Books from Bell Busk / Coniston Cold
We are grateful to the Maslin / Wright family for sharing these two books with us. Once scanned and uploaded, they plan to donate the books themselves to the Museum of North Craven Life in Settle.
The books have always been in the Maslin / Wright family, who have long-standing connections with Bell Busk and Richard Tottie in particular. The family have been in the area of Sunhill, Hetton, Bell Busk and Airton since 1723.
We understand that the first book (the Poor Book) was a record of helping the poor of the parish before the Poor Law was introduced. The instigator and initial finance is unknown, but it appears to be a record of outgoing money. Garforth built the mill at Bell Busk in 1795 and they were living at Coniston Hall in the 1841 census. It is possible that they may have started the enterprise and perhaps funded the first book.
The subsequent book, known as (the Bull Book), may also have been in hands of the Garforths, and was for recording accounts for a communally held bull . This was loaned out to the farmers who paid a small sum into the fund which helped finance the purchase of the next bull.
The Wright family do not seem to be on the list of administrators. However the family’s great grandfather, Thomas Wright, ran the estate at Coniston Hall. It may have been in his hands at the time of the Garforths. Later, his son Roger Carr Wright ran the village shop. We assume this was the social hub of the village and it is possible the books were held at the shop in a convenient place for easy access.
Carolyn Maslin, nee Wright, says: “Our Father, Roger Loynd Wright and his sister Margaret Emily Wright inherited them and we continue to have them in the family.”
As the books are hand-writen, it is not easy to electronically search these books. We plan to add names and dates to the descriptions to aid searches.
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