Dear list, Looking at records of the Overseers of the Poor in Alwalton today, I see that "the poor" were given allotments of "furz" which appeared to be measured in "kids". This was in the early 1800s. Can any of you enlighten this poor Yank as to what they were talking about? (And while we are at it, if someone living in Peterborough were described as a "cottager" in the mid-1800s, what would that have meant?) Thank you all. This is my first post. David Savignac Crofton, Maryland (Looking for LILLEY in Alwalton, Whittlesey, Peterborough)

David, A 'furze' is an alternative name for gorse, which is a small shrub which grows on scrub land. A 'kid' could be a faggot, or bundle of twigs of brushwood or gorse. A 'cottager' is one who lives in a small or humble dwelling house, for example an agricultural labourer. Reg Subject: Kids of furz > > Dear list, > > Looking at records of the Overseers of the Poor in Alwalton today, I see > that "the poor" were given allotments of "furz" which appeared to be measured in > "kids". This was in the early 1800s. > > Can any of you enlighten this poor Yank as to what they were talking about? > > (And while we are at it, if someone living in Peterborough were described as > a "cottager" in the mid-1800s, what would that have meant?) > > Thank you all. This is my first post. > > David Savignac > Crofton, Maryland > (Looking for LILLEY in Alwalton, Whittlesey, Peterborough) >