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WILGILSLAND The homepage of Pete and Jan Crowther |
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ROBERT SHARP The Yorkshire diarist, Robert Sharp, was born the son of a shepherd in the East Yorkshire village of Barmston, just south of Bridlington, on 22 September 1773. From 1786 to 1804 he lived in Bridlington earning his living as a shoemaker. However in 1804 he successfully applied for the job of schoolmaster at the village school in South Cave, which is located a few miles to the west of the town of Beverley in East Yorkshire. Here he lived and worked until his death in 1843. Sharp was a compulsive letter-writer and diarist and we are fortunate that many of his letters and diary pages have survived because they provide a rich and intimate picture of life in a rural community in the period between the Napoleonic wars and the Victorian age. The letters, which date from 1812 to 1825 were sent to his son, William, who had gone to London to work for the book sellers and publishers, Longmans. He also sent the pages of his diary, which dates from 1826 to 1837, in regular instalments to William in order to keep him abreast of affairs in his native village. These pages were subsequently bound together with the letters in one volume, presumably by William himself. This volume is now in the East Riding of Yorkshire Archives and Record Service collection but has been transcribed and published as a volume in the British Academy’s Records of Social and Economic History series (see below). As a diarist Robert Sharp has many advantages. His position as village schoolmaster and one of the few educated and literate persons in the village gave him a unique insight into its affairs. Unlike the more common parson-diarist, Sharp mixed with his fellow villagers on equal terms and was closely associated with all aspects of village life. As well as helping them to write letters, draw up wills or legal agreements, he was himself a parish officer (deputy constable and tax assessor) and assisted the other parish officers in their work. In addition he acted as the land measurer for local farmers, ran a village shop and library, and held the position of clerk to the South Cave Friendly Society. What makes him particularly attractive as a diarist, however, is his knack of vivid portrayal of both characters and scenes, often quoting verbatim from conversations. His sense of humour and ironic dry asides make him a delight to read, as readers of this page may judge for themselves from the brief quotes given below. It is intended that these quotes will be changed at intervals to give a flavour of the diary. The diary itself (The Diary of Robert Sharp of South Cave: life in a Yorkshire village, 1812–1837 / edited by Janice E. Crowther and Peter A. Crowther. Oxford University Press for the British Academy, 1997 reprinted 1998. 726 pages. ISBN 0-19-726173-6) may be consulted in libraries or purchased from OUP or bookshop for £40.
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NEW! Brief biographies of persons mentioned in the Diary may be accessed here.
Monday 25th. Decr 1826
Christmas Day ushered in by the Waits[1] about one or two O’clock in the morning, what they call singing a Christmas Carrol, but in reality disturbing the good easy people who have a mind to enjoy sleep at the proper season; then these same disturbers have the impudence to beg of the Inhabitants to reward them, for undertaking to keep them awake; I promised them I would not give any thing and I stood to my promise. Then about five or six O’clock in the morning all the impudent lads and lasses in the Town running about for Christmas Boxes. I know a Box on the ears would have been the best reward. At Church in the forenoon, in the afternoon I staid at home, getting ready the Balance of my Stamp account, which is to be sent tomorrow £83–4–0. I do not think so much of the sacredness of Christmas day as many people do, for what command is there to set it above the Sabbath? Robt. Marshall and Mr. Bellard came in the Evening and smoked a pipe.
Friday 25th. Dec 1829
This is Christmas Day, I have not been out, as I had a slight Cold and so I staid at home, — Plenty of Boys and Girls too running about for Christmas Boxes, this is an old Custom and will be kept up as long as there is any thing to bestow.
Saturday 26th. Dec 1829
My Wife has been more affected with the Cold this winter than I ever knew her before, her feet have been very bad, but I think they are something better. She has rubbed them with Salt and Onions.
Friday 24th. Decr 1830
This is the day before Christmas day when both Scholars and Masters, rejoice at the thought of holidays, yet for my own part, I think I am generally most busy when not at School.
Saturday 25th Dec 1830
Plenty of Boys & Girls running about this morning for Christmas Boxes; Some I quitted with telling them they were too soon, and others with being too late, and some few got a halfpenny apiece.
Sunday 26th. Dec 1830
This is a tolerable fine day, for the Season of the year, I can say that I have not got either bite or Sup as a Christmas Box; it is a satisfaction to know that I am not in the least obligated to any one for what I have had, and but to few for their offers.
Friday 23d. Decr 1831
All the old women and young ones too, with their Children are running about Gooding.[2] Mrs. Baron of Drewton[3] gives the Women 2d. and Children 1d. each. I dare say she does not want Customers; many who go would rather spend half a day for twopence, as work at home for threepence.
Saturday 24th. Dec 1831
We have had some Furmity as usual on Christmas eve, aye and we have had a Youle Clog, burnt in the best manner.
Sunday 25th. Dec 1831
This is Christmas day, all the young Gangrills in the Town, running and shouting a merry Christmas; but they are not contented with all the noise they make, except they be paid for it, how they get supplied, I cannot tell, as Money is a scarce Article now a days.
Monday 24th. Decr 1832
This being Christmas eve, we had a very thin attendance at the Market; as the Market at Hull is this day on account of tomorrow being Christmas day; We had Furmety this night as usual, and a Youle Clog on the Fire.
Tuesday 25th. Decr 1832
Christmas day, plenty of Lads aye and Lasses too—running about wishing their friends a merry Christmas; for which they expect to be paid ...
Thursday 27th Decr 1832
Isaac Wilson it is said has sold the Advertiser for two thousand pounds to a Company or set of Radicals;[4] how oddly things fall out!!
Friday 28th. Decr 1832
At Old Willy’s this night as usual; when two women came in and began to sing a Christmas Carol, but the Old Gentleman stopped them; when one of the Women said, why we sung to you last year; very well he says, I am sure it will be sufficient then for two years. So they walked off with the vessel Cup.
[1] Waits were originally a body of musicians maintained by a city or town at public charge. By the 18th c., the name had come to be applied to parties of people who sang at the front doors of dwellings at Christmas time—in other words, carol singers.
[2] ‘Going a goodin’ meant going around to farms and other houses at Christmas time, begging for money or eatables. It was called ‘good-tahming’ in some parts of the East Riding (Ross (1877): 69).
[3] Sarah Baron of Manor House, Drewton, was the mother of George Baron, the antiquary, who later identified a Roman coin for RS. See the entry for 20 Aug. 1833 (Allen 92–3).
[4] See n.39 (1832).