by Wickhambrook History Society
We already knew the importance of Suffolk in the rearing of sheep and the making of cloth but one of the most interesting pieces of new (to us)information was that in 1483, Richard Broun, a woolman of Wickhambrook was sued in the courts for £40, the equivalent of many thousands today.
There were many court cases in that time which involved wool merchants, dyers and weavers. Sadly, there is no information about the actual cases. Court cases were just noted by giving the names and occupations of the people involved. Apart from legal documents, wills were also written down and these give a picture of the wealth of the woolmen too.
The 1450s was a boom time for the wool industry in Suffolk as exports to the continent were easily carried by ship from local ports.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 21st of November when we will move to more modern times with John Field’s talk on the cartoonist, Giles and his adopted city of Ipswich.
Look out for our posters, check the village website or call the secretary on 01440 820052 for more information.
Dorothy Anderson