“USE MORE WOOL.”

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 3238, 4 December 1930, Page 2

“USE MORE WOOL.”

• In the “good old days” the authorities always had a leaning toward the wool trade,, and although that blessed word safeguarding was unknown, the legislators were kept busy framing la\ts to promote the use of homegrown wool, states the Wool Record. This solicitude is exemplified in the Act of Charles 11. described as “an Act to foster the wool trade,” which ordained that the dead should go to their last long rest “wrapt in a shroud of sheep’s wool.” We are indebted to a Norwich correspondent for the following extracts from a book in a church at Upton, Norfolk: “Burials in Upton since the Ist of August, 1678, Robert Smith, ye sonne of Robert Smith, was buried ye 29th of September. Francis Hempson made oath before Robert Houghton, Justice of ye Peace, yt ye coffin of ye Robert Smith was not faced with anything, and yt his body was wrapt in a shroud of sheep’s wool onlie. Dated ye 4th day of October, 1678. Sealed and subscribed by those yt were present at ye swearing ye affidavit. Simon Woodrowe and Robert Smith.”

“John Mason, the sonne of Henri Mason, was buried ye Bth of December. Bridget Green made oath before Justice Houghton that when John Mason was buried there was nothing in the coffin but what was made of sheep’s wool, and the witnesses of ye affidavit were Thomas Noble and Henry Mason. Dated ye 13th day of December, 1678.”