Chapter 15: Tostock & Chevington Era
ostock was a very small community 15 miles from Chevington housed around 30 households in 1700 AD. There Twas a thriving cottage industry here. A narrow lane off of Leys Road leads to three houses remaining from around 1700 AD. It may well have been one of these that housed the clothing industry run by the Sibbes family. Elizabeth Sibbes would no doubt have been part of the workforce from an early age. Being the daughter she would have learned the trade starting with small errands and moving onto spinning. It would be doubtful if she learned woolcombing as this was a heavy and dirty job more suitable for men of that day.
know the ins and outs of a house industry. John would have learned how to handle shepherds, shearers, woolcombers, spinners, cutters and sewers besides the financing and selling. This sets the scene for John’s descendants who each learned part of the trade.
When school was out, John(1672.39) apprenticed himself to a clothier to learn the trade. The appropriate age of John, the short distance of nine miles between Chevington and Tostock and a known clothier factory run by the Sibbes family employing the residents of Tostock at the time, make it highly likely that John served his seven-year apprenticeship under Elizabeth’s father Thomas Sibbes the clothier of Tostock.
If so, at the age of 22, in August 1700, John married the boss’ daughter Elizabeth. It looks as though they lived near the in-laws for the first year. By the following year John and Elizabeth had their first Daughter. Esther(1701.42) was baptised 15th October 1701 at Tostock Church.
1703 saw John settle the family back in Chevington238 with their own branch of the business, Just in time for John(1703.42) to be baptised 24th October 1703 at Chevington.
Thomas(1705.42) only lived for three months, being baptised 7th October 1705 and buried 7th February 1706 in Chevington graveyard239. Two years passed before John and Elizabeth had their second Daughter, Elizabeth(1708.42) born and baptised by 5th December 1708. They were still in their home town of Chevington.
Surprise baby daughter Sarah(1712.42) arrived four years later. baptised 15th September 1712 Chevington.
The business faired well and John(1672.39) was able to provide ample during these boom years. John(1672.39) was probably feeling his age in 1717 when he took on another apprentice. Indentures were signed the 4th December for a young lad from Coney Western, Suffolk.240 John(1672.39) was buried at Chevington August 8th 1731 aged 53.
His son John(1703.42), at 28, married and having learned the trade well, was ready to take over the business. John left a will.241
Elizabeth lived a further twelve years and was buried at Chevington May 3rd 1743.
