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Some
Rectors of Hamstall Ridware
One of the most notable men in 19th century
Hamstall Ridware was the Rev Edward Cooper,
rector here from 1799 to 1833. He lived in
the beautiful Georgian rectory. His cousin,
Jane Austen, visited him here in the summer
of 1806. A more frequent visitor was his
mother-in-law, Mrs. Philip Lybbe Powys, who
provides a brief record of her visits
through her diary. To set the scene,
immediately prior to her daughter and
son-in-law’s departure for Hamstall Ridware,
on September 10th 1799, she records that she
went to London to see a panorama depicting
Lord Nelson’s victory, ‘which must give the
highest satisfaction to all lovers of their
country.’ The following extracts relate to
her family in Hamstall Ridware:
‘Sunday September 13th 1799 - was to me
one of the most melancholy days I ever
experienced, as it was to part me and my
dearest Caroline, who was to set off the
next day for Staffordshire. They would not
stay to breakfast, but set off as soon as
they got up. The dear little children stay’d
till after morning church, and not knowing
or feeling any of the anxiety that we did,
seem’d perfectly astonished to see us shed
tears, and that we did not feel equal
pleasure with themselves at the idea of
their journey.’
On Monday 7th July 1800, Mrs Powys describes
the journey to visit her daughter, initially
in their own chaise, but subsequently by
post-horses, through Benson, Woodstock and
Oxford to Birmingham. Birmingham did not
seem to impress:
‘We walked a long time about
this immense place, curious certainly to
see, tho’ its vast extent, crowds of dirty
inhabitants, and bad pavements, made the
whole not so pleasing.’
Things started to look up when they arrived
in Lichfield:
‘where Mr Cooper sent a servant to meet
us, with the key of a gentleman’s grounds,
going through which shortened our way to
Hamstall Ridware, where we got to tea.
Cooper had walked about a mile from their
house on our arrival at which, our dearest
Caroline ran out to meet us; but after so
many months' absence, she and myself were so
overcome, that strangers might have supposed
it a parting scene, instead of a most joyful
meeting; but my sorrow was soon turned to
its contrast, to find them all so well, and
pleasantly situated.
July 9th - In the
evening we went trout-fishing on the Blithe,
a river running at the bottom of the meadow
before their house. Thursday - walked up the
village to Smith’s the weaver, to see the
manner of that work, and ‘tis really curious
to see with what astonishing velocity they
threw the shuttle.
Monday 21st July - That
evening we all walk’d up to Farmer Cox’s, a
very fine high situation, and most extensive
views; indeed the prospect all round
Hamstall is delightful.
July 22nd - We took
a long hot walk to the village of Murry, to
see a tape manufactury, of which seven
gentlemen of the neighbourhood are
proprietors. The noise of the machinery is
hardly to be borne, tho’ the workpeople told
us they themselves hardly heard the noise!
Such is use! The calendering part is worth
observation, as the tapes all go through the
floor of an upper room, and when you go down
to the apartment under it, you see them all
coming through the ceiling, perfectly smooth
and glossy, where the women take them, and
roll them in the pieces as we buy them at
the haberdasher’s, whereas in the upper room
they all looked tumbled and dirty
Monday
28th July - We all set out early in the morn
to see Shuckborough, Mr Anson’s, and Hagley,
Lord Curzon’s. We went through Blythberry
and Coulton, the latter a village rather
remarkable for many of its cottages being
built in a marl-pit with woods over it, the
roots of its trees growing and hanging
loosely over their little gardens, which are
deck’d with all manner of flowers, and kept
with the greatest neatness.
August 12th -
All our party went a trout-fishing, but the
heat was so intense it was hardly bearable.
Thursday 14th August - I walked down to the
river Blithe by seven in the morn to see
Caroline and the three eldest children
bathe, which they did most mornings, having
put up a dressing house on the bank.
Monday
August 18th - We all passed a dull gloomy
day, the following one being upon fixed for
leaving our dear relatives.
January 7th 1801
- Caroline Cooper was brought to bed of a
boy (on my birthday). He was christened
Frederick Leigh Cooper.
Sunday May 3rd - Our
son Cooper preached, as Caroline, himself,
and family came to stay with us the week
before.
May 27th - The Coopers, to our
inexpressible grief, set out with their five
dear children to Staffordshire.
August 2nd
1803 - Mr Powys and I set out for our son
Cooper’s in Staffordshire, and reached
Hamstall on the 3rd about six. Had the
inexpressible joy to see Cooper, Caroline,
and their six dear children in perfect
health’
During this stay, the family made excursions
to Tutbury, Derby and Beaudesert before
returning home to Fawley on August 31st. The
last recorded visit to Hamstall is in August
1805, when the family again took an
excursion, this time to Matlock and Dove
Dale.
Another remarkable rector was the Rev John
Octavius Coussmaker who held the post from
1884 to 1921. During his long residence the
village changed greatly and he recorded some
of these changes in his diary; for example,
he wrote down a version of the traditional
Mummers’ play, which died out during his
lifetime. He made a list of every bird he
identified in the parish and every plant, as
well as making notes on the history of the
church and village. The following story is
taken from his diary under the heading ‘The
Good Old Times’:
‘In 1342 a petition was sent
to the Earl of Arundel for redress because
Sir Robert de Ridware and a band of robbers
had seized the goods of William de Drakelowe
and Richard de Horninglowe, merchants of
Lichfield, value 40 marks. The merchants
were on their way to Stafford and were
robbed as they entered Cannock Wood between
Wolseley and Great Haywood. The spoils were
carried to Lapley Priory, where they were
joined by Sir John and Esmond Oddingseles
and other gentry, and were divided amongst
them according to their state. Next day they
rode to Blithbury Priory but were refused
admittance by the Prioress. However, they
broke into the barns and stayed the night.
Next day the bailiff from Lichfield and his
men attacked them, caught four whom they
beheaded, and regained the stolen property.
However, before the bailiff reached Pipe
Ridware, he fell into an ambush that had
been arranged by Sir Robert, who was now
reinforced by his cousin Sir Walter de
Ridware and his vassals, and the robbers
again captured their booty. Next day, the
merchants tried to lodge a complaint with
the County Authorities at Stafford but were
met by some of the robbers who chased them
away. The petition complained that the good
folk of Lichfield dared not venture out of
their city because of the truculent
behaviour of the robbers and their
maintainers.’
There is no record of how it all ended!
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