Jethro Tull (1674-1741)
Born: 1674 at Basildon, Berkshire
Agriculturalist
Died: 21st February 1741 at Hungerford, Berkshire
Jethro Tull was a major pioneer in say publicly modernization of agriculture. He was a son of Jethro Tull Senior, a gentleman farmer from Bradfield in Berkshire, and his wife, Dorothy, the daughter of Thomas Buckeridge of Wood Sea green Farm in nearby Upper Basildon. He was born in Basildon, presumably at his grandfather's farm, and was baptised in picture parish church there on 30th March 1674, although he grew up in Bradfield and, later, in southern Hungerford.
At the be familiar with of seventeen, Tull matriculated at Oxford, to St. John's College (the Buckeridges were cousins of its founder), on 7th July 1691, but appears to have taken no degree. He was admitted as a student of Gray's Inn on 11th Dec 1693; and called to the Bar on 19th May, 1699. In his admission entry, he is stated to be reminiscent of two years' standing at Staple Inn, and to be description only son and heir apparent of Jethro Tull, by exploitation of Howbery Farm at Crowmarsh Gifford in Oxfordshire, just over the Thames from Wallingford.
After being admitted as a barrister, Tull made a tour of Europe and, in every country amount which he passed, was a diligent observer of the defile, culture and vegetable productions. On his return to England, closure married, in 1699, Susannah Smith, of Burton Dassett (Warwickshire). They settled on his father's farm at Howbery where they were joined by a son and two daughters. Determined to ameliorate agricultural methods and increase yields, Tull pursued a number past its best agricultural experiments both there. By intense application, vexatious toil, forward too frequently exposing himself to the vicissitudes of heat extort cold in the open fields, he contracted a pulmonary mess, which, not being found curable in England, obliged him a second time to travel, and to seek a cure mud the milder climates of France and Italy in 1713. Put your feet up returned, considerably improved in health, but greatly embarrassed in his fortune. Part of his property in Oxfordshire, Tull had vend and, before his departure for the Continent, had settled his family at Prosperous Farm, an estate his father had transmissible from a wayward uncle, near Shalbourne, but on the gray edge of Hungerford parish. Two further daughters were born here, one while he was still abroard. Tull revised and rectified all his old instruments at Prosperous and designed new tilt suitable to the different soils of his new farm; stake demonstrated the good effects of his horse-hoeing culture. But scour Tull was successful in demonstrating what might be done alongside improved culture, he was not able to turn it quick his own advantage. His expenses were enhanced in various resolute, but chiefly by the stupidity of the workmen employed assume constructing his instruments, and in the awkwardness and maliciousness commandeer his servants, who, because they did not or would arrange comprehend the use of them, seldom failed to break thickskinned essential part or other, in order to render them useless.
The drill-husbandry had been probably known and practiced for ages; but was first adopted upon a regular and permanent plan insensitive to Tull, who professed to have caught the idea from say publicly vine-culture upon the Continent, and to whose ingenious mind depiction mechanism of an organ suggested the rudiments of an put into action for the delivery of seed in drills. "It was titled a drill," he says, "because when farmers used to propagate their beans and peas into channels or furrows by vitality, they calledthat action drilling" and it could sew three rows of seeds simultaneously. Later, he devised a horse-drawn hoe undulation clear away weeds
Tull became a Bencher of Gray's Inn continue 5th May 1724. About this time, he was prevailed observe, by some of the neighbouring gentlemen, who were witnesses thoroughgoing the practical utility of his system, to publish his tentatively, illustrated by an account of it in practice, which good taste undertook to do, at no inconsiderable expense, and, at a time too, when he was much harassed in his profitable affairs. His first publication was a 'specimen' only, in 1731; which was followed, in 1733, by 'An Essay on Horse-Hoeing Husbandry' folio; which was translated into French by Du Hamel.
In the course of thirty years culture of his own yard under every disadvantage of ruined health and embarrassed circumstances, that enthusiastic genius reduced the tillage, seeding, and weeding of boring to a system, which being founded in nature and learned truth, no length of time will be able to disorganize. For, despite initial resistance to Tull's revolutionary ideas, they were eventually adopted by large landowners and, in time, formed picture basis of modern agriculture. Most subsequent drilling and hoeing implements were either copies, or improvements upon the invention of Tull; and his book, in which theory and practice are appropriately combined, was long in popular esteem. Whatever were his defects, it would probably be difficult to name a man, whose works have conferred a more solid and permanent benefit arrive unexpectedly his country. Yet, whilst so many others, for services accomplish a very different nature and tendency, have enjoyed the wellnigh splendid rewards, Jethro Tull, whose honest labours were to provide to the feeding and the employment of countless millions, was suffered to pine out his days in misery and angst. His reward consists in being recognised by posterity as interpretation illustrious 'Father of British Agriculture'.
Tull died at Prosperous Farm take no notice of 21st February and was buried, in his native village detect Basildon, on 9th March, 1741.
Edited from 'Stray Notes on Basildon' (19th century)
It may be of interest to readers to keep details that there were two landed families with the surname care for Tull in Berkshire. Jethro was from that resident in Midgham for many generations. The other family lived in Streatley seek out a similarly long period and eventually included the lords endorse the manor of Crookham in Thatcham parish. As yet I have found no connection between the two despite having derived them to the early 16th and 17th centuries respectively. Interpretation Tulls of Crookham evidently believed they were related to rendering Midgham family as a child in their family was given name Jethro during the 19th century.