William Marshall (agricultural writer)
Encyclopedia
William Marshall was a leading writer on 18th century English agriculture
. He was an early proponent of the establishment of a state-sponsored body to promote improved farming standards and agricultural colleges. He was born the younger son of William and Alice, yeoman farmers, in Sinnington
, in North Yorkshire
, England
. Marshall left home at the age of 14 and worked in commerce in London
and the West Indies for fourteen years. At the age of 28 he had what he thought was a miraculous recovery from illness, and determined to devote himself in future to the study of agriculture. He had already been pursuing the study in his spare time and he thought that the proper area for analysis should be the natural agricultural district rather than the regions demarcated by county
boundaries. He also thought that no less than twelve months' personal observation and practical experience of farming in an area was needed before a realistic assessment could be made. This method of research differed from his contemporaries in that others, notably Arthur Young, his great rival, investigated farming practices by cursorily touring a county and interviewing the inhabitants. In pursuit of this belief, in 1774 Marshall rented a farm near Croydon
, Surrey
, and four years later he published an account of his experiences. Marshall did not, however, have Young's lively writing style and his status as an internationally renowned agricultural expert.
In 1780 Marshall applied for a grant from the Society of Arts to conduct his research in another area of England, but the committee, which included Arthur Young, turned down his request. Instead Marshall found employment as an estate manager first in Norfolk
and then Staffordshire
to fund his research and writing. Subsequently he lived and worked in a number of places throughout England. In 1798 he finally completed an ambitious twelve-volume study of England's Rural Economy. He was also employed as a landscape gardener, writing three books on the subject.
When the Board of Agriculture was finally created in 1793, after many years of lobbying by Marshall, the post of Secretary went to Young. Marshall disliked the Board's decision to quickly write surveys of counties, yet he contributed the report covering the central Highlands of Scotland. He married Elizabeth Hodgson in 1807 at the time when he was pursuing his second ambition, a Review and Abstract of the Board's county surveys. This Review, which was in five volumes published over ten years, was highly critical of the quality of the Board of Agriculture reports.
In his reviews Marshall was scathing about Young, once comparing him to 'superficial charlatans'. When he died in 1818, Marshall was building an agricultural college at his home in Pickering
, in his native county of Yorkshire
. Today this building houses the Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life, rather a fitting use for this fine Grade II* Listed Building.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. He was an early proponent of the establishment of a state-sponsored body to promote improved farming standards and agricultural colleges. He was born the younger son of William and Alice, yeoman farmers, in Sinnington
Sinnington
Sinnington is a village and civil parish in the Ryedaledistrict of the county of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 UK census, the parish has a total population of 318 people living in 148 households....
, in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Marshall left home at the age of 14 and worked in commerce in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the West Indies for fourteen years. At the age of 28 he had what he thought was a miraculous recovery from illness, and determined to devote himself in future to the study of agriculture. He had already been pursuing the study in his spare time and he thought that the proper area for analysis should be the natural agricultural district rather than the regions demarcated by county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
boundaries. He also thought that no less than twelve months' personal observation and practical experience of farming in an area was needed before a realistic assessment could be made. This method of research differed from his contemporaries in that others, notably Arthur Young, his great rival, investigated farming practices by cursorily touring a county and interviewing the inhabitants. In pursuit of this belief, in 1774 Marshall rented a farm near Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and four years later he published an account of his experiences. Marshall did not, however, have Young's lively writing style and his status as an internationally renowned agricultural expert.
In 1780 Marshall applied for a grant from the Society of Arts to conduct his research in another area of England, but the committee, which included Arthur Young, turned down his request. Instead Marshall found employment as an estate manager first in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and then Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
to fund his research and writing. Subsequently he lived and worked in a number of places throughout England. In 1798 he finally completed an ambitious twelve-volume study of England's Rural Economy. He was also employed as a landscape gardener, writing three books on the subject.
When the Board of Agriculture was finally created in 1793, after many years of lobbying by Marshall, the post of Secretary went to Young. Marshall disliked the Board's decision to quickly write surveys of counties, yet he contributed the report covering the central Highlands of Scotland. He married Elizabeth Hodgson in 1807 at the time when he was pursuing his second ambition, a Review and Abstract of the Board's county surveys. This Review, which was in five volumes published over ten years, was highly critical of the quality of the Board of Agriculture reports.
In his reviews Marshall was scathing about Young, once comparing him to 'superficial charlatans'. When he died in 1818, Marshall was building an agricultural college at his home in Pickering
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
, in his native county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. Today this building houses the Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life, rather a fitting use for this fine Grade II* Listed Building.