In times past, lighting was very different from what we are used to today. Even in fairly rural Market Lavington and Easterton we expect street lamps and we expect vehicles moving at night to be clearly visible and to deliver enough light for drivers to see everything.
In the days of the horse drawn bread cart night was a much darker time (and what glorious night skies people would have seen as a result). When the Notton family had the bakery business (based between the present Post Office and the Co-op) a couple of candle lamps on the cart were all they used for illumination. Of course, the speed they went was probably that of a walking horse, so poor light would not have been too dangerous.
One of the Notton’s lamps has found its way to Market Lavington Museum.
Carriage lamp from the Notton's bread cart believed to date from about 1880
At the time of the 1851 census, Thomas Notton was a baker and glover on High Street, Market Lavington. His son, Richard, born in 1827 in Market Lavington was running the business in 1861.
By 1871 Catharine Notton, widow of Richard was a baker on High Street, Market Lavington. It must have been hard coping with the business and a young family.
In 1881 Catharine, still only 60, was running the business with two sons who were adult and bakers by then.
One of these sons, Alfred was the baker in 1891, but mother Catharine was still there.
In 1901, the business was in the hands of Edward Notton, his wife, Helen and five children. Edward was described on the census as a baker and corn factor.
Edward was still a Baker in 1911. In fact Edward remained a villager until his death in 1941. He is buried in the churchyard.
After a brief look at the Notton family, back to the lamp, which we believe, dates from around 1880.
Tags: baker, bread, Fiddington, lamp, lighting, Market Lavington, Museum
Market Lavington Museum 
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