Interesting as I have ancestry in that area. My 3xGreat Grandfather's (I think that's right) nephew was Henry Pye of Hoo 1824-1909. He owned one farm and tenanted 12 others in the area. He was involved in using steam power in farming and in fact began the drainage of the marshes. In my research many of the local population died of 'marsh fever/malaria' but as the area was drained so was the incidence of this type of death in the latter part of the 19th century.
There is a lot of information online about this Henry Pye and at some point I expect I will get around to writing him up. Certainly his daughters are likely to feature in my blog too.
Bubblebelle x
FAMILY INTERESTS: Pitts of Sherborne Gloucs. Deaney (Bucks). Pye of Kent. Randolph of Lydd, Kent. Youell of Norfolk and Suffolk. Howe of Lampton. Carden of Bucks.
I’ve not heard of marsh fever before and it would be interesting to find out more. Your ancestor must have been fairly wealthy to have owned a farm and tenanted 12 others. Drainage is interesting, especially when you look at low lying fenlands like in Lincolnshire. Poor drainage and a resulting poor harvest can be the difference between surviving and not surviving
Yes, he was fairly affluent, leaving the equivalent of £3.7 million today in 1909. As I say there is quite a few bits about him online, this may be of interest. http://www.cliffehistory.co.uk/henry-pye.html
This is not the same Henry Pye the grandfather of Jean Iris Howard in my blog, but I think the affluent fairy sprinkled money dust on the Henry's as he (also the brother of my 3x Great Grandfather Thomas Pye of Newlands, Charing), in 1889 left the equivalent of £5.6 million.
Most of the Pye's were farmers until the mid 19th century although my 2x Great Grandfather broke the mould to become a surgeon.
Bubblebelle x
FAMILY INTERESTS: Pitts of Sherborne Gloucs. Deaney (Bucks). Pye of Kent. Randolph of Lydd, Kent. Youell of Norfolk and Suffolk. Howe of Lampton. Carden of Bucks.
I managed to complete another Biography this week, but these are becoming that bit harder, with only records online currently available. I will carry on as best I can and eventually I will revisit these once we get back to normal again.
This is the 11th in my series of blogs telling the life stories of my 2 x Great Grandparents and its the turn of Martha Harvey next. Martha was the sixth of seven children born to Edward Harvey and…
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