A Visitor Back Home in Adwick 1874
The following is an extract of a journal kept by John Woodhouse, grandson of John and Elizabeth Woodhouse, died 1836 aged 74, who still have preserved headstones in the churchyard.
The Grandson was born in Adwick in 1830, left for America in 1851 and returned on a visit in October 1874. He writes;
October 14th
Went to Arksey to visit cousin James Woodhouse. He is parish Clerk there.
Left Arksey same day for Adwick Le Street, my native village, arriving in the evening. First saw James Peace, Son of John Peace. Had also seen Alex Clark and William Hammond. Took tea with James Peace and went to the village tavern for the night (Forresters’ Arms). Found the tavern kept by George Bisby who had married Jane Wilde, the daughter of the former proprietor, his wife, Martha having died. They had been old friends and neighbours of ours before we left England, January 1st, 1851.
October 15th
Visited Askham’s..distant relatives..at the mill. The Mill business seemed small and carried on chiefly by Elijah who was a small boy when we left.
The old hall that had been built in the time of James I and had been untenanted for years were taken down and entirely removed away and grapevines growing on the site.
The school house that I could just recollect being built had also disappeared and a new school and teacher’s house combined in what we call Gill’s Croft.
The old church porch was removed and a new one partially of wood under construction. My Grandfather’s and grandmother’s grave stone was alright.
The rounds pond had entirely disappeared, also the island pond and those things that my in my boyhood eyes seemed large, now seemed very small. A railway line runs along the lower side of the village…the station is at the Mill bridge and a large bridge built, which seemed to almost bury up the old bridge, but some of the rocks in the stream still retained their place as I could recollect standing on them to fish when a boy..
As to improvements, no new houses have been built, but some old eyesores have been taken down.. Bisby’s and Bailey’s, Laycock and Woodcock’s and Sherbourn’s by the Penfold. Yet the old Penfold still remains. The footpath to the churchyard has been stepped and attempts at beautifying it seemed being made.
October 16th
Left Adwick for Askern to visit relatives
I wonder what he would say if he returned to the village in 2005..”cannot recognise the village, the old tavern has been swamped by houses, where are all the farms. Is this really Adwick? It can’t be. This is not progression this is overkill this village is a shit tip I shall not return. The village has been ruined by over development.”
