· (last updated: November 1, 2005) Pile Family History  
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   Folkingham 1870-1873
 Before the start of the nineteenth century Folkingham was one of the most important towns in south Lincolnshire, it was on the main stagecoach run from London to Lincoln and the Greyhound Inn at the north of its magnificent Georgian market place was an important coaching inn. It was also the place where the Kesteven Quarter Sessions were held and it had its own jail, the House of Correction on Billingborough Road.

David and Mary Pile appear to have brought their family to Folkingham around 1870. The reason why they would go to Folkingham are just as unclear as why he should move from Westbourne to Grantham in the 1840's, although the most likely reason would be to find work.

David was a labourer in Grantham, sometimes on the land sometimes on the railways, and in the late 1860's there was talk of Great Northern Railways opening a branch line between Bourne and Sleaford which was suggested may pass through Folkingham, David may have been attracted by the prospect of a new line being built, however although the railway opened early in 1872, it missed Folkingham and went through Billingborough instead. The rumour of the railways may also help to explain Folkingham's population fluctuation at the 1871 census. The village's population had gradually declined from its peak of 820 in 1841 to 650 just twenty years later but the 1871 census recorded a sudden rise to 696. Both of these occurrences coincide with David's arrival although it is unclear whether there is a connection. The town's population started to decline again until the beginning of the twentieth century through which it has been consistently between 400 and 500.

The first known record of the Pile family is the 1871 census. This shows David Pile as a 44 year old gardener, his wife, Mary was 50 and their children Emma, Edmund, Henry and John were fourteen, twelve, ten and four years respectively; Edmund and Henry are referred to as scholars. The census confirms the birthplaces as Westbourne for David and Spittlegate for the rest. Also in the household is Jane Orman, the younger sister of Mary Pile. Jane was 46 years old, unmarried and described as an annuitant, she too is confirmed as being born in Spittlegate. The family were living in a property called Barnack (not to be confused with the village near Stamford), this house has never been located although in the census schedule Barnack appears immediately before the gas works and the House of Correction, this possibly places the property at the south end of the market square near the farmhouse known as The Elms and in an area long established as orchards. Several mid nineteenth century maps of Folkingham show a range of buildings on the east side of the main road in the orchards which may be cottages.

White's Directory of 1872 gives a further clue to how David Pile made his living listing him as a 'Market Gardener' which suggests that he may have operated a fruit growing business from the orchards at the south end of the village, growing the produce and selling to the local population, whether this was any more than a cottage industry is not known.

In February 1873 the Folkingham Vestry Minute Book records that the Magistrates at Bourne received a recommendation that David Pile (amongst others) be made a Parish Constable. This would have given him some responsibility for upholding law and order within the parish. The position of Parish Constable was an ancient role which originated as a law keeper for the manorial court, after the decline of the manorial system the constable became a parish official appointed by the Vestry; in 1842 the Parish Constables Act required them to be appointed by local Justices. The Parish Constable survived into the nineteenth century gradually being replaced as County police forces were established. Parish Constables were entitled to payment by the Vestry unfortunately there are no record of these in the Vestry minutes. 		 
     
  Copyright © 2005 Andrew Pile