ANECDOTES
ABOUT THE VILLAGE.
John Huntley died at the age or 94 in 1891 having been born in the year 1797.The
following are reminscinces of the village told by him to Miss Helen Foxcroft in
1888.
Hinton House-below stairs
Any account of' Hinton in olden days would be incomplete without mention of' the
old servants and retainers. These, as in so many f'amilies of that date, were
a race apart; whose like we shall not see again. Entering a f'ami ly, sometimes
quite young, they remained there all their lives; or were pensioned in cottages
nearby. Their work and their employers' interests were their only thought, and
in return they were treated with conf'idence and consideration, and their ruture
provided for.
Their wages were very small, (and did not include tea and sugar, hence the locked
tea caddies of old days.) -yet they often saved considerable sums. Their recreations,
as we know them, were few; their holidays none; yet on their own testimony they
were perfectly happy. "We had everything we wanted. we and the family cared for
each other, and we knew we should never be allowed to want". To mention just a
few from the records at Hinton House:- Martha Johnson, Housemaid 1841 -91 Her
wages were £10 a year, no tea or sugar. She'set her cap' at John Brookman, the
odd-man, but though 'liking her well enough' he would not marry her as he said
her appetite was so large it would "ruin him". Nothing daunted, she begged her
mistress for a cap from Paris "same as they Frenchies wear", hoping
therewith to soften his heart. But, telling her "you do put I in mind of an old
ewe dressed up lamb fashion" he still stoutly refused matrimony. But on his death
he left her his savings, his Bible, and his stick; and she put up a stone to his
memory, which she scrubbed weekly. Before her death 25 years later, she begged
to be buried "along with John". She was -The stone is to be seen just near the
door through the Church wall on the path to Hinton House.
John Brookman 1836 -1866
His wages were 5/- a week and most of his keep. He saved nearly £200 which
he left to Martha Johnson.
Sarah Johnson Housekeeper 1841 -1877
She was rather a remarkable personality. As a girl she lived in service at Lord
Grey's but ran away on being asked to skin an eel. She lived in various large
places, and was left legacies from several of them. Having considerable savings
she was advised by her Solicitor to invest in the Funds the day before Waterloo.
The money was said to "turn over three times during the battle". The result was
that on her death she left over £2,000. She left Hinton in 1867, but hearing how
her "neveys" persecuted her for money, Mrs. Jones of Hinton House (died 1887),
in consideration of her faithful service allowed her to return and end her days
at Hinton. A queer old figure, in tartan shawl and black silk bonnet, she was
sent to take Mr. Edward Jones, when a boy, to school, a plan which young Master
Jones did not view with favour. In gratitude to her mistress she, during her mistress's
absence abroad, entirely carpeted the stairs, gallery and bedroom with the best
Brussels carpet at her own expense. She lived to be 93 and was buried at Oxford.