Fred Pickstone (August 2004)
Edward Baines printed and published, at The Leeds Mercury Office, in 1823 a Directory of Yorkshire. Here are some facts extracted about Husthwaite amongst which there are a few surnames still familiar today.
The curate was the Rev. John Starkey in a village of 324 people. William Taylor was the Parish Clerk. He was also one of two shoemakers, the other being Francis Tesseyman. Joiners were John and William Greenwood, blacksmiths were Jesse Robson and Jeffrey Smith and the publicans were Richard Darley and John Taylor, at The Black Bull.
There were eleven farmers and yeomen, but their farms are not named in the Directory. Here are their names:- Richard Battye, Timothy Burnett, Richard Dennison, John Dixon, John Hick, George Hick, Thomas Nelson, Thomas Smith, Samuel Smithson, John Wilkinson and William Wimp. Joseph Burnett was a cattle dealer, John Gatenby a butcher, Chris Kendrew was a shopkeeper and William Young a tailor.
Thomas Mouncester was a wheelwright, probably living in what is now "The Croft", in the "Nookin". The schoolmaster was Robert Mouncester, most likely living in Labumum Cottage, now part of the "Hobbits". Note the spelling Mouncester, probably a typographical error or mistake made by the person who collected the facts.
In 1823, Easingwold had a population of 1912, Thirsk 2,533, Kilburn 500, Helperby 611 and York 22,529.