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Occupation - Hermit?

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  • Occupation - Hermit?

    I found this strange ad in the Hampshire Telegraph, 05 March 1821 on FindMyPast:

    Wants a situation, as a HERMIT, a young man, twenty-nine years of age; is willing to engage himself immediately. Direct (by letter, post-paid) to Thomas Glasby, at Mr. Coles, near the Gas Works, Southampton. Feb 28, 1821.
    Now I think that this is my g3-grandfather. He was a cordwainer (boot-maker) and he married in Southampton in June of that year. My question is - who on earth would employ someone as a "hermit", and what would that situation involve? I know that a hermit is a recluse - originally a monk or similar member of a religious group. But surely you wouldn't need to advertise for a vacancy for this, you'd just go off to the local monastery and join up if that was your inclination? Did the word have a different connotation at the time?

    Whatever the intent of this ad, it didn't seem to come to anything as Thomas remained as a cordwainer and went on to have 9 children. He did mysteriously disappear after 1841 though, so maybe I should start looking for him in some remote monastery somewhere?

  • #2
    Hi Richard,
    Probably doesn't help you at all, but in the late 18th Century, some English Noblemen would have "ornimental hermits" living on their land, for instance in a folly.The hermit would be paid, provided with food and water, and given a skull, a book and an hourglass. They didn't talk to other servants, but repeated a phrase in Latin. Most of them grew beards, and did not cut their nails. Notable places where this took place included Painshill and Hawkstone Park.

    Doesn't really mean anything, but I thought it might be of interest in case you didn't know.All it really does is to show that not all hermits were religious Monks, and that a living coukld be earned from it.

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    • #3
      I agree with Old Supporter, a hermit wasn't necessarily tied to a religious institution and many private households did have a resident hermit as a sign of their wealth and (sometimes) their piety. Hermits were held in high regard by the general population.

      OC

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      • #4
        Some large estates which had caves in the grounds would have a decorative hermit to add to the effect! We can only assume these days that the "job" may have been attractive to a person who was homeless or wanted a bit of solitude, possibly for mental health reasons. These last two may have lead to a person asking for a job as a hermit.

        Or perhaps it was an elaborate joke! LOL
        Anne

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        • #5
          Thanks folks - I never realised that hermits were actually sought after and paid for at one time! As this particular chap had fathered an illegitimate child on the Isle of Wight just a few months before, I guess he may have been "on the run" from that and trying to avoid the parish authorities there. Seems a bit drastic to go off and live in a cave though, but that does seem to fit with the character of this man as far as I can tell - as I said, he abandoned his wife & family after 1841 and seems to have disappeared totally from the records thereafter.

          Cheers,
          Richard

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          • #6
            Further information on the subject of 'ornamental hermits'


            Beverley



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            • #7
              Thanks Macbev - very interesting. On that site, the ad placed by the would-be ornamental hermit (Sitwell's third ornamental hermit) is very similar to the one I found in 1821, and was only 11 years earlier - so it evidently was a done thing at the time!

              Cheers,
              Richard

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