Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

I was strengthened to preach as much as usual until July 13th, on which day about six o’clock at night our Hannah met with that insult and assault. When I was down, down, down with grief and sorrow, God knows where, but it is written somewhere, what though knowest not now though shalt know hereafter, so to that period I must leave it…. [After Easter Sunday, 1822:] Notwithstanding the incurable blow I received in July 1820, which seemed to paralyse all my powers, yet I had so far recovered as to preach twice at Yeadon…. I continued doing a little according to my plan, through the circuit, but my God has now brought me very low indeed. For I had been shaken through the very centre of my body, soul and spirit, and all on account of another, and not for myself…. [11 April 1836:] I have been more than 40 year in this house and now I must leave it and go somewhere I know not where. I am not able to keep Hannah, no, nor myself, Lord help thou me. As for Hannah, some of her brothers or sisters must take her with or without parish pay. I have kept her from her birth until now, 46½ years. Hannah’s mental faculties were hurt in having the smallpox and score of convulsion fits. She is not all there…. You will see how my will is concerning Hannah, that she take all that I leave at my death. If anything be left, both money and goods for her to live on, as far as it will go and this with parish pay, I should hope would make her comfortable, which is all that I desire…. My grave and one for Hannah is next to M. Leycocke, mine in the middle, and Hannah’s east of mine which makes us that row of three. There will be 13 graves to dispose of still. Silence to be kept all the way, not one word spoken. I have said nothing about eating and drinking, you may use your pleasure in that. Let all things be done decently and in order. As for getting black you cannot, nor do I desire you should. I am till death your loving father. John Yeadon. Remember Hannah for good, all of you.

Comment

Comment

Annotations by David Kitchen, to whom we owe this extraordinary book. I take it that poor Hannah was raped – “insulted and assaulted” is used as a euphemism for this elsewhere, along the lines of the Latin iniuria.

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Original

On October 1st [1790] Hannah born, so more are added to our family and one more entrusted in our care. I am this day (Nov. 5th) 26 years of age and a wife and three children… At the end of this year my wife and me earned this year £31.1.7 And paid out £5.1.7 that we owed. We lived on 10s per week five of us, or 2s each per week and no other help…

I was strengthened to preach as much as usual until July 13th [1820] on which day about 6 o’clock at night our Hannah met with that insult and assault. When I was Down, Down, Down with Grife and Sorrow God knows where but it is written somewhere, what though knowest not now though shalt know here after so to that period I must leave it…

[Shortly after Easter Sunday, 1822:] Notwithstanding the incurable blow I received in July 1820, which seemed to paralyse all my powers, yet I had so far recovered as to preach twice at Yeadon… I continued doing a little [preaching] according to my plan, through the circuit, but my God has now brought me very low indeed. For I had been shaken through the very centre of my body, soul and spirit, and all on account of another, and not for myself…

[11 April 1836:] I have been more than 40 year in this house and now I must leave it and go somewhere I know not where. I am not able to keep Hannah no nor myself, Lord help thou me, as for Hannah some of her brothers or sisters must take her with or without Parish Pay. I have kept her from her birth until now 46½ years. That is her age now. Hannah mental faculties were hurt in having the smallpox and score of convulsion fits. She is not all there…

You will see at page 92 of this book how my will is concerning Hannah that she take all that I leave at my death. If anything be left, both money and goods for her to live on, as far as it will go and this with Parish Pay, I should hope would make her comfortable which is all that I desire…

My grave and one for Hannah is next to M. Leycocke, mine in the middle and Hannah’s east of mine which makes us that row of 3. There will be 13 graves to dispose of still. Silence to be kept all the way not one word spoken. I have said nothing about eating and drinking, you may use your pleasure in that. Let all things be done decently and in order. As for getting black you cannot, nor do I desire you should. I am till death your loving father. John Yeadon Sr. Remember Hannah for good, all of you. November 5th 1836.

[As mentioned above Hannah and John had moved out of their house on the 6th February 1837. They had initially lived for a month at Ruth’s house and then moved again to live with Joseph. John wrote in April that he is still wanting somewhere for Hannah to live. She must have eventually moved in with her sister Betty because by the autumn problems there were being mentioned by John.]

[November 2nd 1837] I am much troubled about Hannah. Lord help though me for Jesus Christ sake Amen. I stay troubled about Hannah and even now while I am writing Betty has sent Hannah down to my quarters saying they will give her house room no longer, no not a nights lodging. I can see no way but the Poor House.

[A note was added by John, presumably a short time later:] I made prayer to my God on Hannah account and that same night Betty sent for her back again. Who would not serve such a saviour as this? …

[1841 census: Living at Brown Hill, near Old Clubhouses in Yeadon. This was near ‘Windmill’ an area of the upper High Street. Hannah, John’s eldest daughter who was disabled, was living with them and was described as a family servant.]

[Hannah died March quarter of 1848 in the Otley District (23,406)]

704 words.

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• Infection (1) ·
• Intellectual disability (1) ·
• Kitchen, David (1957-) (3), psychiatric nurse and writer from Yeadon ·
• Lay preacher (1) ·
• Nonconformism (47) ·
• Rape (5) ·
• Smallpox (4) ·
• West Yorkshire (7) ·
• 📌Yeadon, West Riding/West Yorkshire (7), town on the north bank of the Aire northwest of Leeds ·

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