A Békés Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 36. (Békéscsaba, 2012)
Szabó ferenc: A körösladányi Wenckheim-uradalom 1839-ben
A körösladányi Wenckheim-uradalom 1839-ben Description of the Körösladány Wenckheim estate in 1839 - Ferenc Szabó - Resume Körösladány is located downstream river Sebes-Körös. In 1839 it was an agricultural settlement with 4,671 inhabitants speaking Hungarian. Its landlord at the time was the Wenckheim family who, due to their military merits, had been awarded baron’s rank at the end of the 18th century, with their male line having become extinct, and having formed marital relationships with the Harruckern family. The inventory made with the contribution of the two county jurors, was accomplished on the request of baroness Terézia Orczy, widow of József Wenckheim (1778-1830, once prefect of Arad county), who had worked especially hard for Hungarian horse breeding. Actual husbandry in 1839, at the time of the unfolding of Hungarian Reform Era, was managed by both baron Béla Wenckheim (1811-1879), second prefect to Békés county and parliamentary ambassador, prefect in 1848 and minister after 1867, as well as by his younger brother, László (1814-1879). The estate worked following the experiences of the two Wenckheims in England and Germany and contemporary boom. Based on serfs’ robot service, the estate realized field production (wheat, oats, corn) and highly prestigious animal husbandry beyond contemporary standard (horses of English blood, dairy cattle, mass sheep keeping for wool production). Fruit and vegetable gardening were also established. Available market places and prices are also indicated in the inventory. The detailed and authentic county description, while settling family property, precisely registering real estate and the animal property, gives an itemized list of incomes and expenditure without revaluating property. The inventory provides a thorough and proper description of the overall residential flock forming part of the family estate as follows: object location, function, state, exact dimensions, wall and roof materials, construction technology solutions, internal division, main furniture units, building capacity and accessibility, environment (yards, fountains, gardens, groves). Based on the inventory balance, comprising the data of six years, the average yearly income of the estate was 67,028 Silver Forints with only 11,581 Silver Forints of expenditure. By a thorough assessment it can be revealed to what extent the serfs’ services and the special manorial benefits realized before their abolition in 1848, were represented in the estate’s income. Szabó Ferenc E-mail: drszaboferenc@t-online. hu 159
