Our speaker in October, Mr John Brearley, attired himself in clothing as worn by Medieval craftsmen (the title of his talk) including the hood, which had a long “tail” known as a lirripipe. Workers would also have worn a linen or hemp apron.  He concentrated on the contrasting products and developments of woodworkers and stone masons through time.

The strength of the grain in wood, used in Britain, contrasted with “brittle” stone used by the Normans. Early tables, benches and chests had been made with slabs of wood, the chests decorated simply with roundels. The Great Table of Winchester showed the remarkable ancient method of jointing. Then styles from Norman stonework were adopted and items such as benches were made with frames. Apprentices worked long days from 4a.m. to 7p.m. for seven years with a master craftsman such as a carpenter, to become a journeyman, perhaps a carver or furniture maker. Towns had a wide range of craftsmen, such as weavers or housewrights, who were organised in guilds to protect and promote their interests. The sums paid to belong to guilds could be substantial: weavers in London paying £16, in York £10.

In time intricate decorated wooden roofs in churches prompted stone masons to create elaborate structures in stone and ornate fan vaulted ceilings were produced. Illustrations of both wood and stone carvings showed extremely intricate work, many items having been painted originally. The tombs in St. Mary’s Church in Warwick were given as examples. Mr Brearley finished his talk by showing a selection of carpentry tools that he had brought with him.

We opened the 2014/15 Season on September 11^th with a presentation on English Eccentric Sports by Richard O Smith. He is a local historian and comedy writer who contributes to the local press and BBC Radio 4 and has recently written the script for the film The Unbeatables starring Rupert Grint and Rob Brydon.

A wide range of eccentric and humorous competitive sports from Oxfordshire and other counties were described with a series of excellent illustrations, starting with a photo of Nigella Lawson playing Sedan Chair Polo as an undergraduate. Outside England we learnt that Scotland are the current world champions at Elephant Polo. One of our members had seen this in India earlier this year where her husband took part and made two scores. Other sports associated with the University include Tortoise Racing, originating in Corpus Christie in the 18^th century and Armchair Dodgems at Wadham in the two decades before the first world war.

Richard described the annual cricket match on an exposed sand bank in the Solent, coincidentally on the very day it took place this year. Water also features in Extreme Ironing where we saw the activity being pursued under water as well as on the top of a high rocky crag.

In the mid nineteenth century Rustic Sports were held in Iffley, including Jingling (covered in bells) for a new hat, Hunting a Greased Pig and Climbing the Greasy Pole to win a leg of mutton. Aunt Sally is well known in our area but how many know it originally involved a live chicken instead of a doll? Over the country many eccentric sports involve food products. We have Pea Throwing in Lewes, Black Pudding Throwing in Ramsbottom, aiming at a pile of Yorkshire puddings just over the county border and there are several Cheese Rolling contests, Onion Eating, Nettle Eating, Pie Eating and Custard Pie Throwing.

Members showed particular interest in Wife Carrying races (Durham and Dorking) where the winner is presented with his wife’s weight in beer. Other races illustrated by Richard included Snail, Pram, Lawnmower, Mountain Bike Chariot and 100m in High Heels. A more comprehensive list of these and other bizarre sports can be found in Richard’s excellent little book on the subject published by The History Press in 2012.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday October 9^th when John Brearley will talk about Medieval Craftsmen. Visitors (£3) are most welcome to join us at 7.30p.m. in Function Room1 and tea and coffee are served from 7.00p.m.

Tortoise Racing, originating in Corpus Christie in the 18^th century

Tin bath racing

On Thursday 13^th March the History Society listened in quiet reverence whilst Hazel Brown explained what it was like to be poor in the 19^th Century and what conditions were like in the workhouse. She also brought with her samples of expected daily rations for the inmates. Gruel, bread, cheese, lard and bacon.

If you could manage with handouts from the Parish you were considered Poor but if you were so desperate that you had to go into the workhouse you were considered a Pauper. Whilst you were well cared for in the workhouse with a uniform, food, a bed and regular, but boring, work the stigma associated with the workhouse was not one that even the poorest of the Parish aspired to. As the population increased in the mid 19^th Century the burden on the Private Property owners to pay rates to pay for the poor became more demanding and change was necessary. The Country was divided into Unions and each Union had a workhouse. The Parish had elected Guardians and the poor had to report to the Receiving Officers to make a case for them to be considered for Handouts or for Work in the workhouse. Some journeyed for ten miles in each direction and even then not all were accepted for poor relief. It was far better to stay out of the workhouse if at all possible but the sick and elderly found it increasingly difficult to manage. Everything in the workhouse was regulated but tedious. It was not intended to be comfortable and the work was boring. Typically the work involved making sacks, breaking flints for road mending and separating the strands of rope to make caulking for boat builders. The day started at 5am with breakfast at 6am. Work was from 7am till 12noon with an hour for lunch and then finishing at 6pm. Supper was between 6-7pm and to bed at 8pm. No talking was allowed during meal times. Some of the men and boys cultivated the gardens for vegetables and pigs were kept. The women and girls did housework and assisted with nursing. A visiting Medical Officer cared for the sick and a Chaplin visited twice a week. A hospital catered for the very sick and there was a school for the children. Sanitation was a constant problem with no running water and the constant stagnant smell was most unpleasant. Drinking water was best taken from the roof storage tanks that collected rainwater as the water from the well was often contaminated.

Hazel ended her talk with the story of a 71 year old women who committed suicide rather than go back into the workhouse.