Ongar Labourer’s Friend Society – 1849

On Thursday last, the annual meeting this society was held under the presidency Sir Ed ward North Buxton, Bart. M.P. and though the weather was exceedingly unfavourable, there appeared be no falling off numbers or in numbers or in the interest felt in the proceedings. In the ploughing, which took place in field occupied by Mr. J. Cooper, there were 24 competitors, and the furrows were turned in a very superior style. The show of vegetables took place the meadow near the church, where two marquees had been erected for the purpose, and certainly la finer collection of cottage productions we have scarcely seen this season, the potatoes, onions, and savoys being a most superior description, and indeed every article showing the skill and industrious attention that must have been bestowed upon them. One end of the marquee was occupied by a beautiful collection of articles sent from Kelvedon Hall, by J. F. Wright, Esq. amongst which the butter from the hall dairy attracted much attention, being worked with much ingenuity and taste into various kinds of figures, comprising a man and woman arm in arm, animals, bird's rest, &c; amongst the other articles were some mangel wurzel weighing 11lbs. and swedes 10lbs. a root, the whole being tastefully arranged with fruit and flowers. Sir C. C. Smith also sent a collection of fruits, including red currants in a high state perfection; and amongst the other extra articles was a finely executed model of Greenstead Church, or St. Edmund's Shrine, made by Mr. Dowsett, of Ongar.
The prizes were distributed about two o'clock from a platform in front of the marquee, the proceedings being opened by the Rev. P. Ray, the honorary secretary, in a feeling address to the labourer, in the course of which he stated that since the formation of the society there had been distributed no less than £650 amongst those who received the prizes.

Prizes were then distributed for Skills in Husbandry – Allotment and Garden Produce – Industry, Service and Economy and Home Duties.

However it was the prizes awarded under the category Home Duties that caught my attention.
Tidiest Cottage.
10s. each Lucy Sutton, Blackmore; Sarah Byford, High Laver; Simon Knight, High Ongar; Wm. Dorrington, Navestock; Sarah Summons, Stapleford Tawney.
7s. 6d. each, Charles Asser, Stondon; John Caton, Little Laver; James Saltmarsh, Shelley; James Flanders, Navestock; Charles French, Lambourne.

5s. each, Sarah Pond, Blackmore; James Barker, Fyfield; James Felton, Shelley; Susan Boreham, Stanford Rivers.

Bringing Up Family, above 12 years.
£l. 5s. John Clark and wife, 55 and 53, Stapleford Tawney, 9 children.

£1. George Pavitt and wife, 58 and 56, Moreton, 8 children.

Ditto under 12.
£1.5s. Samuel Strange, and wife, 44 and 37, Navestock, 8 children;

£1. Thomas Clark, and wife, 48 and 43, Stanford Rivers, 5 children;

10s. William Grayling, and wife, 41 and 37, Navestock, 7 children.

Widow with the least Parochial Relief.
£1.5s. Sarah Eliot, 34, Chipping Ongar, 4½ years

It was reported that “We are in the habit of going from year to year-round to the cottages in the parish and exhorting them to keep them tidy; the first year we had great difficulty of selecting one to be recommended. That is the parish of Stapleford Tawney, and the three prizes gained in 1848 for tidy cottages were in that parish.”
Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 12 October 1849