This from Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Volume 6, 1843. In the original printed version, it really does say “199 houses, occupied by 290 families”, but I (EJW) do believe it was a misprint for “209 families”, because (a) they really would struggle to fit into the available houses, and (b) 209 = 207 English + 2 Irish and (c) 209 = 197 bibles + 12 without and (d) 209 = 161 CofE + 29 dissenters + 17 + 2. So I have changed the number from the original 290 to 209 and now it makes more sense.
Statistics of an Agricultural Parish in Bedfordshire. Collected by John Edward Martin, Esq., Froxfield, Eversholt, near Woburn.
The parish to which these memoranda relate is that of Eversholt, containing 199 houses, occupied by 209 families, of whom 207 are English, and 2 Irish.
Male children 200
Female children 180
Adult males 239
Adult Females 264
Aged and infirm males 1
Aged and infirm females 26
Total Population 926
Number of families possessing Bible or Testament 197
Number of families not possessing any religious book …. 12
Number of families professing to belong to the Church of England 161
Number of families professing to be dissenters 29
Number of families of no exclusive religious profession.. … 17
Number of families who do not attend public worship …. 2
6 families read the Northampton Mercury (Whig paper.)
6 families read the Weekly Chronicle.
1 family reads the Weekly Despatch.
1 family reads Bell’s Messenger.
57 houses contain miscellaneous pictures.
1 house contains serious pictures.
The average rent of cottages in this parish is £3. per annum.
Most of the cottages have allotments of 20 poles each, for which they pay 5s per annum, being at the rate of £2. per acre.
24 male children attend day and Sunday school.
21 female children attend day and Sunday school.
22 male children attend Sunday school only.
27 female children attend Sunday school only.
24 male children attend infant school.
18 female children attend infant school.
136 Children receiving instruction.
The daily scholars pay 2d. per week.
The infant scholars pay 1d. per week.
Total weekly payments of the children attending school 8s. 7d.
March 15th, 1843.