22. Plagues

In the Middle Ages terrible plagues were common. They spread over the country carrying off many people. The parish registers of Kildwick parish have been kept from the year 1575. From these we get our information of the plague at Sutton in 1587. We may however conclude that before this date the plague several times came to the village. In Bolton township near Bradford, when the Poll Tax of 1379 was taken, is the entry "None remaining since the plague". This township is not very far from Kildwick so it is unlikely that the latter parish would not have had several deaths.

In the parish register Jan 15th 1587 is the entry: John Shackleden of Sutton "morbo incognito", Maria Shackleden died on the 27th, and on Feb 1st, an infant Elizabeth Shackleden died of this unknown disease. On Feb 15th is the following long entry: Janet Shackleden wife of John, and her daughter both of whom died in huts erected at Sutton, as it appeared of the plague, at which time indeed there died six in that house, i.e. the whole family namely John Shackleden, his wife, his mother and three children of this most fierce disease".

On May 2nd of the same year William Garforth of Sutton was buried. On the following day Richard Garforth and his wife died. During May and June John Harper, his wife and their six children were all buried. On July 1st Matilda Whitwham of Bradley, died in Sutton, and on the next day Willian Scott and Robert Craven of Sutton died and were buried in the same coffin. On July 15th Agnes Barrett, a widow, was buried in Sutton Westfield, probably hurriedly buried where she died, a victim of the plague. On July 31st is a sad entry. Robert Walkden, a pauper, of Lancashire, came to clean the house of those who died in Sutton of the plague. He himself caught the infection and died.

The Harper family serve as good illustration of the helplessness of the people when once the plague came to, the family. Their homes and conditions were insanitary. They had no idea of prevention of the spreading of a disease, and little idea of cure when once a person was suffering. On May 25th Edmund Harper age 17 years died, on June 2nd Grace, a girl of nine, and Isabella her sister aged seven, died. On June 7th their sister Margaret aged 12 died. The next day the father John Harper 60, and Thomas another son were taken. The mother Agnes died on June 10th and a few days later another boy of 14 died also.

Other families in the village show the same record. I have illustrated from the Harper family because they were a leading family and their conditions would be rather above the average.

Further evidence of these terrible plagues is found in the fact that in 1524 the number of tax payers in Sutton was thirteen. In 1596 the number had fallen to five. This means that about 38% of the tax payers were left. Sutton had evidently been visited by these terrible plagues, and more than half the people swept away.

On looking through the registers I found another example of the effect of these plagues. In the year 1664 another epidemic swept the neighbourhood. The entries for this years are: January, 6 deaths; February, 5 deaths; March, 6 deaths - the last entry for this month is "Anthony Sugden e pestilentic morbo". The next month, April - 22daths, after practically all, is written the word 'peste'.

The disease continued through May, declining towards the end - 26 deaths; by June it had evidently run its course, in this month there were 10 deaths, in July 7, August 6, September 9, in October and November one death and in December 4.