The lives of the villagers of Tong are not normally recorded alongside the Lord of the Manor and yet in the case of Tong there are glimpses of life in a close-knit village community.
Chapter 11 lists some of the village clubs and societies and documents special occasions - such as visits by the Lord of the Manor. The village school was a point of focus and we read how schooling changed over the years:
“The school logbooks give an insight into school and community life. Very often the school was closed, because of fever in the area. Attendance was never more than 70% per child. The reason for this was a mixture, caused by potato picking, helping on farms, or simply playing truant. One child was expelled for an unmentionable deed. Some entries reveal the teacher's anxieties. An entry in 1893 reads: 'Harry Wedge swallowed a pin. It would be a help if teachers were told what to do on these occasions'.”
Women's Institute Meeting at Tong in the 1960s.
A villager took note of some of the schoolboy pranks that were played. In 1950 a historical drama 'The Spirit of Tong' was devised by Revd E. J. Gargery setting out the story of the village. By this time myth had become intertwined with historical fact.
“The characters, which are encountered, include Dame Isabella, the Vernons, through to King Charles and Little Nell. Some of the old legends are perpetuated. The character of Dame Elinor Harries speaks of the Tong Cup as a Ciborium. 'which had come from Holbein's day to mine' and she says 'I did bestow a vestment worked with skill And loving care; And by Cistercian Sisters, long ago, Embroidered well.' So the false stories, about the Tong Cup and the pulpit fall as a vestment, are perpetuated.”
Tong was awarded a Royal Charter in 1421 to hold an annual fair - the 'Tong Wake' by Henry III to mark St. Bartholomew's Day.
“Probably some of these games related to different times of year. But the main social event was the Tong Wake. King Henry III, had granted this feast to Tong in 1421, along with a weekly Thursday market. Both events were to be held in the grounds of Tong Manor. The wake was meant to be held on St Bartholomew's Day (24th August), but was transferred to St Matthew's Day (21st September), to ensure the completion of the Harvest. The Wake lasted several days, and involved lots of sports, races and games. These included chasing a pig or a sheep with a greased tail, climbing a greasy pole, and eating treacle buns. The women's races had gowns as prizes. A week before the Wake, everybody would be cooking, and baking pies, puddings, and joints of meat. There were barrels of beer, and much jollity.”
This web site has an online resource that lets you search for a person or a place in Tong for the census years 1841 through to 1901. Follow this link to start your search.
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