ANNALS OF OLDHAM

No. V

May, 1789. – Last night one Bradley, of Hollinwood, being assaulted in his own house by a gang of Mayers, he fired a loaded gun and dangerously wounded one Whitehead “Mayers”.

These were gangs of young fellows who went about on “May e’en” playing tricks on their neighbours. The night of 30th April was called “mischief neet”, and on this night it was the custom to visit quiet country places and carry away any loose property, and place it in some prominent position, so that it would meet the owner’s gaze on the following morning. Thus I have known all the mops, wheelbarrows, milk, cans, mugs, tubs, gates, or anything movable of this kind that could be found lying outside farmhouses or cottages, carried to the top of a neighbouring hill, and there piled up to be fetched away by the separate owners on the following morning. If the roof of a cottage was easily mounted the “Mayers” would decorate the chimney stalks with these articles. This was all done in fun, but many abuses were perpetrated in this way, and no doubt in the case named some trick was being played out of spite, hence the firing.

Son of John Newton (bread baker) of Ashton-under-Lyne, was killed by a cart wheel falling on him as they were greasing it, May 2nd, 1789, age 7.

Whitehead John, commonly called Old Pincher, of Stock-lane House, was buried at Oldham, May 6th, 1789.

Taylor, wife of George Taylor, shoemaker, of Oldham, died of a short sickness, May 14th, 1789; disorder, a spotted fever.

Ogden Joseph, of Bottom of Northmoor, formerly of Dunsters, died of a few days sickness, May 27th, 1789, age 82 years.

Taylor Abraham, of Thorp, died June, 10th, 1789, aged 85.

The Taylors of Thorpe are a very ancient family, and appear to have held land under the Standishes. In the year 1577 Edmund Taylor was a tenant, and paid 9d. towards a “fifteenth”, and Thomas Taylor paid 7d. at the same time. According to E. Butterworth, the Taylors of Thorpe were progenitors of the Taylors of Bent, who were progenitors of the Taylors of Lees, of whom Smith Taylor-Whitehead, Esq., late a candidate for Parliamentary honours for the borough of Oldham.

Wood, Mary, wife of George Wood, of Northmoor, died, after a tedious and long illness, June 14th, 1789; aged 62.

Gartside James, formerly of Northmoor, died at Oldham, June 20th 1789. Disorder, a consumption.

June 20th, 1789. – Was interred at Oldham, wife of Charles Stott, of Maggot-lane.

The Stotts are an old family in Oldham. “John Stot and his wife Elena” paid 2s. towards the poll tax, granted 4th Richard 2nd. I find the name of “Stotfield” in old documents. This is probably what is now called Scottfield.

Ann, wife of John Ashton, of Oldham, died June 12th, 1789, at the Sessions, at Joseph Taylor’s, Jonathan Mellor was committed to prison for 3 months for keeping a warp and cotton above the statute time.

In this case a warp had been given out with raw cotton, which was to be spun into a weft, probably by hand, and then woven into cloth, probably fustian, at the house of the weaver. The manufactured cloth (when returned) would be weighed against the weight of warp and raw cotton given out. The piece-master had to trust to the honest of the weaver returning the full weight of material given out, and it seems a time was fixed by statute for its return, with all thrums and remnants. Its retention beyond that time by the weaver was treated as a crime punishable by law. Looking down the Statute Book from the reign of Queen Anne thorough the reigns of the Georges, legislation on this matter was very frequent. It does not seem that a specific time was fixed for finishing the warp. This would depend on the work, but the master was allowed to enter the cottage of the weaver to satisfy himself that the work was in due progress. After the warp was finished eight days were allowed to return what was left of the warp and the cotton. If not returned within eight days the master could proceed against the weaver before a magistrate, and the penalty was imprisonment. In some of the older statutes the dishonest weaver was punishable by public whipping in the Market-place of the town or village where he lived. This was afterwards commuted to imprisonment for one month or upwards, according to the nature of what was called the embezzlement. Most of these old Acts were repealed in the earlier years of the reign of Queen Victoria.

Probably one of the many branches of the Duke of Bridgewater’s canal was then in process of formation or completion.

A girl of Bob Knott’s, of Holebottom, was unfortunately drowned at Holebottom, in Oldham, Aug. 2nd, 1789. Age, between 8 and 9 years.

Mr. Whittaker, Samuel, chandler and grocer, died at Oldham, Aug. 11, 1789. (see previous note)

Aug. 2nd, 1789. – This summer has been an uncommon wet one, particularly the last 7 weeks, it having rained uncommonly most of the time, through which the markets of provisions rose uncommonly high.

Ingham, John, Priest-hill, Oldham, being intoxicated fell upon the ground and immediately died, Sep. 1st, 1789.

Wednesday, Sep. 2nd, 1789. – There was a meeting of Freemasons at Oldham, when the Rev. – Wrigley preached before them from Romans, 13th chap., 10th ver.

Ashton, Joseph, of Cowhill, died of a few days sickness, Sep. 2nd, 1789.

Clegg, John, the younger, Timber merchant, of Oldham, was drowned at Liverpool, whilst bathing, Sep. 3,1789. He was buried at Blakeley. The text at his funeral was Deuteronomy, 33 chap., 29 ver.

A lamentable misfortune on Thursday, Sep. 17th, 1789. As Abraham Ingham and William Carr were drawing some old carbs out of a coal pit at Alkrington, the pit suddenly closed up and took down with it the headstocks and Richard Ramsden, the overlooker of the works, and inclosed them all in one grave. It was impossible to come at the dead bodies as the pit was nearly full of water so that their bodies will never be found. Ramsden left a wife and 12 children. Carr a wife and 3 children, and her pregnant. Ingham was married about a month, and has left a wife and another woman with child.

Lord, Charles, of Uinn Nook, died, after a painful and tedious illness, Oct. 1st, 1789. A consumption.

A most tremendous fire broke out at the Staffordshire warehouse at Duke’s Cut, Manchester, which burnt totally to the ground. The damages supposed to be £50,000; not insured for one penny. Oct. 1st, 1789.