Castle Hedingham: Plague and Pox

Yes, another Castle Hedingham one!  This is just a glimpse of the effect on the village of the periodic outbreaks of plague and smallpox, and, in particular, the impact on certain families.

1578 Plague

“Francis HATTON a girle was buried of the plague the 25th of Sept 1578.E.20.” 

This was the first of nineteen burials before a note in the margin "the plague ceased" after a burial on 10 December 1578.  There’s no specific indication which burials were from plague.

1594 Plague

A note after the burial of Thomas TILL on 4 October 1594 reads “plague ceased”. Although there are no recorded deaths from plague during 1594, the previous entry was on 21 May 1594 of Jane “a seruant with John ROBINSON was buried the 21 of May.1594.E.36o." There is a cross made in pencil in the margin next to this entry, which could indicate the start of the plague and the reason no burials were recorded for nearly five months.

1603/4 Plague

“Marye COOKE the wife of Thomas COOKE thelder [sic] was buried the 20th of Sep 1603”, the first of seventeen burials from plague.  The victims were:

·         Katherine Clark, single woman

·         Hugh Codwel

·         John Codwel, infant

·         Mary wife of Thomas Cooke the Elder

·         Thomas Cooke the Younger

·         Elizabeth, wife of Henry Cooke

·         Elizabeth Cooke, infant

·         Rose Figus, single woman

·         Jeffrey, son of Walter Harrington

·         Rosa, wife of Julius Harvey

·         Arthur May, single man

·         “Mother” May

·         Robert Polley

·         Mary Sparke, infant

·         Joan, wife of Humphrey Tayler

·         Humphrey Tayler “Humphre TAYLER was buried before his doore the 22th Ja.1603 Jac.Prio”

·         Agnes Totman, infant

1620/1 Pox

Pox struck the village children between 20 November 1620 and 17 January 1620[/1] when the following were buried:

·         Elizabeth, daughter of Willyam Carter

·         Willyam, son of Josua Cooke

·         Frauncis, daughter of Edward Smithe

·         Sara, daughter of Thomas Towers

·         Margerit, daughter of Henerye Yeldame

·         Tomasin, daughter of Henery Wolsie

·         An, daughter of George Wrighte

1625-1626 Pox

There was a further outbreak of pox in 1625-1626, which killed:

·         Elyzabeth, wife of Willyam Buttlar

·         John Claydon

·         Willyam, son of Willyam Hewse

·         Anna Kempe

·         Sisley, wife of Thomas Lawsell

·         Thomas Lawsell

·         Bridgett, wife of Willyam Ruttar

·         Willyam Ruttar

1639 Pox

“John LOCKER ALIUS [sic] LOCKER was buryed of the small poxe which cam out of Scottland the 20th of July 1639 he cam from East Marsye beyonde Colchester as was supossed ther he was borne.”

The Scots were behind it!

1641/2 Pox

“Marye HUTTEN the wife of Richard HUTTEN was buryed of the small Poxe the 27th of November 1641”.  The only other burials from Pox this winter were John and Elizabeth, son and daughter of William JOHNSON.

1643/4 Pox

Two burials in March 1643/4: Sameuell BOWELL and Isac son of Joseph HERINGTONE / HERINGHTON, both from Pox.

1649-51 Smallpox

“Marye TOWERS ye wife of Henery TOWERS was buryed the 13th of November 1649 of the small poxe.”

“An HARVYE the wiffe of Edward HARVYE was buryed the 9th of februarye 1650 of the small poxe.”

“Ann HARVYE the Daughter of Edward HARVYE was buryed the 15th of ffebruarye 1650 of the small poxe.”

“Edward CORDWILL was buryed the last Daye of fferuary 1650 of the spotted ffeavor 1650”

1661 Pox

A particularly devastating outbreak of smallpox happened in 1661, killing:

·         Prudence, wife of William Arndell

·         William Arndell, widower

·         Henry Choate

·         Rose, wife of Daniel Ely

·         Daniel Ely, widower

·         Hanna, daughter of Thomas Esterford

·         John, son of Thomas Esterford

·         Thomas, son of Thomas Esterford

·         William, son of Thomas Esterford

·         Hanna, daughter of Richard Greene

·         Margaret, wife of Edward Harvey

·         Elizabeth, daughter of Vere Harvey

·         Mary, daughter of Vere Harvey

·         Susan Jellson, single woman

·         Rebecca, daughter of Giles Johnson

·         Elizabeth, wife of John Leppingwell

·         Thomas Lippinwell, single man

·         Moses Lucas

·         Ann Lucas, widow

·         Robert, son of Robert Rowling

·         Robert Rowling

·         William Scot

·         Thomas Strut

·         Thomas, son of Thomas Strut

·         John, son of William Woodhouse

·         Grace, wife of John Word

·         Grace, daughter of John Word Jr

1685 Pox

Ralph Wood “A Stranger” was the first to die of Pox in the spring of 1685, followed by Elizabeth HOMES, Mary HAISE and Mary BACON, all single women, William LEPPINGWELL, and the widow Caterine LONG.

After this, no records of plague or pox.  It doesn't mean they weren't still around, just that they weren't recorded.