WILLIAM Brewis lived at Throphill, four miles from Mitford. His diaries run to 15 volumes.
An article has recently appeared in the 'Northumbrian’, October to November issue, on this topic, just about the time that I have been writing.
Brewis was born in 1778, living until 1850. Born under George III, he died 13 years into Victoria’s reign.
I was instrumental in getting his diaries into the Robinson Library of Newcastle. They were offered to me as a local historian but the price I offered was not nearly enough. I recommended other possible purchasers but in the end I said they could be unique archive material in the Agricultural Faculty of Newcastle University. So the volumes are now in the Robinson Library of the University.
I read them with great interest and took copious notes. It could have been my great-grandfather, Henry Rowland, who was killed in a riding accident. He was in the yeomanry and lived on land of the Marquis of Anglesey near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
William, who was a tenant of Henry Reveley Mitford farmed 1300 acres, mixed farming, with sheep cattle, corn crops, roots and hay, at a time when the Corn Laws were in force, which restricted the import of corn and was very controversial to non-farmers.
I give the first page of his Memorandum Book for 1833: “Here my friends we are just entered again upon another New Year, struggling against debt, taxes, tithes and feudal impositions — these are trying things nevertheless let us not despair, for the horizon of our hopes may at times be overcast as it hath been hitherto, yet I hope oppression and misrule will in the end do good, to make us humble and pray to guard us through labourings of this wicked world and bring us to that haven of bliss, when troubles shall cease and be carried into the arms of our redeemer, when the great judge of the world siteth to judge us according to our works and God grant that we may be prepared to meet that awful day.” Amen.
It reminds me of my grandfather’s sermons — he was a farmer and Baptist minister. We would “gather by the River”. Both speakers were brought up on the Bible — The Book. William Brewis was a church warden, a magistrate, overseer of the poor— so this language would be natural to him.
Here he mentions the events of the day. The Belgian Question — after the French Wars in 1815 Belgium and Holland were united under the Dutch King. In 1833, the Belgians revolted and the great powers eventually accepted Prince Leopold of Saxe Coberg as King.
He became Queen Victoria’s uncle when she married Albert but he was her advisor before this. Then there was the alarming state of agriculture. Low prices for every farm product, land for sale cheaply and a depressed market. There had been controversial contest over Parliamentary Reform, but Earl Grey had triumphed and was Prime Minister.
He was well-known in Morpeth. The Tories had been defeated. There were religious problems — the disabilities of Non-conformists and Catholics, including Ireland. Tithes should be abolished and also the Corn Laws. Emigration and Transportation to Van Diemen’s land — Australasia.
Finally, bad weather was limiting ploughing and sowing. Nothing but rain caused further depression.
On April 1 there was a robbery on the Highway. William Buddle, a butcher from Newcastle was travelling to the Mart at Morpeth to buy stock and carried £19-20 on his person. On the way he was robbed by four men, brutally beaten and left lying but his dog followed and bit one so badly that he was caught and held by the Police.
On April 14 rents were due and causing much concern. On July 15 he reported on the wool trade and prices gave a much better impression.
Then more misfortune to report: “Brother James, son of Thomas Brewis of Blyth has had the misfortune to be wrecked on the banks of Newfoundland in a ship called Wellington belonging to W. Horn of Blyth, bound for Quebec, which stores and merchandise upon May 10 — the ship was beset with icebergs some 50 miles long — had ten passengers. Immigration to that province with the intention of making their fortunes.”
A large piece, or field, of ice stove in their bow and the ship was a total wreck in half an hour.
They lost everything but were taken aboard a Sunderland Vessel and their lives were saved. William would hear this account from his own relative, returning to the port of Blyth.
William visited the Morpeth Market regularly buying and selling. He quotes prices in the Summer of 1833. Grain prices were as follows — Wheat: 11-12/6 per boll. Oats: 3/6- 5/ per boll. Barley: 6/6- 8/- per boll. Beans and Peas 6/- - 7d per pound.
Meat prices were — Beef 6/- per stone. Mutton 5d-6d per pound. Veal 6-7d per pound. Bacon 7/6 per stone (14 lb).
Robert Thompson, butcher of Newcastle bought off him ten pork pigs 15 weeks old at 22/- that’s £22 paid in all. He paid his bills at Morpeth. His men had four carts leading manure from Morpeth to Throphill.
There was a full cattle market at Morpeth. John Reed, a friend, stayed the night, returning from Newcastle to his place on Wingates Moor.
Humphries, the Policeman from Morpeth, detailed muggers and gypsies to keep from doing mischief.
There was a patch of land just off the road near Throphill called 'Muggers Rest’ where these people stayed.
Activities mentioned in the year are coursing with hounds at Hartington. Hunting the fox. The hounds met at Hartburn and killed a fox at Shaftoe.
March 11 — foxhounds at Abshields. Fox at Pigdon, but he escaped by water, in the Font.
