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CHAPTER X.
Village Trades and population.
The earliest, and for centuries the leading occupation of the village was agriculture. As late as 1813 a traveller (Laird) describes the village as “consisting principally of farm houses.” Minor allied trades as those of the miller, the blacksmith, the wheelwright, the saddler must have existed for a similar period. At one time there were four mills, viz.: Kirk’s Mill, at the top of Woodgate; Wild’s Mill at the bottom of Woodgate; Hardy’s Mill, on Brickliffe; and a fourth on Mill Hill. The small enclosures in which the first three were placed are still in existence, and the old approach to the Mill on Mill Hill can be seen on Brookside. Hardy’s Mill was overturned in a storm, when the miller was at work within: he escaped unhurt. These picturesque landmarks have one by one been destroyed under the pressure of competition with steam mills. The parish map of 1830 shews two mills, Kirk’s and Hardy’s.
In 1798 the land let, on an average, for 20/- an acre and the agricultural labourer’s wage was 1/- to 1/6 a day.1
Weaving was carried on in the early portion of the 19th century. Some of the old weavers survived to the forties, though no weaving was then done. In White’s Directory of 1844 there is no weaver named among the village tradesmen.
In 1815 lace making is described as the chief trade of the village. The bobbin net machines provided work for the men, and lace mending, work for the women. In the memory of living persons there were as many as twelve machines at work at one time. Some, who entered early into this trade prospered; while others who followed it later lost their all, for steam power revolutionized this as other trades.
The trade which produced the greatest change in the village, and led to a rapid increase in its population, was that of stocking making on hand frames. This was, naturally enough, regarded as a Nottinghamshire trade, the inventor of the stocking frame being a Nottinghamshire clergyman. It is not known when the trade was brought to East Leake, but probably it was at the close of the 18th century, when it spread into many villages of the county. There was a rapid rise in the population between 1795 and 1801. In or about 1795 there were only eighty houses, representing a population of 400, but in 1801 the census return gives a population of 608. So great an increase can only be explained by the advent to the village of a new industry. Once established, this trade developed to such an extent that in 1851 there were about sixty frames at work. The population rose in consequence of this flourishing state to the high water mark of 1148. From that time the trade declined, and in 1902 only six frames were worked.
In Mr. Lowe’s report, alluded to above, he incidentally remarks that the Poor Rate increased in those villages where trades were carried on, and particularly where there was stocking making. The reason he gives is, that the money was spent as fast as it was earned. It was for this reason that in the halcyon days of the middle of the 19th century, East Leake was only outwardly prosperous, and that a period of poverty followed.
The staple trade of the village at the present time is basket making. The trade came to the village in this way.
A certain William Mills, of West Leake, married a woman from Ratcliff-on-Soar, by name Withers, and by trade a basketmaker. Mrs. Mills taught her husband this trade, and they, with the co-operation of her father and mother, developed a good business at West Leake, working entirely to the orders of a London tradesman. Three sons, born to them, were taught the trade ; and two, John and William, eventually settled in East Leake, and commenced business as basket makers. From this beginning, in or about 1830, the trade has developed so much that at the present time fifty-four hands are employed. The wages first earned were from ten shillings to thirteen shillings a week, as compared with the agricultural labourer’s nine shillings to ten shillings. That wage can be doubled at the present time by a competent hand. At first, the work was all white work, such as office and plate baskets; but now, all kinds of basket work are made.
Gypsum mining now gives employment to thirty-six men at wages which compare favourably with those earned at basketmaking. During the curacy of the Rev. G. A. Sneyd, there was much poverty in the village. In order to alleviate this, Mr. Sneyd—who was then the prospective Rector— opened a pit on land belonging to Mr. Wootton. This proved a financial failure, and for many years no further effort was made to work the mineral which had been proved. In 1898, after the opening of the Great Central Railway, the Barnstone Blue Lias Lime Co. took a lease of the minerals on Hotchley Farm, and now carry on an extensive trade. In 1903, the same Company opened a pit on the adjacent land, of which they are the owners.
THE POPULATION.
The following figures give the rise and fall of the population of the village, and illustrate the story of the coming and going of its trades:—
| Date. | Houses. | Population, |
| 1086 | 180 (?) | |
| 1795 | 80 | 400 (?) |
| 1801 | 118 | 608 |
| 1811 | 737 | |
| 1821 | 159 | 783 |
| 1831 | 975 | |
| 1841 | 231 | 1,057 |
| 1851 | 1,148 | |
| 1861 | 268 | 1,059 |
| 1871 | 1,031 | |
| 1881 | 230 | 943 |
| 1891 | 208 | 819 |
| 1901 | 210 | 876 |
| 431 males; 445 females. |
Notes.
The acreage of the parish is 2,540 acres.
The births and burials for the five years 1789—1793 were respectively—fifty, and thirty-five; the corresponding figures for West Leake being fourteen, and sixteen.
In 1795 there were thirty-four houses in West Leake.
In 1815 the annual value of real property was £2,865. In that year there were 162 persons in Friendly Societies.
In 1821, ninety-nine were engaged in agriculture, sixty- three in trade, etc. In that year eleven families were permanently relieved out of and one in the workhouse.
In 1901, in addition to the 210 inhabited houses, there were twenty occupied but not inhabited, eleven empty houses, and four in building.
(1) Lowe’s Report on the Agriculture of Notts.