Inland Transit/Attenborough
Mr. Robert Attenborough.—p. 67.
1. What are you?
A farmer.
2. And grazier?
Yes.
3. Where do you reside?
At Braybrooke.
4. How far is that from London?
Eighty miles.
5. Are you in the habit of attending Smithfield market?
Yes.
6. How often?
Once a week, from now till Christmas,
7. How long does it take you to perform the journey to and from?
Twelve hours up and down.
8. You are a salesman as well as a grazier?
Yes.
9. What time does it take you to and from, and to transact business in London?
Three whole days and one night; I go down in the night; generally come up on Saturday; then it takes me three days and nights.
10. If you do not come on Saturday, it takes you two days and nights?
Yes; I get home at four o'clock in the morning.
11. Do many other graziers and salesmen come from that neighbourhood?
Yes.
12. What is the expense of coach hire for each journey?
It is 1l. 12s, inside, and one guinea out.
13. The same to return?
Yes.
14. If there was a conveyance in your neighbourhood, with double the speed of travelling, at a reduction of price, that would be a great convenience to you and persons in your trade?
Yes; I have considerable business to attend to at home as a farmer.
15. Would the proposed Railroad, if carried into effect, be of advantage to you and persons in your situation?
Not as a salesman; but I think it would as a farmer and grazier.
17. Tell me in what instance it would be serviceable to you?
I think we could get our produce to market at a cheaper rate, and with less waste. I consider our cattle waste considerably by being driven up.
18. What is the present cost of driving up cattle from you to London?
Seven shillings in summer. There are people who drive them for 6s. 6d. It is 8s, in winter.
19. What advance of price would you be willing to pay rather than have your cattle suffer the deterioration of being driven to London?
I would pay 10s, a head more.
25. Would a Railroad be equally serviceable for sending dead meat which had been slaughtered in the country?
Yes.
30. What is the charge for driving a sheep?
One shilling a head.
31. How much additional charge would you be willing to incur to have your sheep conveyed?
I think more in proportion to the sheep, because they are longer on the road.
32. Your opinion as a farmer is, that you would be willing to pay more for sheep than beasts?
I have always understood that a sheep driven eighty miles wastes 8 lbs.; that is a stone.
33. At how much a stone?
About 4s. 6d, a stone; of course there would be a little waste if you travel by the Railroad.
36. Are you acquainted with the Northampton market?
Yes.
39. Do you think that additional buyers would be induced to attend the market if there was a Railroad conveyance in that neighbourhood?
Yes. I consider so. It is now brought there principally by corn dealers, and sent to market again by boat.
47. Do you not hold two farms?
Yes.
48. Are those two farms your own property, or held for any body else?
I hold one as an executor for my brother, and the other I rent.
49. Do you suppose if this Railroad was established that it would be an advantage to you, farming those two farms?
I consider it would, particularly to one I occupy as trustee for my brother; it passes very near to it.
50. Would the value of the farm be raised, in your opinion, by having the Railroad pass it?
I think so.