The Hodgsons, Joiners of Palace Cottage

Four generations of Hodgsons have been joiners in the village. In 1897 John Bulmer Hodgson came to the village and took over from Mr. Parkinson who was also a joiner, but specialised in making a patent Parkinsons seed drill for sowing turnips and swedes. The machine shown in the photograph was made by him.

John Bulmer Hodgson was followed in the business which was originally a wheelwright and joiner, by Herbert, John and Stephen, who is the present proprietor Stephen and John are working the lathe, and Herbert is in the foreground.

Palace Cottage, which is attached to the workshop, used to be the local workhouse. Workhouses were reputed to be much superior to ordinary houses. A new workhouse in Manchester in the 19th century had running water inside it and it was called the Palace as a joke. Consequently this house was called the Palace. In 1899 a coffin and funeral expenses cost £2.14s with a further 6/- for a church burial. In 1910 the cost had risen to £3.16s. Coffins were made from oak, cut from local woods and then seasoned for 3 years. The coffins were then finished with a mixture of beeswax and turpentine.

Part of the house was the Post Office which was run by Mary Hodgson (wife of John) for some years until it moved to Harold Bensons Stores where the Post Office is now.