This would give 735 houses in Oldham and 262 houses in Chadderton. The number of inhabitants may easily be ascertained, reckoned at 6½ persons to each house. (This was the usual number in a household at that period, more than one family living in a house). I am not sure that this would be the correct number of people in 1795, as these Government levies were often made on old returns, and Oldham had thriven very fast since 1775 on account of the introduction of the cotton trade. It will also be noticed that mention is not here made of Crompton and Royton townships. E. Butterworth estimates the number in all the four townships at about 9,480 in 1792. If we take the townships of Royton and Crompton as containing the same number of houses as Chadderton this estimate is not far wrong. Ana Peggy, wife of Thomas Mannocks, keeper of the Cheshire Cheese, Oldham died. April 5th – A treaty of the peace concluded at Bassle, in Switzerland, between the Republic of France and the King of Prussia. The Prince of Wales married the Princess Caroline of Brunswick, his own cousin. And a party of recruits of the 93rd, with George Rowbottom, marched on their rout for Londonderry. April 9th – A letter was received from Bottany Bay, and I am sorry to say it brings the melancholy tidings of the death of Wm. Booth, late of Royton, this person formerly residing at Royton, and followed the occupation of butcher, fustian manufacturer, and kept the first inn in Royton, carrying on the above business, in a very extensive line; was a sober, industrious person, and was consequently a person of great credit, but when at the highest pitch of splendor, and believed to be a person who by his industry to have amassed a deal of property, Dame Fortune frowned, he became embarrassed in his circumstances, and in this delima he forged several fictious names to bills of exchange; he became a bankrupt, to the surprise of the country, and it being believed that deal of fraud was practised to conceal his affects. He was taken into custody for the fictious bills. In August, 1782, he appeared at the bar at Lancaster, but the prosecutor did not frame a bill against him. He was removed to York, and in March 1789, was found guilty of forging these fictious names, and received sentence of death, but through the interference of his friends, which were still numerous, his sentence was changed to transportation for seven years. April 25th – Beef sold at 6d. per lb. at Oldham this day, and flour at 2s. 6d. per peck.
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A clodding match. – Robert Ogden, commonly called Robin o’th’Quakers, of Northmoor, for a trifling wager, threw a stone 165 yards, one road, and 185 the other. One hundred a sixty yards was the given length. April 23rd – The trial of Warren Hastings for high crimes and misdemeanour while governor of India concluded, when he was acquitted. This trial commenced Feb. 11th. 1788, before the peers. It should have been mentioned in its proper place that in January last, Mary, daughter of John Schofield, of Top o’th’Maggott-lane, died, aged 20; disorder a fever. April 30th – Uncommon fine weather, but every necessary of life advances astonishingly, so that the poor experience the most afflicting tortures. May 1st – Sally, daughter of Jos. Travis, of Top-o’th’Moor, died, aged 19 years; disorder, a fever. May 3rd – The coroner took an inquest on the body of a child at Milkstone, which died in consequence of drinking some boiling water out of a teakettle spout. May 2nd – Oldham fair and a very fine day. A deal of company and those persons who bear the name of Jacobines were much insulted by the ignorant and impudent blackguards. Party spirit evidently ran high in Oldham even at this early date. Of course, the Jacobins were in a great minority, but the growing discontent of the people from various causes strengthened the hands of the Jacobins, and no doubt Oldham fair would be a convenient time for both parties to parade their opinions. In the history of parties in Oldham this growing spirit of opposition is a prominent feature. In a treatise like this it is important that party spirit should be altogether eliminated. There can be no doubt that the small band of Jacobins scattered through the country at this time formed the nucleus of what afterwards became the body of Reformers, who, persistent in their demands for an improved representation of the people in Parliament, eventually succeeded in obtaining the Reform Bill of 1832. They were the salt of the great Liberal party, and the agitation which they commenced led up to great changes in our election system, as the country became ripe for these changes being made. Perhaps the advanced opinions of the Jacobins rather hindered than otherwise the cause of reform. “Billy Pitt” was evidently a man of progress, and from what even Radical historians say of him would have granted reforms had it not been considered yielding to the wants of extreme partisans. |
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ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. XIX 1794-5 June 12th – Died, Mr. James Windle, chemist, druggist, and apothecary, Oldham. June 16th – Died, far advanced in years, Betty Holden, of Holden-fold. May 1st – Mr. John Lees, of Church-lane, paid his first payment as part of the purchase for the lordship or manor of Werneth. There were ringing of bells and other demonstrations of joy on this occasion. Price £30,000. For particulars of the purchase, I must refer my readers to “Old Homesteads,” Werneth. James Barnes, weaver, of Uinnook, very much bruised by being jammed between a wall and a cart wheel, at Lane End. June 12th – Two of the Oxford Militia shot this day. In consequence of the high price of bread several regiments broke out into acts of riot and mutiny. The Oxford Militia in particular were very forward. (This disturbance occurred in April and May). Two of the Oxford, Sykes and Lawson, were hanged at Horsham, on the 13th; and two of the Oxford, Edward Cook and Henry Parrish, were shot, and several whipped. June 9th – Death of Louis, son and heir of the late Louis XVI., King of France, in the Temple, Paris. He was born March 27th, 1785. June 15th – The soldiers of all regiments received orders a few days since that they must have beef and mutton 4½ d per lb., and bread at 4lb. for 5d.; Government pays the rest. The condition of the English army at that time was a standing disgrace to this country. Tradition still lives of one old man who lived at Lees during this war. He had received letters from his son, serving at that time as a soldier in Ireland, stating the deplorable condition he was in. Hearing one day that his son’s regiment was on its way back to Liverpool, the old man at once ordered his wife to set the iron pot a-boiling, which she soon did, filled with what at that time were called “pot-balls”, or “pot-boes”.
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The bakestone was also called into requisition, and a supply of “thar-cake” was baked. As soon as these could be got ready, with a “bunting bag” over his shoulder (which was a kind of double bag, made like a pillow-slip, only longer), in which he put the pot-balls at one end, and, to keep his balance true, the “thar-cake” at the other, he set off the same night on foot for Liverpool to meet his son, and to supply him with such nourishments as his poor pantry would afford. I once heard a greybeard give old Miles’ description of this journey. It was striking twelve at midnight as old Miles walked past Eccles Old Church. He got to Liverpool soon after daylight, and had not long to wait before his son “Robin’s rigiment londed. He never seed a feawer lot o’ soldiers in his life. As for theer Robin, his red jacket wur eawt at th’ elbows, his toes wur upo’ th’ ground, an’ he wur so clemmed ut his face wur as covered wi’ done (down) as a potbo’ nine days owd, un every mon i’th’rigiment wur worried oather wi’th’itch or scurvy”. A letter, received from Frank Thomson, and to the inexpressible joy of his wife, he is in health, contrary to the report of a letter which said he was dead, for which see page 22. June 23rd – The city of Copenhagen, in Denmark, nearly destroyed by fire. June 21st – The north wind still continues to blow with great velocity, attended with strong frost, and last night it froze so astonishingly that still waters were froze over, and potatoe wistles and other tender plants were destroyed. June 23rd – A great riot at Birmingham on account of the high price of provisions. The magistrates called in the aid of the militia, who fired on the mob, whereby one was killed and several wounded. June 21st – Salisbury, or Old Sarum, Wiltshire. The unparalleled frost which happened last night, has killed several hundred of sheep in this neighbourhood, owing to their being new shorn. June 25th – A lamentable misfortune. Thomas Beswick, bricklayer, of Boggart Hole, Oldham, while repairing a chimney at Priest Hill, fell off the house and was killed on the spot. June 28th – It is with the greatest pleasure we announce that the price of weaving is considerably advancing, especially light goods. Thirty-six nankeens, which were wove last winter at 16s. per piece, is now 26s., and other light goods in proportion. It must not be denied that strong fustian is advancing, especially nine shaftcords. |
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