Victorian Times
Croquet on the lawn at Little Fountains (The Coach House) about 1902.
Dulcote Population Profile 1851-1901:
Census and land surveys provide more detail than numbers alone, allowing for conclusions and comparisons to be made about Dulcote in the late nineteenth century ...
1841:
Total population = 116; 62 males, 54 females
- 27 households
- 5 farms
- occupations: 21 farming; 8 tradespersons; 13 in service, 1 professional
- All of the people living in Dulcote at this time were born in Somerset
- 44% of the population were under the age of 20
- 5% of the population were over the age of 60
- the average age of inhabitants of Dulcote at this time are: males= 29 years; females= 36 years
- there were an average of 4 people living in each household
- trades industry employment is limited to paper-making; 1 carpenter and 1 tailor apprentice
- no married woman is listed as having paid employment
- with the exception of one woman farmer, the single women who worked were all employed in the service industry
1851:
Total population = 135; 71 males, 64 females
- 23 households
- 7 farms: 98 acres , 80 acres, 171 acres, 113 acres, 190 acres, 89 acres and 210 acres
- occupations: 33 farming; 5 tradespersons; 13 in service, 0 professional
- In this year, there were 53 people living in Somerset who were born in Dulcote.
- Of these Dulcote-born people 88% still lived within the parish
- 30 of those living in Dulcote in 1851 were actually born here
- 49% of the population were under the age of 20
- 8% of the population were over the age of 60
- the average age of inhabitants of Dulcote at this time are: males= 25 years; females= 27years
- there were an average of 6 people living in each household
- the amount of land utilized for agricultural and dairy farming was 951 acres, and farming was the largest industry of the village
- most of the population in the service industry were under the age of 20 years
- trades industry employment is limited to paper-making and one family of "hatters"
- no married woman is listed as having paid employment
- single women who worked were all employed in the service industry
- only a few children are listed as students
1873:
- There are very few landowners (1) listed for Dulcote due to the fact that most of the land was owned by Charles Clement Tudway ...
- Charles Clement Tudway owned 2,827 acres of land in the Wells area including Dulcote
- Charles Berryman owned 5+ acres in Dulcote
- James Hill owned 51+ acres in Dulcote
- church land still existed (the land of the Bishops, the Dean & the Vicars) in the Wells area including Dulcote
- Brittain's charity owned 6+ acres in the Wells area including Dulcote
1881:
Total population = 100 (2); 45 males ,55 females
- 17 households
- 3 farms: 255 acres, 244 acres and 250 acres
- occupations: 20 farming; 20 tradespersons; 13 in service, 0 professional
- In this year, there were 61 people living in Somerset who were born in Dulcote, and all of them still lived within a 10 mile radius of the village
- there were also 5 Dulcote-born people living in other counties in England
- 44 of those living in Dulcote in 1881 were actually born here
- the average age of inhabitants of Dulcote at this time are: males= 21 years; females= 21years
- 68% of the population were under the age of 20
- 5% of the population were over the age of 60
- of the 53 people born in Dulcote surveyed in 1851, only 13 were still alive in 1881, despite the impressive birthrates
- there were an average of 6 people living in each household
- the amount of land utilized for agricultural and dairy farming was 949 acres, about the same amount as in 1851 but on only 3 farms rather than 7 farms; farming is the largest industry of the village
- most of the population in the service industry were under the age of 20 years
- trades industry employment now includes carpenter, paper-maker, clerk, butcher, blacksmith
- married woman in general are not listed as having paid employment except when they are part of a family farm business
- single women are now employed a variety of occupations including farming, teaching, and service
- most of the children between the ages of 4 and 13 years are listed as students
1891:
Total population = 211; 108 males, 103 females
- 44 households
- In this year, there were 103 people living in Somerset who were born in Dulcote, and all of them still lived in the village or within a 10 mile radius of it
- of these Dulcote-born people, 89% still lived within the parish 45 of those living in Dulcote in 1891 were actually born here
- there was an average of 5 people living in each household
- the average age of inhabitants of Dulcote at this time are: males = 22 years; females = 25 years
- 55% of the population were under the age of 20
- 5.5% of the population were over the age of 60
1901:
Total population = 134; 67 males, 67 females
- 30 households
- 3 farms (no acreage noted)
- occupations: 210 farming; 20 tradespersons; 13 in service, 1 professional
- 41 of those living in Dulcote in 1901 were actually born here
- there was an average of 4.5 people living in each household
- 45% of the population were under the age of 20
- 6% of the population were over the age of 60
- the number of farms utilized for agricultural/dairy farming remains the same but much of the labour on these farms are provided by the whole family
- agricultural positions also now include such positions as gardener, gamekeeper and carter.
- most of the population in the service industry were under the age of 20 years
- trades industry employment now include carpenter, mill-worker, quarry-worker, railway porter, clerk, dressmaker, machinist, nurse
- a few married woman are listed as having paid employment
- single women are now employed a variety of occupations including farming, mill-worker, nurse, and service
Dulcote circa 1900