Hart
1790 freehold tenement etc occupied by John Hart with right of commonage.
Is this the John Hart Ena Carter noted in her research who claimed a bounty for growing hemp? i.e. Aug 1789 there were claims for a Bounty of Threepence per Stone for growing hemp – mention is made of John Hart for 1786, 1787 and 1788.
In 1828, 6 ½ acres of land occupied by John Hart were arable.
According to the Ipswich Chronicle , Nov 24th 1826, ‘about 10 o’clock on Wed night a fire broke out at the wheelwright’s shop of Mr Hart of Stowupland which with its contents to a considerable amount were entirely destroyed’.
It is unknown if this Mr Hart is related to Esau Hart who is named in the Dec 2nd 1826 diary of Charles Freeman of Stowupland Hall.
In the early 19th century 4 Hart’s were listed as being baptised at the Stowmarket Baptist Church
Parents were listed as John and Elizabeth Hart:
Anna in 1833, Jabez in 1831, Mary in 1827 and Nathan in 1836
In 1840 an auction was to be held ‘Under an Execution from the Sheriff Upon the Premises of WILLIAM HART ‘ at Stowupland between Stowmarket and Mendlesham.
To be auctioned were ‘Two land-drain ploughs, Thrashing machine, Dressing Ditto, Chaff Engine, Essex and Square bucked carts, old Gig Bodies, Tumbrel Bucks, Axletrees, Wheels and Shafts, Boards, Planks, haflings and Quarterings. Also , a Milch Cow, Cart mare, Pony, and Donkey and all the Household Effects’ {Suffolk Chronicle:Published Saturday, 29 August 1840 }
1855 Kellys: William Hart – wheelwright and Elizabeth Hart- Blacksmith. In 1851 census, location is given as Mendelsham Road and William Hart age 60 is a wheelwright and farmer of 10 acres. (1839 tithes land is TM 55 -opposite todays Oak Tree Farm)
Listed in Kellys 1874 with Elijah Hart (also named as a builder) and James Hart are listed as wheelwrights, coopers and builders.
Listed in Kellys 1885 – James and Issac Hart
Listed in Kellys 1891 & 1896 – Blacksmith in Saxham Street – Horace and James Hart.
In Augsut 1840 this advert appeared in the Suffolk Chronicle, presimably the premises are in Saxham Street
From the 1841 census we find mention of a 20 year old Mildred Hart (b.1821) in the household of Elizabeth Cooper, in Saxham Street.
And in 1848 the sale of 4 tenements, 9 acres and a Blacksmith and wheelwrights shop, presumably in Saxham Street.
In July 1849 the Bury and Suffolk Herald carried a report about 17 year old Jabez Hart accidentally shooting himself in the hand. Surgeons Spencer Freeman and Mr Harling attended but realising they could not save the hand an amputation at the wrist was made. {Bury and Suffolk Herald: Published Wednesday, 11 July 1849}
In the 1851 census Jabez is named as a Jounrnetman blacksmith living in Mendlesham Road (Saxham Street) with his widowed mother Elizabeth (b.1793) who is occupation is given as a blacksmith. Alos there are his sister Anna (b.1834) and 2 brothers James (b.1825) also a journeyman blacksmith.and Nathan (b.1837) who is an errand boy.
James is married to Elizabeth (b. 1825) and they have a baby son named James(b.1851).
From the 1861 census a Jabez Hart (b. 1832), a master Blacksmith, is living in Regent Street, Stowmarket. His wife is not named but he has 3 young children: Frederick (b.1859), William Frederick (b.1860) and Betsy Elizabeth (b. 1861) – all born in Stowupland. Also there is a 34 year old housekeeper, Sarah Ann Cobbold whose husband is an agricultural labourer.
Two more adverts for sale of the Hart families’ wheelwrights work. The first from Ipswich Journal: 25 June 1870 and the second a year later from Suffolk Chronicle: 01 July 1871. William Hart died in 1871 (aged 81)but the family continued the craft. There were still Hart Blacksmiths working in Saxham Street in the early 1920s. Though at present we dont know when the property ceased to be a working ‘smithy.
In 1890 Ann Haddock, aged 69 died. She was the wife of Edward haddock and third daughter of William Hart, Wheelwright of Stowupland. {Suffolk Chronicle: Published Saturday, 5 April 1890}
From the East Anglian Daily Times: 10 August 1893, the freehold of 2 adjoining dwelling houses along Saxham Street is for sale. The occupiers are named as Horace Hart (a wheelwright)and Widow Hagger, their rents amounting to £22 10s per annum.
From the 1891 census this would have been nos 5 & 6 Main Road (Saxham Street). Numbering started from the Poplar farm end where the occupier was Robert Spyvee and family. The next along were Herbert and Harriet Davy (Is this Davy’s farm?), then Henry and Emma Potter (maybe todays Oak Tree Farm) before we reach the Blacksmith (4, Main Road) of James and Elizabeth Hart.
See other Harts whose stories maybe related or Blacksmiths, etc. See Saxham Street in the 1850s to 90s,
These cottage was still being used as a Blacksmiths in the early 20th century. Then in the 1970’s for a few years it was used as a recording studio.
