2000 Years of English History.
This book is about the remarkable people from this modest Huntingdonshire village who, over the past two millennia of England’s history, exercised power and influence both locally and on the national stage. The book gives a detailed biography of each of these characters, setting their lives in the wider context of English history from the time of the Romans to the present day.
An introduction to Chapter 19: Of bastardy bonds and other domestic matters
London high society was not the only place where hanky-panky was commonplace and the village of Great Staughton was no exception. Bastardy bonds were a means of making possibly feckless men fulfil their moral and ethical obligations for the children they brought into the world without the benefit of matrimony. The Overseers of the Poor Law in Great Staughton (including Sir James Duberly) ensured that the costs incurred by these children and their mothers were not a burden on the parish.
On a more wholesome note there is a helpful hint on cooking hedgehogs and a tasty recipe for sparrow pie. Finally, a tablet poignantly records a village tragedy.
Feedback is welcome: aw.staughton@gmail.com
NEXT WEEK: Chapter 20: Unravelled: a 200-year-old village mystery
The next chapter of the book will be uploaded to the website on Monday January 30 2023
Click the PDF below to read Chapter 19.