Gideon's Chair

Chapter 3 Five Acres Nottinghamshire 1820

Chapter Three

Five Acres Nottinghamshire 1820

The two woodsmen heaved the heavy tomb lid into place . A horrible grating noise resounded across the graveyard causing birds to scatter into the sky except a lone magpie which watched the two men.

Sitting on an adjoining wall the elder woodsman instructed his junior helper

" Seal in now lad , seal the old devil in and lets go "

" You weren't calling him an old devil when he gave us two guinees each to do this for him " the younger replied out of breath.

" Just do as your told , let me smoke and watch your lip lad " 

An hour or so later both men stood back admiring there work.

" He wont climb outa that" the older weezed and coughing patting the tomb lid .

They had just laid Joshua Tutbury to rest in the family tomb in Five Acres . Only days earlier they had done the same for his daughter and wife .

"We had better go and let his son know the jobs done " the old woodsman said picking up his tobacco pouch.

They set off beyond the Old Coaching Road in the direction of the Giant Tutbury Mill in the lower valley .

"Very tragic "  the young man mumbled turning to his old friend

"What is lad" the old man picked tobacco from his yellow teeth , wiping his hands on his shirt front .

" Well , a family wiped out ....him back int cemetery , tha knows ...the Judge....all we in two months " the young mans dialect more pronounced as he tried to emphasise his point.

The Joshua Tutbury Mill loomed like a great smokey city beneath them , vast chimneys billowed smoke into the all ready dark sky, like a mist over a valley , the sun never broke through the industrial vastness of the mill. As far as the eye could see , mill after mill after mill covered the land.

" How come the son survived " the young man asked , kicking some branches from the path.

The old man held his sides wheezing " I don't know.....they hated each other , you know some say he wasn't his son anyway , but one things for sure I'm glad he's gone "

They walked slowly onto the valley path , still high over the mill , they started to descened into the mushroom cloud of smog over the area.

"How long you work for him " the younger asked , turning to the old man

" You ask too many questions lad ...erm I don't know ....ten years at the first place "

"Really ....what was he like then "

The old man stopped

" The devil then the devil now "

The young man laughed " You mean he's with the devil now ......Tell me about him "

Joshua Tutbury originated from Manchester , although some say Sheffield . At the age of twenty five he set up a tiny mill on the spot were the giant mill is now. It is said he double crossed another mill owner in the valley , but soon Tutbury was running both Pond Mill sites . Within five years he had built another smaller mill between the two and had started working on the reservoir above the valley . By diverting water to this dam he fooded one village and cut off the water supply to Riversdale . The land surrounding the villages belonged to him , so what could folk do ? About this time he built the Court House in the town , the warehouses and large coaching stations so he could ship his goods.....But lad , it was the court house were he was worst . Monday, Wednesday and Friday he would rise in the morning at 10am proclaiming