ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. IV 1788 Much robing of orchards in this month of September, 1788, for on the night of the 19th some daring villains robed Mrs. Taylor’s orchard, and in order to be secure they fastened the doors of Mrs. Taylor’s and Neddy Cheetham. And the following evening some villains broke into the henroost belonging to the late Edmund Wolstencroft of Coldhurst-lane stole the bodys of three hens and one cock, and left the heads in the roost. Wolstencroft, Martha, relect of the late Edmund Wolstencroft, died September 24th, 1788. In the month of August, 1788, the disorder called the influenza prevailed very much all over Endland, and there died some few; they were affected by a great pain in the lims, a sore throat, and in recovering they were subject to sweat prodigiously, and the flesh wasted astonishingly, and left them very weak and lowe. (I find no mention of this in the ordinary list of epidemics.) ROBBERY – Edmund Simpson, of Humphrie-lane, returning from Manchester, was attacked near the Yew Tree, Moss-road, by two foot-pads, who with pisttill and severe threats robbed him of his watch and three guineas in money, September 27th, 1788. (This gentleman was probably overseer of Chadderton, afterwards mentioned herein.) Samuel Barlow, of Henhouse, Royton, robbed on the new road, near Werneth, of some money, October 1st, 1788. One can only speak here generically of the Barlow family. It is a fine old Lancashire family hailing from Barlow Hall, near Manchester. It gave us good Bishop Barlow, of Rochester and Lincoln, who was a favourite preacher before Queen Elizabeth, and is said to have been “one of the ripest in learning of all his predecessors.” The Barlows have been settled in Oldham for nearly three centuries. ‘Torney Barlow’s name was once familiar as a household word in Oldham. He was a member of the firm of Whitehead and Barlow, now Messrs. Wrigley and Claydon. He took great interest in our local history.
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His son, Mr George Barlow, was Mayor of Oldham in 1858-9. From another branch of the Barlow family, we have Mr. Thomas Oldham Barlow, who was born, I am told, near the bottom of Church-lane, and whose world-wide name and fame as an engraver must always add a lustre to his native town. Howard, John, of Hill Top, Chadderton, a considerable swailer, died October 4th, 1788. Disorder, a fever. Jackson, James, commonly cald “Old Greens”, died July 1st, 1788. From February to October 1788, the fustian branch received a severe stab owing to so many houses failing, and those that stood their ground taking advantage and grievously oppressing the poor. William Horton, Esquire, of Chadderton; his birthday and age 21 years October 21st, 1788. Wednesday, October 22nd, 1788 – This being the yearly day at Oldham, Mr. Fawcet preached before the members of the sick club societys, from Thessalonians 2nd, 3rd chapter and 10th verse; and uncommon fine apples were sold at one shilling per peck, or one penny per pound. I have not been able to discover when the first friendly society was formed in Oldham, but these societies seem to have been in a flourishing condition in 1788, when it would seem they in a body proceeded to the church to hear a sermon from Mr. Fawcett. This was five years prior to the “Rose Act” being passed, which was the first legal enactment concerning clubs of this nature. It would seem that these clubs at first caused some little uneasiness in the minds of some members of the Government, who feared lest they should be made the means of spreading sedition among the lower orders during the perilous times of rapine and bloodshed marked by the French Revolution. These fears, however, proved groundless. The clergy often associated themselves with these clubs, either by preaching annual sermons on their behalf or by becoming actual members. Among the names of the members of the “Brewis” Club (a friendly society), held at the Grapes Inn, Hey, about the latter end of the last century, I find the name of the Rev. John Beckett, incumbent of Hey Chapel. These clubs were often made the means of fraternising between the clergy and people. I have wondered if apples were distributed among the processionists. ------ makes mention that the price of apples be made as if a part of the event. |
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Sunday, October 26th, 1788. Mr. Greenwood preacht his first sermon in Oldham Church. Text, 2nd Corinthians, 13 chap, 11 verse. Radcliffe, Betty, Miss, formerly of Foxdenton, but late of Manchester, was buried at Oldham, Nov. 12th, 1788; disorder, a consumption; age 50 years. Scofield, Mary, daughter of John Scofield, of Beartrees, died Nov. 9th, 1788; disorder, a consumption; age 29 years. Nov. 13th, 1788, one George Melladew was taken to the sessions at Oldham by John Wolstencroft, special constable, James Ashton, constable, Edmund Simpson, and James Butterworth, overseers, to give bond upon bastardy, but notwithstanding the vigilence of the gentlemen of Chadderton, he made a clear escape. The following is a copy of a warrant then issued in cases of bastardy, where the bastard child was likely to become chargeable to the parish, and will explain what is meant by giving bond upon bastardy:- Lancashire to wit To the Constables of the Township of Oldham in the County of Lancaster, and to all Constables and Peace Officers in the said County. Whereas, Alice ----, of Oldham, in the said county, single woman, hath voluntarily, upon oath, declared before me, ----------- , one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace and Quorum for said county, that she believes herself to be with child, of a bastard child, or children, which when born is, or are, likely to become chargeable to the said township of Oldham, and whereas she, the said Alice, hath on her oath, charged Christopher -----, of -----, in the said county, carter, with having gotten her with child, of the said bastard child or children, and that her is the true and only father thereof. These are therefore, in his Majesty’s name, to command you, and every of you, that you do immediately, on sight thereof, apprehend the said Christopher -----, and bring him before me, or some other of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for this county, to be committed to the common gaol, or some house of correction of this county, unless he shall give security to indemnify the said township of Oldham, or shall enter into recognizances with sufficient surety upon conditions to appear at the next general Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be holden for this county, to abide and person such order or orders as shall be made, in pursuance of this statute in such case made and provided, and in the meantime to be of good behaviour to his Majesty and all his subjects, and especially towards the said Alice.
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It may be noticed here that the first peti session was held in Oldham in 1788, and that the magistrates were Sir Watts Horton, of Chadderton Hall, and Joseph Pickford, Esq., of Royton Hall. Walking match from Northmoor to Littleborough, Nov. 16th 1788 betwixt Abraham Taylor and a Yorkshireman; won by the former. Time 1h 25m. Wood, Thomas, son of Jenny Wood, died Nov 17th, 1788, age 2 days. Money lost by Michl. Rowbottom, on the 9th of Nov., 1788. There was 13 guineas, and was found the same morning by two boys. Hilton, Daniel, innkeeper, of bottom of Greenacres Moor, died Nov. 23rd, 1788. Dalton, James, Joyner and Carpinter, of Oldham, died Nov. 26th, 1788. Robbery. – Thomas Cresswell, of Lees, was robbed has he was going to Stockport Market, of his purse, containing 40 guineas, by a single footpad, Nov. 28th, 1788. The family of Cresswell, of Lees, was highly respectable. The family residence was in what is now Lees-square. Thomas Cresswell was connected with Hey Chapel in 1748, probably as a leading member of the congregation, and in 1771 as warden. He is described as “Mr.,” a distinction in those days worthy of note. How frequently highway robberies happened in those days. Baines says:- “The winter of 1789-90 was marked with robberies and other outrages, resembling in point of atrocity and the mode of their execution those which occur so frequently in Ireland. Gangs on armed ruffians nightly attacked houses in the neighbourhood of Manchester and Salford, and the inhabitants were at length obliged to have recourse to armed patrols in different parts of the town and neighbourhood. This security was not found sufficient for the public safety, and it was not till an example was made of the perpetrators of the crimes that the suburbs of the town could be considered secure.” This statement quite agrees with these chronicles, as shown by the frequent mention of similar outrages in the neighbourhood of Oldham, only that they seem to have been going on in the winter of 1788-9. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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