Between 1580 and 1730 Poole grew: from a small town, the size of a large secondary school today (around 1400 people), by nearly three times.
By the end of the period Poole had reached something of a ‘hey-day’; a time when the local economy had transformed. The built form of much of what we know today as Old Town had been transformed too. Georgian times saw many fine buildings being built in the town, many still here and celebrated today. These changes, in large part, derived from the creation of businesses to do with the Cod fishing/ processing and trade, the Clay and Stone resources of the area and many other related activities. Trade with the Channel Islands was present throughout the period and coastal shipping activity grew significantly. International trade had also developed as the opening up of colonies in north America and the Caribbean had begun.
Wealthy families and dynasties resulted from these developments reflecting all of these activities. People who began as fishermen and ordinary seamen progressed to become captains and Masters of vessels and traders in their own right. Some early ones are covered in parts of our work. Others came later, as such businesses became more profuse and profitable in the C18th.