Memoirs of Thomas Kemp about 1850
Transcribed by Leslie Cram June 2010.
The original is in the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and
Rutland, DE 865. It was apparently written on separate sheets of paper which
have recently been bound together. Page numbers have recently been added.
The page at the start of the bound sequence is out of order and has been
included before page 9,
The manuscript it written in the manner of the times in well formed and
legible letters. The spelling is often idiosyncratic. The original uses no
punctuation, it is a continuous flow of words not divided into sentences or
paragraphs. Capital letters are haphazardly used at the start of words.
This transcription keeps the original spelling. Punctuation is added to
break the flow of the text into sentences with a full stop to end a sentence
and a capital letter to begin the next. Within sentences capitalization is
used only for proper nouns.
To read the original manuscript click on page
2, 3,
4, 5, 6,
7, 8,
9, 10, 11,
12, 13,
14.
(start of page 2 right) James Kemp was born at Hose in the year 1672. He had
two brothers, there father was a farmer. One son was apprentice to a baker,
one to a grocer and James to a blacksmith at Harby, with Mr Blanekley. The
shop was whe Mrs Musson old houses is in the Nether Street. I can remember
the old shop door with brands on it all over, letters as they stampd forck
shafts with. James servd seven years there. When he was out of his time he
left his old master. (start of page 3 left) He went to Southwell to learn to
make geers and chains as horses drawd all in rops at that time. His master
was calld Red Hot Tom. He stopd there 12 months. His master died. They sent
for him back to Harby, so he began to make geers the first in
Leicestershire. In some time he marrie the widow. His eldest son learnt the
trade. They made so many geers they saved a sum of money. They was 4 on them
(start of page 3 right) almost night and day.
At that time there was never a waggon, never a clock, nor a pump, nor a poor
man. The shaft horse had nothing but a cart saddle, no breech. They carts
sides come all the lenth and for shafts and at the end of the shafts 4 inche
of the end ther was a three quarter hole bored and a pin of wood to fit it.
They had a staple put into the hame and a peice of white leather to fit the
shaft. (start of page 4 left) So they put this leather ring on the shaft,
and then the wood pin through this. It was cald the towpin. When they took
they horse out, they took the pin out, and the ring came off.
This James Kemp eldest son he was called James. He was born in the year
1700. He came a companion with of a yong man, his name was Thomas Gregg. He
was born about the same date. (start of page 4 right) These 2 yong men
married two sisters the name of Harby of Harby. J Kemps wifes name was
Elizabeth. T Greggs wife was Catherine. There father was a farmer and had a
house and land of his own at Harby. He gave these two daughters a fortune
and the land to his only son John Harby at his mothers death. She was left a
widow and her son perswaded (start of page 5 left) to give her house and
land to him then and he wold maintain her for life. In a few years he died
and as there was no written agreement his widow would not pay any think to
her so she was destute of house and mantence. James K having a house in the
town so these two Good Samaritans put her into this house and maintained her
as long as she lived and paid all funerl expnsers betwixt them. (start of
page 5 right) This T Gregg hed house of his own in the town. I can git no
farthe back of his as I never heard my father say whether he was bor at
Harby or a stranger. But I think he was a native of Harby upon having this
house of his own. I never heard of him buying it.
Thos Gregg was a sheepherd and lived in his own house. He had 4 sons,
Thomas, Richard, John, and Henry, all brought up watching there fleece care.
(start of page 6 left) This J Kemp and T Gregg, there estates joined
together and they lived in unitey all the days of there lifes.
Now these two brother was stricken in years, the betwixt seventy and eighty.
There was a great election betwix Hungerford and Putchin for the County of
Leicester, such a one as never was before nor never since. The Duke of
Rutland gave Esqr Putchin his intrust. (start of page 6 right) All them as
could not ride on horseback they fetcht in caches and Chaies. There was
Plungar, Barkestone, Redmile, and Bottesford, all whent throw Harby. This Mr
Gregg and Mr Kemp, as the Duke calld them, for he came acanvisen hisself, so
they gave him there votes.
Mrs Gregg and Mrs Kemp told there husbands as they wold never fetch sich old
men as them. This is 75 years since.
(start of page 7 left) The day before the election they let them all know to
get ready at 8 o'clock on the next morning. Mr Gregg and his wife came to
our house about 7 o'clock. In a litle wile a man come and to them as the
coaches was again Whittles they might come directly. Mr Gregg and my
granfather got up, and he said ‘Now Betty, you said they whould never fetch
us.' (start of page 7 right) Then Betty and Kate cried. They got into the
coch, and ther was sich Huzzas, ‘Putchin for ever’. Old Mrs Hawoodd mother
and Mr Julians mother, as they had no votes, pulled off there caps and
twirled them over there heads and shouted ‘Hungerford for ever, Huzza’.
There was never seen so many in the Nether Street before, for cochees was
seldom seen in those days. (start of page 8 left) Mr Gregg was a verry
stout, bulky man, and Mr Kemp was verry stout. There was a man, his name was
Richard Hawley, a verey little deformd man, humpd back, but full of
concequence. He was put into the coach to Mr Gregg and Mr Kemp. They crushd,
he cried, and whould not ride. He whould come out but they snap too the door
and away went. My cousin Dickey, (start of page 8 right) for evereybody cald
him cousin Dickey, they whould keep him verry warm.
There was open houses at Melton, and on the road the Duke and Lord Granby,
Putchin, and all the nobility met them on the road almost 2 mile to welcome
them into the town. They was so many carriages and horses that they reached
a mile. (start of page 9 left) The gentlemen rode first. There was sich a
show as Leicester had never seen. They was well treated, wines, rum, brandy,
and anythink as they wishd to drink. Esq. Putchin came to there inn to see
if the old gentlemen where good care taken of. Hungerford was voted in. They
was brought home to there own door with their hats all over robbins, pleased
enough to tell Betty and Kate as they was better look on there than at home.
(start of page 9 right) All thse things was before my day, as my (father)
was 40 years older (than) me.
The fields was open at that time. It was iclosed in the year 1790. Before
the inclosure it being almost all plowd, so we was at work betime in the
morning and late at night. We often had 20 pair of plow irons to be done by
6 oclock in the morning so in the middle of the day (start of page 2 left)
so my father and my brother James and me sat on an old coffer, so he told us
what hapend in his day, and his father told him what whappend in his day,
and his fathers. Now my brother could rember nothing. I can rember it as
well as if it had been told me yerster day, so my brother James if he wanted
to know any think in our family he came to me. I could tell him (start of
page 10 right) as well as if I had it in a book before me.
Now this is in my rembrence. I was 3 years and a half old. My granfather and
Mr Gregg ushd to sit under a crab tree upon some trees as lay under it,
there long stafs in there hands and somtimes. One time Mr Rouse of Hose
about there age all sat under this large tree. He was an old compnion of
thers, all with there long stafs, about 2 yards long. This puts me in mind
of keeping there staf in there hands, as long as live. (start of page 11
left) Tommy as with them. Mr Rouse was telling them as when he was first
married he whent to Nottingham with the team, and he brought a peck of
tators, the firs as come into Hose. They went again son after and told the
man to bring a strike and the Mrs said they should not for they should not
eat them, whilst they were good. Mr Rouse lighted his pipe with a glass by
the sun.
(start of page 11 right) It was the last time meting. My granfather taken
ill and soon died. At is funeral Mrs Gregg stopped at home with my sister
Mary and me. She was about half a year old. Mrs Gregg, I rember, knocked her
stick on the harthstone to quiet Mary, and said “Churn, butter, churn”. Mr
Gregg lived but a few months after. Mr gav his son Henry his Estate, to take
care of his widow. (start of page 12 left) I have heard my mother say as she
was well taken care of, and well used as they was a great to doo with my
aunt Kate. She oftimes came to drink tea with us. She was a great favourite
of my fathers. My father and mother was at her funerl, and I hope thsee is
all gone to happiness. Mr Girton was as good as his promise. His old servant
was put into his house and land. There young daughter always lived with
them. (start of page 12 right) The eldest son of Mr Gregg and one Mr
Leadbetter, both young men, married 2 co heirs at Long Clawson the name of
Harby. They an estate at Harby and a good fortune beside. Then this young Mr
Gregg took a farm at Sommerby and liv there the remains of his days. The
youngest son Henry went to live with Mr Girton of Shelford. He was a
faithful servant and livead with him a many years. This Mr had a house and
land at Harby. (start of page 13 left) He promised his old servant he should
have it when at liberty. This H Gregg married a young woman of Hucknall
Torket where the learned Lord Byron was interd. She was of high blood. She
was own aunt to the champin caunt. She was a fine young woman without
flatterry. Her name was Martha Butler so this coople came to live at Harby
with thre father and mother till Mr Girtons house was at liberty.
(start of page 13 right) To the end of there days I was a near neighbour to
them and oftimes went in. This daughter was verey kind to her wdowed mother
and they lived in peace and comfort. But now her beloved parents is gone to
there long home. H Greggs estate blong to his only son Samuel. There was
Thomas and Henry but they are gone to the realms above. It is a bewtiful
place, it has been new rebilt, it is a paridice. (start of page 14) I could
speak verry highly of the family but perhaps you whould think I was a
flatterer.
And so adieu. Janary 1850. I have seen 74 Christmas Days. T Kemp. |