Family History 3.01

We are nearing the conclusion of two family histories: the story of Noel's father's family (Gaze), and of Mary's father's family (Bigelow).

 

From this post we begin a third history, that of Noel's mother's family (Goodwin). Before long we will tackle the fourth story, that of Mary's mother's family (Robinson). Both these are as fascinating as the two we have been following for the last few months.

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 Goodwin History

 

  Robert Goodwin

 

 

Somewhere near the centre of England, in the top right-hand corner of Northamptonshire, very close to the border with Lincolnshire, is a village called Collyweston. For at least two generations in the early nineteenth century it was home to our branch of the Goodwin family. Robert, my great-grandfather, and Daniel, his father, lived and worked there.

Collyweston

  

Collyweston, which has less than 300 inhabitants, is famous for one thing: slate. For Collyweston is a locality which lived by its quarry, now a nature reserve. Catherine Bates and David Watt, who have researched the history and use of Collyweston stone slate, write:

“Once brought to the surface, the Collyweston 'logs' were naturally frosted, split or 'clived' in regular thicknesses, dressed, and 'parted up' into individually-named sizes. The slates are traditionally hung on battens using either oak pegs or small animal bones, and bedded on a lime- based mortar.

Changes in farming practice during the late 1950s and early 1960s gave rise to a growing number of redundant traditionally-slated farm buildings. As farm machinery increased in size, many of these buildings were demolished, providing a plentiful supply of suitable reclaimed material. The mining of new slates thus became uneconomical and most of the mines were forced to close.

 

This source of reclaimed Collyweston stone slates is now itself becoming exhausted and the use of cheaper substitutes (replica concrete or fibreglass slates) has become increasingly common. The Collyweston Stone Slaters' Trust (founded in 1974), English Heritage, local authorities and others are now investigating ways in which to support a revival in the supply and use of new stone slates.”

This is what a Collyweston slate roof looks like during repair work:

 

The Goodwins used to work on the roofs of buildings like this one, and especially on the roofs of grand houses in the region, building or repairing the slate work. 

Later in the century they shifted to the larger town of Kettering, and it was from there that Robert brought his family to Auckland in 1884.