R3/5004

Letter Reads- The charge that the gamekeepers have substituted beer for money would be difficult to prove although Bennett is sure it happens. Most tenant farmers and all labourers are too afraid of keepers to speak, and the information he now has would not have come to light if Woodcraft and his men had not said "the labourers now destroy all the nests and are encouraged by the farmers". They have excused the shortage of partridges this way to the Duke. He naturally felt annoyed after his efforts to reduce game but in Bennett's opinion those mentioned, Crouch, Rook, S Bennett and Platt, are the last who would do such a thing. Bennett believes the keepers could not account for the lack of birds and would not admit it although Woburn is not the only place and it may be due to disease. Bennett told the Duke Woodcraft had been most awkward through all the changes particularly repairing part for nests and leverets and had told him the present system would never work. Bennett believes that means he will see it doesn't in an attempt to get the Duke to change back. Mr Crouch has said before that he found his men in his fields in the evenings "drinking the keepers beer" and he believes the men received beer instead of money. He thinks Woodcraft should be questioned on the manner he distributed the money as publican nor labourers will tell. Gamekeepers seem to think they must always set their employer against the farmers, but feeling was not nearly so bad in days of excessive preserving as now.

22 Oct 1845

From: 1845 To: 1845

item

Haedy, C,
Bennett,
Woodcraft,
Bennett,
Crouch,
Rook,
Bennett, S.,
Platt

labourer, farmer, keeper, beer, publican, gamekeepers, letters, WOBURN, Woburn Abbey