Grafton Regis

'The life of Thomas Smith [my G-G-G-G-G-grandfather], a labourer and parish clerk of Grafton, gives an idea of how hard life could be in the 18th century. Smith was baptised in Grafton in 1727 and married Susannah in 1770. They produced eight children between 1771 and 1792. He worked on the turnpike road between Grafton Regis and Stoke Bruerne, often at Twyford Bridge, where the tollgate was installed, until his death in 1795, regularly digging loads of stone and gravel for 8 d. a yard, earning himself 1 s. a day. From this small income, Smith rented a cottage at Grafton for 7 s. p.a. Working on the turnpike became a family occupation, and Smith's sons William, Samuel [my G-G-G-G-grandfather] and James all worked on the road. During the 19th century the turnpike gradually declined with competition from the Grand Junction Canal and later the railway.'

Extract from
Fitzroy, C. and Keith, Harry (2000)
Grafton Regis: the History of a Northamptonshire Village.
Hillman Printers (Frome) Ltd. p 85.
ISBN: 1-898937-41-9