Robert Loder

1589-1640

In 1610, when Robert Loder began to keep his accounts, he had already rented Fardinges orchard since 1606. “I payd xxvjs. (26 shillings) viijd. (eightpence) by yeare for it; until I was of adge (age).

“In anno 1610. In this yeare the whole summe that my chirries were sould for was xijs. xjd (12s. 11d.).

I planted the sayd Orchard in the yeare of our Lord 1605.

Some yeares I have made of all manner profines of Fardynges … the yeares 1606,

1608 and 1610 were the profitablest. The Lorde blesseth as it pleaseth him.”

In 1620, when he ended his accounts, he was able to write:

“… Cherries I had growne in Farthinges & in the rest of our Orchardes, which were sould (besides a good number gave away & eaten by my selfe and householde & gatherers) the full sume of 64021i. (lbs).

The Lorde be praysed for such an Abundance.

The which Cherries were sould for the full summe of xxiiijl.vjs.xd.”(£24.6s.10d.) He had to pay for the gathering, and for carrying some to market, but “the rest I caryed with my owne horses, which I judge came to 26 horse loades.”

Figure 10.1 Cherry orchard on land belonging to the Day family, in the area now occupied by Tyrrell’s Close.

Comments

• The work of two maid servants
  David Marsh –
  12 Jan 2010

  Robert Loder, the seventeenth-century Berkshire farmer who kept a particularly informative set of farm accounts, described the work of his two maid servants as ‘the doing of the thinges, that must indeed be donne’, and concluded that apart from making malt, they brought him little profit.from

  HOUSEWIVES AND SERVANTS IN RURAL

  ENGLAND, 1440-1650: EVIDENCE OF WOMEN’S WORK FROM PROBATE DOCUMENTS∗

  By Jane Whittle

  READ 30 APRIL 2004 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT AT CANTERBURY