| Before the beginning of the
19th century most of the population of the town worked on the land
or in allied trades. Little changed until the coming of the railway
in mid 19th century, which improved communications so much, and
was the start of a process of change that led to the modern Bingham.
But it was the advent of motorised transport and the aftermath of
two world wars that accelerated the process and shaped the town
as it is today.
The town in the early nineteenth century would
of necessity have been almost self-sufficient; the only modes of
transport, apart from walking, being horses and carts or ponies
and traps. Communication with anywhere outside of Bingham was hampered
by the poor roads: the Nottingham to Grantham turnpike was only
built in the last years of the eighteenth century. An amazing number
of shops and traders served the needs of the town, and although
mostly family-owned businesses, they probably provided as wide a
range of goods and services, in relative terms, as the town can
boast today. White's directory of 1853, besides listing farmers
and market gardeners, gives 6 inns and taverns, 3 beerhouses, 16
shopkeepers, 7 tailors, 8 wheelwrights, 3 tin men, a watch and clock
maker, 3 carriers, 5 joiners, 3 plumbers and glaziers, 3 hairdressers,
8 framework knitters, 2 druggists, 7 dressmakers, 7 bricklayers,
5 blacksmiths, 5 butchers, 2 coopers, 5 drapers, 9 boot and shoe
makers, 8 academics, 8 bakers, 1 confectioner, 2 cattle dealers,
1 curate, 1 fishmonger, 1 nail and paten maker, 2 painters, 1 coal
dealer, 1 chimney sweep and also a station master. Compare this
with the list of businesses
in modern Bingham. |
The coming of the railway in
1850, brought about the beginning of a new way of life for the townspeople,
enabling them to travel further to work; mostly to Nottingham, where
there were more and possibly better paid jobs available. But it
also enabled them to go further afield to shop, and for a while
Bingham traders suffered in consequence. This line went to Nottingham
in one direction, and Grantham and on to Skegness in the other direction.
It was also possible to travel on from Grantham to London, thus
opening the town to many new influences and trading opportunities.
A further line between Bingham and Melton Mowbray was opened in
1879, with its own station on the Bingham Road (now Nottingham Rd).
This station was closed in 1951 and the line torn up in 1963. At
this time also, the railway bridge over the A52 was demolished.
The area of disused line that was left, reverted to nature, but
in recent years has been managed, and now forms the Linear
Park, described in the Natural History section.
Until the middle decades of the twentieth century, no houses or
cottages were on mains water or sewage. Mains water and electricity
had become available in the 1930s, but even by the 1950s few houses
in Bingham had them installed. Water for general use came from wells,
but for washing purposes was often collected in soft-water cisterns
as 'run off' from roofs. By the end of the first half of the century,
lighting was by gas, courtesy of the Bingham Gas Company, both for
inside the home and for street lighting. The gas works was across
the railway line beyond the end of Moor Lane. For heating there
was the domestic fire, and cooking was done on a wood or coal burning
stove. Toilet facilities were a shed in the garden with a bucket.
This was emptied once a week by the 'night soil' men. There was
no secondary education generally available, and most children left
school to go to work at age fourteen or earlier.
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