James and Hannah Bolstridge arrived at Ratcliffe Culey about 1790 their 3 previous children born and baptised at Meriden. The process of enclosure had only started in 1767 and a lot of new families settled there in the succeeding 30 years. Some came as small farmers and some as labourers on the new farms carved out of the open field system. The main landlord was the church controlling some 500 acres of glebe though much of Ratcliffe was acquired by the Witherley estate in later years.

Ratcliffe was a small agricultural village and could not support more that 200 - 240 inhabitants and therefore their sons tended to move out of the village on maturity. A Bolstridge presence was maintained in the village however well into the twentieth century due in no small measure to the availability of non agricultural work nearby at Atherstone and the local coal mines. The Bolstridges from Ratcliffe Culey prospered and were the origins of the vast majority of Boulstridges found in Hurley, Dordon and Baddesley areas in the 19^th century.