A Victorian Christmas in the archives

Caelainn Barr

Peter Orlando Hutchinson (1810-1897) was an amateur archaeologist, local historian and painter who lived in Sidmouth, Devon.


A trip into the past with a reading of the archives reveals that the festive season in the 1700s and 1800s wasn’t just about carols and yuletide cheer. Tales of crime and depravity are to be found in diaries and court documents of the time.

As part of the Archives Awareness Campaign, historians have dug out Christmas tales from papers in Devon and Yorkshire, giving an insight into the era’s social history.

Angela Owusu, Archive Awareness Campaign Officer says: “These files are a fantastic example of the fabulous richness of local archives. They really show how human life exists amongst records.”

The Archives in Yorkshire

The court archives held by East Riding Archives in Beverley for the Christmas Quarter Sessions in East Riding from 1709 to 1826 tell tales of mischief and miscreants.

Amongst them is the case of William and Martha Gibson of Sculcoates who, on New Year’s Day 1808 were accused of “drinking, tipling, whoring and misbehaving themselves unlawfully” in their house with other men and women of “evil name and fame”.

(Above) Hutchinson was a natural history enthusiast. His diaries contain over 750 sketches documenting the flora and fauna of Sidmouth in the 1800s.

Also, described is the case of a cowardly constable, who refused to tackle a rabble of men rioting in Driffield Market Place during December 1808.

Again in Sculcoates, there was an incident on Boxing Day in 1825, involving James Hews. Hews was found “wandering about in the streets…in an indecent state of nakedness, demanding alms with threats and intimidation from those who refused to relieve him.”

There are some stories of kindness to be found in the Christmas archives as well.

James Bacchus’ case is an example of good will in the Christmas archives of 1709. He was a war veteran who had served under Charles II and later settled in Howden, but “by reason of his children leaving of him he is fallen into extreme Poverty and utterly unable to maintain himself.” It was pleaded that Bacchus be given “a yearly pension towards his support for the short tyme he has to live.”

In the spirit of Christmas, Bacchus was granted 40 shillings, equivalent to around £150 in today’s money and 3 weeks wages for a craftsman at the time.

Angela Owusu, Archive Awareness Campaign Officer says: "Readers can see that archives are not just official records, but include the records of the millions of people and make up the histories and stories of a region and its community."

The Archives in Devon

A rare document by local historian Peter Orlando Hutchinson gives a colourful description of festivities in 1862.

Hutchinson, who was a prolific writer and artist, documented nature and society in his local Sidmouth with great detail. A selection of his diaries are on display at Devon Record Office this year.

In an excerpt from one of the books (1878-1894), Hutchinson gives an account of events at a Christmas ball he attended on Friday 19th December 1862.

He describes ridiculous dances, absurd dresses and grumbled about how difficult it was to reach the food: "Very laughable were the jams and collisions that often took place by the rapid, too rapid, twirling of the waltzers."

The unusual account shows that the concerns of partygoers have little changed over the centuries.

Angela Owusu, Archive Awareness Campaign Officer says: “Hutchinson’s’ depiction of the Christmas party could almost be a column in Hello magazine today!”


http://www.culture24.org.uk/history+%26+heritage/art74399#articlepane1