With the census for 2021 being upon us I thought it might be interesting to read an article that was written for the Calstone Millennium book back in 2000. The article was originally written by Jennie Scotcher who lived in the village at the time.
Since this article was produced a lot of the village census material is available on the Wiltshire OPC Project website.
Census of Residents 1881 and 2000
A census has been carried out in this country every 10 years since 1841. All residents in the year 2000 were asked to complete a voluntary census in order to compare the residents of the village today with those of 1881. The census for 1901 has not yet been made available to the public so the 1881 census was used, as this is available indexed on computer.[1] Around 60% of current residents completed the voluntary census. Electoral records were used where the census was not completed.
Age of Residents 1881 and 2000
As house prices have increased and there are far fewer houses let, it is more difficult now for people in their 20s to live here. With the decrease in agricultural work and less reliance on walking and public transport, younger people are less attracted to village life which is reflected in the age profile of the village today.
In 1881, 49% of the residents of the village were under 20 and 21% were over 50. In 2000, this has decreased to 19% under 20 and increased to 45% over 50.
In 1881, over a quarter of the villagers were under 10 years old. Today this figure is reduced to 14%.
The oldest resident in 1881 was 80 years old. Today we have several residents in their 80’s – perhaps reflecting the improved health of citizens now?
Ann Rivers-Davis has carried out extensive research into the census returns from 1841 through to 1901. It is hoped that much of this will be made available on a village website in the future.
Birthplaces of Residents 1881 – 2000
Our comprehensive road, rail and air transport has made a great difference to the choices we have about where we live.
In 1881 the large majority (86%) of residents were born in Wiltshire, mostly within 10 miles of Calstone Wellington. Very few villagers came from further than the next counties – Gloucester, Dorset, Berkshire and Somerset. 1 resident came from Yorkshire, 1 from Leicestershire, 6 from Wales, 1 from Norfolk and 2 from London. Only one resident was born out of the country – the Rector G Hadow – who was born in Hindustan.
The population of the village today is very different – with the majority born outside Wiltshire. 34% were born in Wiltshire and the next largest regional representation is London born residents who make up 15% of the village. 9% of the village were not born in this country but Ireland, Germany, USA and Canada.
Employment of Villagers 1881 – 2000
The village shows the worldwide change of employment from manual and usually agricultural work to office-based jobs. In 1881, the majority of the villagers were agricultural labourers. From our census records today, only 4% of residents work in agriculture and the majority work in management or administration.
Many jobs of 1881 no longer exist – mop manufacturers, farm bailiffs, carters, plough boys, mop serges and governesses. Instead, 2000 sees jobs which could not have been dreamt of in 1881 – a Film Director, IT Manager, Investment Advisor, Sporting Agent, Film Producer, Equestrian Coach, Health & Safety Manager, Secretary, Receptionist, Hairdresser and professional Musicians.
The 119 years between the two census records has shown a change from a poor and little-educated population to a fairly affluent and well-educated one – reflecting the increasing prosperity and educational opportunities of the country as a whole.
Only a few jobs remain the same between the census records – In 1881, 2 villagers were teachers – one at the school and one a private Governess for the Rector’s family. Today there are three villagers actively involved in teaching. In 1881, there were 3 carpenters and 1 bricklayer. Now, only 1 carpenter lives in the village. In 1881 there was a shopkeeper and her assistant. Although the retail section is one of the largest employers today, this is not reflected in our village with employment there being the same today as 1881 – with one shopkeeper and one assistant living in the village. There a still a couple of farmers with much reduced, but hi-tech, labour and lots of machinery.
The table below shows the village leaders and key trades people identified in the 1912 edition of Gillman’s Devizes Register.
Other occupations represented in the village in 2000 include 3 policemen, 1 ambulance man, 2 company secretaries, & 1 artist.
Families in the Village 1881 & 2000
In common with the rest of the country in Victorian times, there were many extended families living in the Village in 1881. In particular, there were several branches of the Clifford; Cleverly, Green, Hyde, Goodship, Robbins, and Edwards families living close to each other. Many elderly mothers lived with their sons or daughters, grandchildren with their grandparents, nieces and nephews with their aunts and uncles, sisters with sisters, and brothers with brothers.
Today, there is only one extended family living together in the village to our knowledge. There are two families with two branches living near each other. However, the days of families living and dying in the same village have mostly gone.
Families have also become much smaller. In 1881, there were 62 houses averaging 4.3 residents per house. In 2000, there are 66 houses averaging 2.3 residents per house (Blackland and Calstone). Many families in 1881 had 4 – 7 children – the largest being Edwin and Lydia Green with 9 children aged 4 to 25. In 2000, there are far fewer children in the village, with 2 per family being the most common.
Three families in 1881 also had lodgers living with them – a practice which is not now evident in the village. An Agricultural Labourer headed these three families so it is probable that letting a bed out brought in much-needed extra income.
Family Names of the Village 1881
In 1881, a number of families had more than 7 members living in the village:
| Name | Number of residents |
| Andrews | 9 |
| Burnett | 9 |
| Cleverly | 14 |
| Clifford | 29 |
| Green | 25 |
| Hyde | 13 |
| Maundrell | 8 |
| Robbins | 19 |
Of these families, only the names Hyde and Maundrell remain in the village. What happened to the Cleverly, Clifford and Green families, in particular?
There are many Cleverlys/Cleverleys in Trowbridge and Chippenham; Clifford is a fairly common name in Devizes, Trowbridge and Chippenham, with a few living in Calne and surrounding villages. Robbins still live in Wiltshire but most are in Bath and Bristol
Popular First names of Villagers 1881 and 2000
The following names have stood the test of time, being popular with residents of Blackland and Calstone in 1881 and 2000
| Adam | Alice | Ann | Anthony | Charles |
| Daniel | David | Elizabeth | Francis | George |
| Hannah | Harriet | Herbert | James | Kezia |
| Margaret | Mark | Mary | Peter | Philip |
| Robert | Samuel | William |
In 1881, there were 14 Williams and 21 Marys in the village.
The most popular names in 2000 were Mary (3) and Robert (4).
One very healthy sign is that the number of children in the village is on the increase. There are approximately 30 children under 16 and 5 four year olds all proudly started at Cherhill School in September.
Calstone Wellington has strong links with the Lansdowne estate. The next section, written by Jennie Scotcher, outlines the history of this relationship.
[1] Census data ©British Crown Copyright 1999. Extracted from the 1881 British Census and Indexes produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.