Archaeologists discover long-lost kids from ancient times
In a rural churchyard cemetery in Fewston, North Yorkshire, the remains of over 150 individuals, including an unusually large proportion of children aged between eight and 20 years, have been unearthed. This groundbreaking discovery, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has shed light on a dark chapter of history, providing a direct and compelling testimony of the impact of poverty and factory labour on children's growth, health, and mortality in the past.
The Department of Archaeology at the University of York, ranked 10th in the world (QS World University Rankings by subject 2023), played a significant role in this research. Professor Rebecca Gowland from the department was involved in the study, which has been published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Scientists have determined that these children were transported from workhouses in London and indentured to work long hours in the mills of the North of England. Examination of the bones and teeth of the children revealed a large number of pathologies, including tuberculosis, respiratory diseases associated with millwork, diseases of deprivation such as rickets, and delayed growth in the children.
Chemical analysis of the teeth, undertaken by scientists at Durham University, revealed that many of the children were not local to the area, with values consistent with London. New innovative peptide analysis of teeth helped identify the sex of the children.
The children showed signs of stunted growth, malnutrition, and diseases associated with hazardous labor. The University of York undertook chemical analysis of the bones to study diet, finding that the apprentices' diet showed a lack of meat compared with the locals and was similar to victims of the Great Irish Famine.
The team of scientists, working with local historians, have been able to piece together the story of these forgotten children. The search results did not return direct information about the "pauper apprentices" uncovered in the Fewston, North Yorkshire cemetery or details about their lives. However, based on historical context and common knowledge regarding pauper apprentices in England during the 18th and 19th centuries, these children likely represent poor children, often orphans or from destitute families, bound out by parish authorities to work for local employers, usually in harsh conditions.
Artwork inspired by the analysis and an exhibition are on permanent display at the Washburn Heritage Centre. Interested individuals can find more information about Professor Rebecca Gowland and the Department of Archaeology on their respective webpages. For those seeking detailed historical records or specific stories about these individuals in Fewston, local archives or parish records from Fewston might hold burial registers, apprenticeship indenture documents, or related historical accounts.
This discovery serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by children in the past and the importance of preserving and studying our history to learn from it.
[1] Reference: Atkinson family history in the Yorkshire area, but does not help clarify the pauper apprentices in Fewston specifically. Further specialized historical or genealogical research focused on Fewston's pauper apprentice records would be necessary for a more precise answer.
[1] The research findings indicate that the children unearthed in Fewston, North Yorkshire, had a range of medical conditions, including tuberculosis and respiratory diseases related to millwork, diseases of deprivation like rickets, and growth delays.
[2] Due to the analysis of teeth, scientists discovered that many of these children were not originally from the North of England but were transferred from workhouses in London, and their diets, as revealed by the University of York's study, were deficient in meat compared to local diets.
