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Copy of a lecture given by the late P. Fisher in 1944.
Mr. Phillip Fisher was agent for Carr Head estates prior to
the estate being finally broken up in the year 1923. Thomas Fisher, son of
John Fisher and Mr Phillip Fisher's father was born in 1832, so he was
eleven years old when he came to Wood House with his father. He attended
the old National school, when old enough he was put under the tutorship of
the
first vicar of Cowling Rev. Edward Worledge who had rooms at
Wood House, J Fisher have a copy of the agreement that was
drawn up between John Fisher and the Vicar in which the former
was bound in the sum of £25, that his son Thomas Fisher would faithfully
carry out his studies as set out in the agreement and continue such for the
period set down. He was taught
among other subjects architecture and surveying, algebra, book
keeping, also French and German which afterwards proved most
useful. When old enough he taught at the National School,
afterwards becoming assistant fester at Wilsden, leaving the
latter place to become assistant at the Countess of Harewood's
school at Harewood. Leaving the profession at the age of twenty three, he
obtained the position of Controller of the Household under the Duke of
Hamilton and was allowed £30,000
for household and other expenses, which position he held for
eleven years.
Mr Fisher later married a governess in the service of the
Duke of Hamilton, and as his Grace would not tolerate married
couples in his service, he had to find other employment.
In the year 1770, there was a small farm known as the Wood
which was owned by a branch of the Garforth family, well known in Steeton.
This Garforth also lived at and owned Gamesgill, so named after Gamel or
Gamellas, Saxon chief who held lands
around here in 1086 Doomsday book.
It is thought he also owned Warley wise and Surgill bottom
farms. The land of Wood Farm or as it was afterwards named Wood House ran
down the side of Ickornshaw beck opposite the
Scars, from Toad Hole Wood to Ridge Mill Bridge and was in all
nearly ten acres. The house stood in the little Holme or field
below where the present house is but the barn is where it is
today.
In the year 1771 the Wood Farm was sold by the Garforths to
Mr. Wainman the then owner of Carr Head Estate. When sold it was farmed by
John Gott from 1770 to 1784 approximately, and
the rent was £9.9.0 acreage nearly 10. Next tenant was
Armistead 1784 - 1791 rent £10.10.0 He was followed by Henry
Laycock 1791 - 1813 rent £11.5.0.
In the year 1792 the old house was taken down and the present
house was built, joining it up to the barn with a cottage at the
east end: by this the present house was 152 years old in 1944.
Henry Laycock, was the last tenant of the old house down in the
Holme and first tenant of the present house, with James Shuttleworth as
tenant of the cottage. I am fortunate to be able to
give you the cost of the present building, copied out of the
repairs ledger which Mr Wainman kept himself. The cost of
materials, also names of workpeople etc;
William Smith of Glusburn appears to have done most of the
foundation work, digging, walling, flagging etc at a cost of approx. £35.
Fimber, joinery etc. for new house £23. Thornton's
slaters £2.8.2p Smith plasterers £4.5.0
Ramsden send getting two days 3/- Greenwood 13 loads of
lime @
lOd per load Greenwood 167 loads of lime at 10½d per load.
Peter Aldersley 10 loads of lime at lOd per load. These would not be cart
loads, but pack or pony loads possibly one or two
hundredweight per acre.
Peter Aldersley was a lime burner at Raygill and his daughter
married William Spencer of High Malsis eventually inheriting
Raygill Lime works, hence Peter Wm Spencer.
The total cost of the new or present Wood House was
£101.13.5d
The next tenant was a Nathan Smith from 1813-1824 acreage now
24 acres and rent £40 per year.
The next
tenant
was William Overton 1824 - 1843 rent and acreage
as above. William Overton now took Townend from Mr Wainman including land
from Wood House Farm thus reducing it to its
original 10 acres. John Fisher came to Wood House in 1843
through the influence of Mr Wainman's wife formerly Amelia Hotham, daughter
of Lord Hotham well known in the East Riding.
On the death of his father in 1883, Thomas Fisher took over
the
agency of Carr Head Estate until his death in 1912. Whilst agent
for the estate he was architect for the present Council School,
then the Cowling Board School serving on that body of members for six
years. He was also architect for Croft Houses, Old Carr
and other houses. Below is a bill found among Fisher family
papers
25 March 1872
Cowling School Board Dr. to Thomas Fisher Draughtsman.
1872 To making a plan of Cowling National School for
Education Dept.
Ten shillings
To taking measurements of National School, filling forms,
and a copy of ground floor plan of school for school board.
Ten shillings
Total £1-0-0
John Fisher
Nov. 1810 - July 1883
Thomas Fisher
1833 - May 1912
Philip Fisher
1869 - 1952
Taken from grave
in Cowling Churchyard.
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