Articles:
The Diary
of Doctor Richard Kay of Baldingstone
Richard Kay was born at Baldingstone House on 20th March
1716 (new reckoning). Baldingstone House is in Walmersley,
just to the north of Bury in Lancashire. The house is still
standing; to find it, drive north out of Bury on the Edenfield
road. At the traffic lights just before you get into Walmersley,
turn right into Old Road. At the top of the hill is the
Masons Arms; Baldingstone House is at the top of the unmade
road on the left by the pub.
Baldingstone House now (photograph by Peter
Cameron)
At that time, Baldingstone was a small community, not just
the one house. It is now my belief that Baldingstone House
itself was built in the early 1680s by Richard's grandfather,
also called Richard. This older Richard, and his father
John before him, were blacksmiths, operating the smithy
at Baldingstone. The 1844 Ordnance Survey map shows that
the smithy was located on the other side of Old Road, opposite
the lane leading to Baldingstone House. It is no longer
there, but in the hedge can be seen two large stones that
I suspect originally marked the entrance to the smithy.
The older Richard and his father John seem to have come
to prosperity in a remarkable short space of time, acquiring
a number of properties. I'm still trying to identify how
they got their hands on those properties, but a suspicious
number of them originally had connections with men who had
fought for the King in the Civil War, and my feeling is
that, either directly or indirectly, they profited from
those men's misfortunes.
The older Richard died in March 1697 (new reckoning), and
was survived by three sons, Richard, Robert and John, and
two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. With the exception of
Elizabeth, who was a child of Richard's first wife, also
called Elizabeth, these children were all by his second
wife Alice, who was herself born a Kay, from Sheephey in
Shuttleworth. Her brother Robert was the father of John
Kay, the inventor of the Flying Shuttle. Richard divided
up his property among his sons, in particular leaving Baldingstone
House to his second son Robert. Robert's older brother Richard
lived with him at Baldingstone House until 1709, when Richard
moved to a new house he had built for himself at Chesham
(just to the north of Bury). To distinguish between these
Richards, Robert's brother is always referred to as Richard
of Chesham.
Robert married Elizabeth Taylor of Moston in 1713. They
had eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The survivors
were Mary (b 1713), Richard (b 1716), Elizabeth (b 1719),
Alice (b 1722), Rachel (b 1724) and Robert (b 1729). Rachel
married Joseph Baron of Bury, and had a large family. Of
the others, only Robert married, in 1757. The young Richard
Kay started his diary on 11th April 1737, and every day
for the next thirteen years recorded his activities in it.
Many of the entries are very brief. For example, on April
15th 1737 we read:
This Day I have been employed in the necessary Concerns
about Home. Father and Mother, Sister Alice and Sister Rachel
went this Afternoon to Uncle Samuel Taylors in Moston. Lord
bless us and then we shall be blessed.
Many, however are much more detailed, and give us a fascinating
insight into life as it was lived at the time. It is these
that give Richard's diary its enormous value.
The family led an active social life, visiting and receiving
visits from friends and their cousins at Chesham and Sheephey.
However, life was not all social; Baldingstone House had
twenty eight acres attached to it, and many days, particularly
at harvest time, Richard was out in the fields. On 30th
April 1737, he wrote
This Day I have been employed in Husbandry. Lord I see
Persons employed, and therefore I think it is my Duty to
be employed also; but yet give me leave to observe that
tho' Husbandry be both an ancient and honourable employment,
yet 'tis an employment wherein I cannot be so usefully employed
as I would and ought to be, and an employment that Persons
can carry on that are of weaker capacities and of meaner
extract and education than myself
Richard's father Robert was a doctor with a large practice
run from Baldingstone House. Medicine ran in the family,
and his cousin Samuel, the second son of Richard of Chesham,
was also a doctor. Samuel achieved considerable success
and was one of the founding surgeons of the Manchester Infirmary.
This tradition has continued in the family, with at least
one doctor in nearly every generation since. My grandfather
was a doctor, my sister and niece are doctors, and now my
daughter says she wants to be one too! In the early years,
Richard helped his father treating patients, then in 1743,
after much agonising about what he should do with his life
(as we can see from the quote above) and encouragement from
his father and cousin Samuel, he went to London for a year
to train in medicine at Guys and St. Thomas's hospitals.
For a year he attended lectures and observed operations.
On 16th August, for example:
This Day I've attended the Hospitals there hath been two
Legs took off and a Girl cut for a Hare Lip; I heard Mr.
Westley the Field Preacher in Moor Fields this Evening from
Lam.1.12. Lord, Give me a suitable Capacity for Improvment.
Richard managed to entertain himself in London. On August
25th:
This Day in the Morning I attended the Hospitals; I saw
the Execution to Day at Kennington Common a little out of
Town, there were 5 Men and a Woman hang'd. Lord, Let others
Woes be our Warnings.
and on October 19th
This Day I attended the Hospitals; heard the Play call'd
the Funeral, and the Mock Doctor in the Evening at Covent
Garden Playhouse; seeing little in these Hospitals but Affliction
and Death, I find it necessary for me now and then to seek
out some Diversion; return'd with Mr. Jno. Rigby and a Friend
of his who treated us with Part of a Bottle of Wine. Lord,
Let no Affliction or Heaviness whatever damp the Vigour
and Improvment of my Mind.
On his return to Bury in 1744, Richard shared the medical
practice with his father. They had many patients and were
often long hours in the saddle. On September 3rd 1745 he
wrote:
This Day I attended upon Domestick Affairs till towards
Evening that I visited a Patient a few Miles from Home.
It is now betwixt ten and eleven o'th' Clock this Evening,
they call me down Stairs to Prayer, Father is returned from
visiting a Patient who is now we hope near well, he took
his Bill of Charge along with him this Afternoon according
to Order, we computed to Day that his Journey he has had
one Time with another in visiting her wou'd amount to upwards
of fifteen or sixteen Hundred Miles; a very remarkeable
Patient, her Disorder was first begun by a slight Hurt that
she received upon her Shin, I want to hear how he has got
on, and to have before or after Prayer our usual Evening
Chat. Lord, Always make thou One with us, bless us, O bless
us abundantly, Amen and Amen
The diary contains details of many of his cases and their
treatment. Amputation was commonplace (at this time without
anaesthetics), but the worst case he treated was that of
Mrs Driver. On December 22nd 1748:
This Day after attending upon some Domestick Affairs in
the Morning Father and I went to Mr. Jeffery Driver's at
Croshaw-Booth according to Appointment, and with the Assistance
of my Father I took off Mrs. Driver's right Breast that
was Cancerous, the Cancer weighed near 3 Pound Weight; the
Revnd. Mr. Pickup of Bacop and the Revnd. Mr. Thos. Ashworth
of Cloughfold were present, Mr. Pickup went to Prayer before
and after the Operation, all Friends seemed to behave in
a Christian Manner, and to be in a serious good Frame, I
lodge at Mr. Driver's for fear of any Blood-Vessel bleeding
in Company with Mr. Ashworth. Lord, Prevent ruinous and
inconsiderate Undertakings, and succeed all our Labours.
Mrs Driver underwent several more operations to prevent
the cancer spreading, but eventually died in January 1750.
Religion played a very important part in the lives of the
Baldingstone Kays and their cousins At that time, they were
staunch Presbyterians, and worshipped at the Silver Street
chapel in Bury, attending services twice every Sunday. The
diary shows Richard to have who often agonised over his
faith and his imperfections. The following entry, dated
25th November 1747, to my mind perfectly demonstrates the
thinking of Non-Conformists at the time:
Yester-Evening I went with several of my Friends to hear
the new Organ at Manchester old Church play'd upon the first
Time of it's Opening before it's Dons (or Worshippers);
Musick in Divine Service at Churches seems to be coming
much into Fashion; I was asked last Week to subscribe to
an Instrument called a Bazoon to be played upon in Bury
Church, they told me that Musick in Divine Service was the
purest Way of Worship, it was serving God in the Beauty
of Holiness, &c; it seems to me to be a merry Way of
getting to Heaven, to be a Rejoycing as though they had
already attained or were already perfect; Church Bigotry
it's to be feared is one great Sin in these Times; that
they belong to the Church as by Law established seems to
be Religion enough for Thousands; the serious devout Prayers
of good Persons to God Almighty if delivered Extempore as
they call it or without a Form, are of little Account with
a great many; they shou'd seem to think with regard to Religion
that as Christ has suffered and done a Deal for us, and
as the Church is endowed with a many Forms of Prayer, so
they have nothing more to do, need to take no more Pains,
than now and then give Attendance to them at the Church,
and these, they being so well acquainted with, and no Improvment
further in Devotion can or is necessary to be made, therefore
it seems high Time with some of them to set their Musick
to work either to digest some Part of their Devotion which
we often hear cloys with them and is not agreable to their
Faith; or, in Imitation of glorified Saints and Angels in
Heaven above who we believe are praising God Day and Night
in his Temple. I doubt not there being great Numbers of
serious good Persons in the Worship of the Church of England,
but too many now a Days in that Profession run Matters into
an Extream, place Religion in that wherein it really is
not, say too much about their Church Priviledges, and tho'
Christians yet discover several Errours and Weaknesses.
Lord, Direct our Faith, our Worship and all our Actions
so as will be most agreable to the Purposes of Religion,
thy Glory and the Welfare of our Pretious and our immortal
Souls.
The diary has many references to stirring events in the
outside world, particularly to the rebellion led by the
Young Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Stuart. It was first
mentioned on September 24th 1745:
This Day I've been attending upon Domestick Affairs. About
6 Weeks or 2 Months past we have been often hearing of a
Rebellion in Scotland in favour of a Popish Pretender; our
Government have sent a Body of Men to disperse them and
we hear this Evening that our Forces have engaged them and
are defeated by them, at or near Edinburgh in Scotland.
Lord, We hope thou wilt still be favourable to these Lands,
notwithstanding the Sins that are committed amongst us;
we hope thou wilt still espouse the Protestant Cause whereby
thy Name is known and worshipped amongst us; we hope thou
wilt preserve us from Popish Slavery and vain Idolatry;
God be mercifull unto us, we know we are in the Hands of
that God who governs all Things for the Purposes of his
own Glory.
It is fairly obvious where Richard's sympathies lay, but
the diary shows just how much support there was locally
for the Stuarts, and how much ill-feeling there was after
the rebellion was finally defeated. The rebels marched as
far south as Derby, then retreated through Manchester. Richard
and some of his friends walked out to watch them go by “Having
never seen the Rebells, or any in a Highland Dress”.
Richard and his cousins, at the time of the Young Pretender's
advance into England, raised a force of militia against
the insurgents, although in the end they very prudently
took no action. Here's an extract from January 15th 1746:
This Day after visiting a Patient in the Afternoon I spent
the Evening at Coz. Neddy Kay's of Brookbottom with some
other Company and lodge there. By all Accounts 'tis expected
about this Time our Forces are engaging the Rebells in Scotland;
Times at present run high amongst us; Some shewing themselves
much in favour for the present Government, and but too many
for the Pretender; and Instance whereof I shall give in
the following Lines being a Copy of what was sent to our
Family to Day from Bury upon Account of the Mobb we raised
to oppose the Rebells, and mentioned December 8 and 9, which
is as follows.
Notice is hereby given that his Rumpish Highness the Second
Pretender, and Prince of the Presbyterian Territories has
given an Order for the raising a new Regiment of Rossendale
Plunderers under the most Emphatical Denomination of Oliverian
Murderers: And That such as are willing are ordered to repair
to the Colonel Quarters at the Sign of the Bloody Surgeon,
.... the Ensigns Inn at the Sign of the three Marshal Handkerchiefs,
where for their Advance they shall receive full Power to
kill and plunder all Loyall Subjects to the true born King,
and for their further Encouragement when they come to join
their respective Regiment, now lying squander'd and confounded
in the bewilder'd Forrest of Rossendale, they shall receive
no Pay nor Cloathing but every Man a rusty Sword, an old
Stick, and a long Pike and roasting Spits, and all Things
fitting to compleat a Gentleman Plunderer and an Oliverian
Murder, out of whose Hands, God gave the true born King.
His Rumpish Highness is Coz. Jon. Kay. Prince of the Presbyterian
Territories is his Brother Coz. Doctor Kay. The Colonell's
Quarters at the Sign of the Bloody Surgeon, is here at Baldingstone;
I am the Colonel, and the Bloody Surgeon is represented
as my Sign. The Ensign's Inn is Brother Joseph Baron's in
Bury; the 3 Marshall Handkerchiefs are represented as his
Sign on Account of his Shop. Lord, Suffer us not to be a
Reproach; and let us hope in thy Salvation.
Times were indeed running high. That even a hundred years
after the Civil War, the term Oliverian Murderer should
be used shows just how divided the country still was.
Death was ever-present at that time. On several occasions,
we read of the deaths of friends who had featured regularly
in the diary, and it often comes as much of a shock to the
reader as it did to Richard. Several of his sister Mary's
children died of smallpox. His cousin Richard Kay of Chesham
died in 1749, and his brother-in-law Joseph Baron in 1750.
Both of these deaths affected Richard heavily, and one can
feel an increasing sense of despair in the later entries.
The diary ends abruptly on July 19th 1750, with the entry:
This Day in the Morning I returned from Manchester, in
the Afternoon .....
We don't know what happened to cause Richard to leave his
diary in this way, but it must have been something momentous.
For the previous few months the area had been ravaged by
an epidemic that sounds, from Richard's description, to
have been related to typhus. Many, including Richard's friends
and relatives, had died. What we do know is that three months
after this entry, Richard's father Robert died, in October
1750. Sister Rachel died in January 1751, while in October
1751, Richard, his mother and his sister Elizabeth died.
Of the family, only Robert and Alice survived.
After Richard's death, the diary must have passed to his
cousins at Chesham, as it remained with the descendants
of Richard of Chesham's third son John. At the end of the
nineteenth century, it was in the possession of Robert Henry
Kay, my great great uncle, and John's great grandson. He
anonymously published excerpts from it, entitled “A
Lancashire Doctor's Diary 1737-1750”. Rather charmingly,
he dedicated “This slight sketch of the life of one
of her ancestors I dedicate to my sister Louisa [Potter],
whose memory and intellect in her ninetieth year are the
wonder and delight of her family and friends”. This
publication brought the diary's existence to the attention
of William Hewitson, editor of the Bury Times, and a noted
local historian. He borrowed the diary from Robert and made
extensive extracts from it. In 1908, Kenneth Kay quoted
extensively from it in his “Kay Chronicles”.
Some years later Dr E Bosdin Leach of Manchester Universtiry
had Hewitson's notes typed and bound, and put in the Manchester
Central Library. However, Kenneth's widow Dolly refused
to let him borrow the diary to make further extracts. By
the 1950s, it was in the possession of Kenneth's sister,
Marjorie Kay, my father's first cousin. After her death,
it passed to my father, Maj. Gen. Patrick Kay. Over the
recent years, my father and I felt concern that such a valuable
document, which was of necessity stored in the bank, was
at risk of deteriorating or being lost, and in 2003 my father
gave it, as a permanent loan, to the Chetham Library in
Manchester, where it is now available for research.
Previously, in 1958, Doctor Brockbank, also of Manchester
University, had realised from Hewitson's extracts the enormous
value of the diary as an item of medical history, contacted
Marjorie Kay with a view to seeing the diary, and validating
those extracts. Marjorie, who was as wary of letting the
diary out of her hands as her sister in law, eventually
agreed to meet Doctor Brockbank in a park in Birmingham
where the two of them sat on a bench for the afternoon while
he examined the diary. The result of this meeting was that
a full transcription was made of the diary by my mother
Mrs Muriel Kay. This mammoth undertaking took her three
years, and ran to a total of 686 pages of typescript. This
full transcription is now lodged at the Manchester Central
Library.
In 1968, the Chetham Society published excerpts from the
diary under the title “The Diary of Richard Kay of
Lancashire, Doctor, 1716-1751”. They have recently
reprinted these excerpts. As I have said, the diary offers
a fascinating insight into life in the middle of the eighteenth
century, the way people lived, the attitudes of non-conformists,
and above all the practice of medicine at the time. If you
get a chance, read it.
MORE articles of kay family history will follow this article. |
