Eliza Goode
Having looked at village life in Nora Cannell’s time, the next few entries will look at life a couple of generations before, through the eyes of Eliza Goode.
Eliza was the fourth child, and first daughter, of Emma and Thomas Goode, a bricklayer, and was born on 28th December, 1859. She was named after her father’s younger sister, who had recently died of tuberculosis, a common cause of death in the village at the time. Interestingly, it was deemed the unluckiest day of the year to be born, because it was Holy Innocents Day, when King Herod had ordered the slaughter of first-born.
The village had a population of about 760 in 1861, and the Goode family had been producing bricklayers since 1730. There were a number of pubs in the village – as well as providing ale, they were also used for auctions and inquests. There were plenty of shops. Samuel Barnard was the butcher, and John Charles and William Williamson blacksmiths. The village baker was R. Newman, and John Gifford made boots. The Willmotts provided a carrier service in and out of the village.