Dickens Journal On-line (General)

by m p griffiths , Saturday, January 12, 2013, 15:46 (4123 days ago)

If anyone is interested in having in insight into the lives of the people of the Forest of Dean around 1851 in Household Words (Charles Dickens' two-penny weekly magazine of original short fiction and crusading social journalism) - my x Great Uncle the Rev W S Wickenden born in Awre 1795 - wrote an article published 8 August 1851 Volume 111 (page 461 onwards) 'A tale of the Forest of Dean'

http://www.djo.org.uk/household-words.html

It is interesting as it mentions ordinary peoples lives (and enclosures) of the Forest and the Government checking on them. 'The Government decided that a check should be put on these proceedings, and determined to enclose the forest. Discontent accordingly prevailed among the foresters. At the Speech House - in the centre of the forest, and from time immemorial the forum of the district - meetings were held'. It does talk about a meeting on July 18 (not sure what year) at Bailey, when there were some thousand foresters, with spades and pickaxes etc.

Talks about Mrs Winifred Kear who was affected. Winny was an Ash burner - 'she cut down fern, burned it, and from the ashes, with the aid of water, kneaded a substance which she sold to the surrounding housewives, for the purpose of softening the water in their tubs on washing days'.

Morris dancing is mentioned - and the dancing ground was Blakeney Hill.

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David Adams who has recently published a book on another local Poet Richard MORSE of Yorkley (MORSE was related to the Rev by marriage) is collating as much information on the Rev and hopefully a book will be published when we've exhausted all our research on this intriguing Reverend.