History

Information shared by John Sharp - a descendant of the Sharp family of Paxford with some quotes from "Short Historical Sketch and Memories of the House at Paxford, Worcestershire 1709-1888" by W.R.Sharp

Thomas Sharp was born in Paxford at the later end of the 18th Century and lived until the middle of the 19th Century. He was a communicant of the Blockley Parish Church (until after middle life when he came under the influence of his daughter- in-law), and a devout and regular attender at that place of worship, where he had a pew in his own right as a property and small land owner in the Parish,[Paxford].

No person, unless he owned property, was entitled to a vote in the management of the Country; travelling was a luxury that could only be indulged in by the rich; the only means of travelling available for the ordinary middle classes, was either by stage coach or on horseback; newspapers were few and. news travelled very slowly, it will therefore be seen that in a remote little hamlet like Paxford, sheltered amongst the Cotswold Hills, the news of the world did not often penetrate. Perhaps once a fortnight a newspaper would arrive at the village, and even then, few could read it. Thomas Sharp, and his father before him, lived and died in this village, and for the greater part of his life under these adverse conditions. As a man of education, and a small property owner having a Parliamentary vote, (no small privilege in those days), and taking special interest in the politics of the day, he was of course looked up to.

Thomas Sharp was at this time about 40 years of age, in the prime of life, and actively engaged in the pursuit of his business, to which he devoted the whole of his energies successfully, and in which he was assisted by his son, Benjamin. He had inherited or purchased a plot of land in Paxford, upon which was built a house [now the Churchill Arms] and workshop, and several cottages, occupied by his workmen. The remainder of the land was used as an orchard and garden. [Now the Paxford recreation ground] His main business was erecting and repairing the buildings belonging to the farmers in the district, and to this he added the work of designing and making clock cases, which were in such demand at the time; many of these cases were of elaborate design and some of them are still in the family; I, [Walter Sharp], have one myself which I very much prize. He also made Cider from the apples grown in his own orchard, and retailed it in the village. This was before the days of tea drinking, and the chief beverage of the people was Cider from home-grown apples; also home made beer.

These businesses combined brought him a fairly good income. His son, Benjamin, was, however, more interested in the former part of this business, which he was destined to develop later. The son also took an interest in drawing, and purchased a set of English drawing instruments, with which he made plans of any small building work entrusted to his care. The Father and son attended the Parish Church at Blockley, and their interest in religion was limited to that extent.

Thomas Sharp was well known in the whole district as a man of advanced political views; he was on friendly terms with Squire Roberts, a notable character in Paxford, who was a hard, brusque man, and a local Magistrate, who dispensed justice in a very blunt and autocratic manner. He was a staunch Tory and a supporter of that party, still he was strictly honest, upright, and fair in his dealings, which commended itself to my Grandfather, although they often had many heated discussions on the politics of the day, especially on the prospective Reform Bill, which became Law in 1832, Thomas Sharp being most enthusiastic in its favour, while Squire Roberts bitterly opposed the Bill. On Election days the Polling Booths were situate at Shipston-on-Stour, five miles away, and it was the custom of the Squire to drive Thomas Sharp in his gig to vote. It is recorded that on one occasion, when an election of importance was taking place, probably the great Reform Bill being the issue at stake, the Squire, as was his usual custom, called upon his neighbour and opponent, Thomas Sharp, a few days before the election, to ask if he would be in readiness on the appointed day. He was informed that Thomas Sharp was ill in bed, and it was doubtful if he would be able to go; the Squire expressed a hope for his recovery, and called again the day before the election, when he was told that the Illness continued, and that it would be quite impossible for him to go to the Poll. It is to the honour of the blunt old Squire that he replied with a chivalry that is quite refreshing in these days, “Well, if Thomas Sharp can’t go, I won’t go myself; It shall never be said of me that I took advantage of an opponent when he was laid on a bed of sickness”.

Another incident is recorded between these two old gentlemen that is worth noting; Thomas Sharp had many political enemies in the neighbourhood, in consequence of his Liberal opinions, and at election times the people were always on the look-out for some flaw in his actions, however trifling, that would enable them to make a charge and apply to the Squire, as Magistrate, for a summons against their adversary, and, knowing the Squire’s views, expected to obtain his sympathy. An application of this kind having been made, the Squire indignantly refused to grant the Summons, and gave them a lecture in strong language about the meanness of attacking an opponent behind his back, and in his blunt way ordered them out of his house.

Bengamin Sharp, Thomas’s son married Mary Perry in Stow on the Wold in 1838 and moved into the house which had been built by James and Bengamin, now called Vine Cottage.

Mary Perry was a Wesleyan Methodist and in a very short time the gracious influence of the bride made a marked difference in the life of the Sharp family. Thomas Sharp was now a little past middle age, and his mode of life and religious views became very much changed. He had no daughter of his own living, and was devotedly attached to his daughter-n-law, and did everything in his power to make the new home attractive, so that their life commenced under the most favourable conditions. He became interested in the new religion, which meant greater restrictions in his former habits, and although not an active worker, he was at least a loyal and sincere member of the Nonconformist body, and it was largely through his assistance and help that a small Chapel was built in the village, in which morning and afternoon services were held under the directing care of the Baptists at Blockley.

The building business of Thomas Sharp & Son continued to grow and develop. They built most of the cottages in the lower end of the village and carried out alterations and additions to the farmhouses in the district, besides the erection of many houses and buildings in the neighbouring villages and towns.

In 1846 a Railway Act granted the laying down of a line through the quiet and secluded Cotswold Hills and passed within a quarter of a mile of Paxford, [the line opened 1851] The carrying out of this work involved the employment of local energies and labour; there was the surveying and excavating for the line; the proving of wooden sleepers and miles and miles of fencing.to protect the railway, and the stations, bridges and crossways,

Bengamin Sharp saw the possibilities of this demand for his business, so he purchased a few acres of land at the lower end of the village, adjoining a good running stream, upon which he erected large saw mills, worked by a water wheel for motive power, and fitted up with all the necessary equipment. Some of the best local farm labourers were trained into sawyers, and Bengamin Sharp himself undertook the work of purchasing plantations of timber as they stood, from the landowners. The timber was conveyed in specially made wagons to the sawmills, and made into fences and sleepers and other requisites for the railways. This meant the employment of many men and horses for a number of’ years, and a busy hive of industry and activities were set up that quite changed the general outlook of the place.

Eventually Bengamin built a new house for his large family on the saw mill site, The Laurels. 

Walter Sharp became an architect and was responsible for many public building and chapels in the north west of England  He lived in Lytham St. Annes.

Blockley Churchyard contains a record a Sharp family members over many years

Some old photos of Paxford courtesy of Noelaine Hughes

The village hall opening in 1910

This is from Hélène Bird-Wheatcroft of Saint-Martin de Ré, France:

My great-great-great-grandfather, John Wheatcroft, farmed at Paxford and Stretton. In the 1780s, he went into business with George Pengree, his uncle by marriage (same Pengrees as per the memorial in Blockley churchyard). In 1786, he moved to France and set up in Le Havre, for all intents and purposes as a dealer in import-export - I still have some of his order and dispatch books, as well as his diaries. At that point, he expected to return to Paxford one day, hence his decision to rent out his house, but was caught out by the French Revolution. I still have the flyer advertising the place for rent (just as I have the flyer advertising his uncle's place, Upton Wold, for sale). 

John Wheatcroft was passionate about astronomy (we still have his Dollond telescope), and took great pride in having developed the Lammas wheat, which gave an extra crop and which he subsequently introduced in Normandy. I remember coming across a diary entry (in English - I suspect he did not really bother to learn French, but there you go ... ) saying that the French should be grateful to him for resource, as that year the requisitions were terrible (*). The year was 1812. He became a member of the Academy of Sciences of Caen. 

Below is a copy of his portrait (with his beloved telescope) and of the Paxford flyer.

(*) “In the country today the Lammas wheat is now ripe in the environs of Caen, and some of it has already been thrashed and turned into bread. The gros bled of this country will not be ripe under three weeks more; there never was a finer prospect of an excellent crop than this year, and never was a harvest expected with greater impatience and anxiety, as we have had an absolute dearth  these four months past. The government having made large purchases this year for the intended invasion of Russia and the forestallers having taken advantage of a real scarcity from the smallness of the produce of last harvest, wheat rose to the enormous price of 160 the sack (the sack from 230 to 240 pounds) and bread was sold here at 10 sols the pound, and in several places up to 15, a price never known in France as 40 a sack used to be esteemed very dear. The Normans ought to be very obliged to me for the introduction of this kind of wheat, which was first cultivated by me at the Abbey of Ardenne, and from thence spread all over this country”.

The village green before and during its creation:

Here is a fascinating article about rhubarb growing in Paxford by kind permission © CCHS. The old rhubarb sheds are still visible along Clay Lane.

An interesting newspaper clipping from 1973 with photos:

Paxford May Day Song:

A map of the centre of Paxford in 1884.  Note that the village was in Worcestershire in those days.

A much older map - around 1590 - is below.  This is part of the Sheldon Tapestry of Worcestershire which is on display in the Weston Library in Oxford.  Note the interesting place spellings.  Undoubtedly some names have changed but it is possible that some are mistakes.

Please send us any maps, pictures or anecdotes that we can add to this history page.