Family Lessons 118: Hare Appletree

The census returns for James Birkett, my 4x great-grandfather show a certain social decline. When we first meet him in 1841, he is working for his father at Hare Appletree, the family farm near Quernmore in Lancashire. By 1861, the land he farms has diminished significantly, and by 1871, he is a ‘farmer without a farm’, and appears to have nothing. By 1881, he is in receipt of a pension.

1841 census:

Hare Appletree Farm, Quernmore, Lancaster

James Birkett, 65, farmer (this is his father)

James, aged 30 (he was actually aged 34)

1851 census:

Hare Appletree, Quernmore, Lancs.

James Birkett, 42, (he was actually 44) farmer 163 acres, Wyresdale

1861 census:

Appletree, Quernmore

James Birkett, 53, (he was actually 54) farmer 70 acres, Wyresdale

1871 census:

Gordonburgh, Mewith, Bentham, Yks

James Birkett, 63, (he was actually 64) farmer without farm, Quernmore

1881 census:

Higher Moorhead, Over Wyresdale

James Taylor, 29, farmer 78 acres, Warton

Jane, w, 26, Quernmore

James Birkett, father in law, widower, 73 (he was 74), annuitant

With time, his wealth appears to shrink but the accuracy with which he records his age seems to improve. It might be that the clerk who completed the census merely rounded his age down in 1841, or James might have had a casual attitude to this novel form of governmental snooping. On the face of it, however, the poorer he was, the more accurate his self-knowledge.

Sometimes, the poorest people have a greater knowledge of God, for they must depend on Him more. The wealthy, the self-sufficient and the worldly minded are often more ignorant of eternal values than those 'beneath' them. Likewise, older people entertain fewer delusions about their own virtue and morality. Poverty and personal disappointment seldom bring satisfaction, but they can deliver us to the feet of One who most certainly can.