Admin/biog history
Compiled by Laura Johnson of BLARS: David Stanton was born in Keysoe in 1844 (registered as 'Male' Stanton in the births index of 1844), the third son of Jesse and Eliza Stanton who went on to have 14 children in total, 6 sons and 8 daughters; Levi, Eli, [David], Zillah, Daniel, Jabez, Rebekah/Rebecca, Charlotte, Emma, Ann, Harriet, Thomas, Ellen and Martha Jane.
David never married, and from the 1881 census onwards his unmarried sister Charlotte (born Keysoe 1853) was his housekeeper. From 1871 David has his own household, separate from his parents' although his occupation is noted as 'Farmer's son', and his two younger sisters, Rebekah aged 20 and Ellen aged 12 are listed with him at the property, which is stated to be three doors down from The Vicarage and next to Church End and the National School in Keysoe.
In 1881 David and Charlotte had a 15 year old farm servant named David Gammons, but by 1891 their farm servant is a 16 year old named Thomas Brown. By 1891 David and Charlotte have moved to Thurleigh, having always previously lived in Keysoe. In 1901 they are at a farmhouse in Backnoe End, Thurleigh but by 1911, David is aged 67 and shown as of 'no occupation' and Charlotte is a shop keeper. They are back living in Keysoe, but no specific address is given.
In their later years David and Charlotte moved to Kempston, and both died there, although like the rest of their family, they were buried at Brook End Baptist Chapel in Keysoe. David died aged 84 on 18th March 1929 and Charlotte died aged 91 on 29th November 1944. David didn't leave a will but Charlotte's entry on the National Probate Calendar states "Charlotte Stanton of 16 King Street, Kempston, Bedfordshire, spinster, died 29 November 1944. Probate at Exeter, 13 February 1945, to Arthur Percy Millard, solicitors clerk. £923 4s 6d."
The monumental inscriptions at Keysoe Brook End Baptist Chapel show that David and Charlotte were buried together; 'In loving memory of my brother David Stanton....also Charlotte Stanton, sister of the above...' being written on their gravestone. Three of their sisters sadly didn't live to a ripe old age;
Rebecca, '2nd daughter of Jesse and Eliza Stanton, died February 5th 1878 aged 27 years
Ann, '5th daughter of Jesse and Eliza Stanton, died June 4th 1872 aged 16 years
Ellen, 'daughter of Jesse and Eliza Stanton, died April 25th 1882 aged 16 years
Others fared somewhat better;
Eli, died November 10th 1925 aged 83
Daniel, died May 7th 1907 aged 59 (buried with Eliza and Jesse)
Thomas, died February 16th 1931 aged 72 years
I think Levi and Jabez emigrated, Levi to the USA and Jabez, possibly to Canada. Emma, Harriett and Martha Jane all married in Bedfordshire and seem to have remained there.
Notes by Robert T. Stanton compiled in 2012:
This is the Diary of David Stanton a Yeoman Farmer, who lived in the latter half of Queen Victoria’s reign, in the village of Keysoe, Bedfordshire and for the last few years at Thurleigh, Bedfordshire.
The Diaries, which consist of seven exercise book, are in the main well written, and have been handed down in the Stanton Family and are in the possession of Rex L. Stanton. I am indebted to him for allowing me to have them to copy.
The Diaries tell the day to day story of a young man who followed his father into farming in difficult years when machinery was just coming into farming and the work was mainly done by horse and hired manpower. (And sometime women power too.) In some places the day by day work is monotonous and the hours are long, but no-one seems to complain.
The Diaries also tell of David’s search for a farm of his own and describes several farms in the Bedfordshire area which he looked at and rejected for various reasons. He eventually had a rented farm of his own at Backnoe End, Thurleigh in 1881 until 1910.
Some of the old words he uses are not in general use today. Sheep fleeces are described as ‘Tods’ being some kind of a measure of wool. He describes young male cattle as ‘stirks’ or ‘sturks’ which would today be called ‘steers’. The reader will find other interesting words, also a few which could not be read and have been omitted. It is interesting to note the varieties of wheat and other seeds which have long passed away.
The introduction of the ‘Reaper’ was an event which David liked, although it was necessary for a man to go behind and tie the sheaves by hand. No doubt the ‘Binder’ came in later. Artificial manure was also used in that era.
David was a bachelor, but it looks as if he was attracted to a young lady in Perry, but this came to nothing. He tells of a long walk to Chapel to try to see her. Eight miles each way.!!