introduction
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/?About_the_Forest

and also these books by HG Nicholls c1850
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/?eBooks

Re trying to untangle your Edward Ashcrofts, I recommend searching on FreeBMD, coverage is very good for our area. Looking at the results for all Edward Ashcrofts across all the UK from 1837 shows a distinct Ashcroft line in the Newport Monmouthshire District, as shown below, undoubtedly this site will include more of your family's BMDs too if you try it:

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page

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Marriages Mar 1880 (>99%)
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ASHCROFT Edward Newport, M 11a 231
ASHCROFT Henry Newport, M 11a 231
Bevans Martha Matilda Cardiff 11a 231
BOYT Elizabeth Newport, M. 11a 231
MORGAN Harriet Newport M 11a 231
Ormond William Newport M 11a 231
Wilson Lydia Newport M 11a 231

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Births Dec 1880 (>99%)
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ASHCROFT Edward Albert Newport M 11a 188

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Deaths Mar 1882 (>99%)
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Ashcroft Edward Albert 1 Newport, M. 11a 157

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Births Mar 1894 (>99%)
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Ashcroft Edward Albert Newport, M. 11a 260

Surname First name(s) Mother/Age District Vol Page
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Births Sep 1911 (>99%)
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ASHCROFT Edward T Mitchell Newport M. 11a 625

Surname First name(s) Mother/Spouse/Age District Vol Page
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Marriages Dec 1912 (>99%)
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ASHCROFT Edward A Edwards Newport M 11a 596
Edwards Martha M Ashcroft Newport M 11a 596

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

So from these you can see that yes, the first Edward Albert who's birth was registered in the Oct/Nov/Dec/ Quarter of 1880 had sadly died by early 1882.
Purely from these BMDs I'd assume he was probably the child of one of the Ashcroft Marriages earlier in 1880, it appears to be that of Edward & Harriet Morgan altho not clear from this source alone.
The next child named Edward Albert Ashcroft had his birth registered within Jan/Feb/Mar 1894 (so it may have even occurred in late December). From this sequence of BMDs I would assume he was probably of the same parents as indeed you confirm, being your grandfather. As you are no doubt aware, it seems so many Ashcroft sons were named Edward after a previous Edward as per family traditions, however to avoid daytoday confusion in practice their second names were predominantly used ie Albert.

If you search for all Ashcrofts within the District you'll get a better idea of the whole household AND any OTHER local Ashcrofts too of course, some of which may still be relations. You may even find more that were not caught by the Census's.
The site gives such BMDs from 1873 upto 1953.

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Finally, yes you are correct, charcoal burning was a major Forest enterprise in the past. Charcoal burning demonstrations still take place at the Forest's Heritage Museum, http://www.deanheritagecentre.com/museum/deanheritagemuseum.htm

For "the" detailed reference history of the Forest(or indeed the UK in general) the Victorian British History site is essential reading.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23267

The "Ironworks" section describes how large quantites of charcoal was essential for ironmaking in the C13th, but it's use had to be governed by Law as it caused too much destruction of woodland so important for the Navy's shipbuilding and so on. The introduction of coke-fuelled furnaces stopped this problem, but charcoal burning on a vastly smaller scale continued until after World War 2, as this prior thread and the associated photos show.
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=24516