Southam on Fire
Southam on Fire - Dr Roland Raffell - Jan 2024
‘…it pleased Almighty God to lay a heavy affliction upon him by a sudden and fearful fire…his house burnt to the ground.’ Thus the local Justices of the Peace described ...
The Long Arm of the Law
The Long Arm of the Law - Dr Roland Raffell - Dec 2023
In Southam, the role of the local constable is evident from the seventeenth century, as responsibility for local administration moved from the Lord of the Manor towards ...
Smallpox in Southam
Smallpox in Southam - Dr Roland Raffell - Nov 2023
In the early part of 1765 in Southam, a series of tragedies involving the deaths of many people affected the town. The majority of these ...
From Poverty to Vagrancy, Crime and Punishment
From Poverty to Vagrancy, Crime and Punishment - Roland Raffell - July 2023
In 1530 the government of Henry VIII passed into law an Act designed to deter vagrants from roaming from parish ...