Hertfordshire Genealogy: Population Movements in Rural Hertfordshire

Population Movements in Rural Hertfordshire

How much did people move around in the past? This analysis looks at where the 943 people living in Great Gaddesden at the time of the 1881 census had been born.

Hertfordshire Birthplaces
Gt Gaddesden	634
Hemel Hempstead	39
Flamstead	33
Potten End	33
Gt Berkhampsted	28
Frithsden	17
Studham	17
Redbourn	6
[not recorded]	4
Abbotts Langley	3
Harpenden	3
Nettleden	3
St Albans	3
Leverstock Green	2
Northchurch	2
Sandridge	2
Watford	2
Aldenham	1
Apsley End	1
Bengeo	1
Bishop Stortford	1
Bovingdon	1
Bushey	1
Carrington	1
Hitchin	1
Kempton	1
Kensbourne Green	1
Kensworth	1
Kings Langley	1
Leavesden	1
Little Gaddesden	1
Northaw	1
Pauls Walden	1
Preston	1
Rickmansworth	1
Royston	1
Sawbridgeworth	1
Shenley	1
Standon	1
Tring	1
Wheathampstead	1

The Great Gaddesden figure of 634 people born in the parish includes 37 listed as Water End, Great Gaddesden. If you count people born within about 1 hour's fast walk from the parish the total number of "local" people raises to 812 - or 86%. Most of the rest of the places in Hertfordshire lie within 3 hours walk, while the total number born in Hertfordshire is over 90%.

If you look at the place of birth by English County you get the following figures:

English Birthplaces
Buckinghamshire	46
Bedfordshire	20
London/Middlesex	12
Surrey	10
Oxford	6
Dorset	5
Suffolk	4
Sussex	4
Cambridgeshire	3
Lincolnshire	3
Shropshire	3
Somerset	3
Yorkshire	3
Berkshire	2
Durham	2
Essex	2
Norfolk	2
Hampshire	1
Kent	1
Lancashire	1
Nottinghamshire	1
Wiltshire	1
Worcestershire	1

The only places with 5 or more persons were 23 from Ivinghoe, Bucks, and 5 from Luton, Beds. Six people listed as Studham, Beds, have been counted in Hertfordshire. In fact about nearly 90% would have been born within about 1 hours walk of Great Gaddesden - and over 95% within a 3 hours walk.

The following came from outside England

East Indies	1
Ireland	3
Scotland	3
Uruguay	2

A quick look at the occupations of heads of households who were not born locally is very revealing:

Wm. Thos. Thyawitt DRAKE	M	45	MA Vicar Of Gt Gaddesden	Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Allan ETHERINGTON	M	42	Certificated Schoolmaster	Bramley, Surrey
Mercy LAWRENCE	W	55	Post Office & General Grocer	Crewkerne, Dorset
Walter READ	M	38	Licensed Victualler	Critchel, Dorset
James CAFFYN	M	35	Butler Domestic Serv	Dorking, Surrey
Frederick GOTOBED	M	37	Police Officer	Ely, Cambridgeshire
Thos. Fred. HALSEY	M	41	M P Magistrate	Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Jane REID	M	42	Scripture Reader	Ireland
Jane AUSTEN	W	46	Farmer 170 Acres Employing 3 Men & 1 Boy	Osbournby, Lincolnshire
Alfred SHEPHERD	M	41	Shoeing Smith	P Lico [Pimlico?], Middlesex
James SIMS	M	32	Beerhouse Keeper	Paulton, Somerset
Willm.Hy. ROWE	M	50	Farmer 160 Acres Employing 4 Men & 3 Boys	Pethworth, Sussex
John GOODEN	M	34	Game Keeper	Wool, Dorset,

It is clear that most of the people who had moved into the area were socially tradesmen (including larger farmers) or higher, or brought some specialist skills. In this context a good game keeper or a good butler were valuable employees - and often moved with their employer. A spot check on some other regions shows that those who left can be similarly categorised. It is quite clear that in 1881 the typical agricultural labourer was unlikely to be found more than a few miles from where he was born.

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It should be noted that during the 19th century there were regular campaigns to get farm workers to emigrate and many of the agricultural labourers who left the area went overseas - but it hard to check this. Quite a few, with perhaps more than average skills, went to London, where several appear to have taken jobs working with horses.

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For information on the mobility of Railway workers see Where Railway Employees lived and Railway Staff in Aldbury in the 1851 census while for details of a mobile blacksmithing family see LINES, Wheathampstead, etc., 1800-1858