August 9th – Judith, wife of Simeon Holding, of Holden Fold, entered at Royton this day. Last night, or early this morning, the warehouse of Messrs. Clegg, hatters, Bent, Oldham, was robbed of a large quantity of hats, with wich the villains made clear off. August 11th – Died Thomas Rowland, master of the George Inn, Oldham, disorder consumption. August 16th – Yesterday, an uncommon day for rain and wind, wich is very detrimental to the grass, both cut and uncut. There is the greatest quantity of grass ever known by the oldest person living. It is in most places a double crop, but through uncommon wet wheather I am afraid a great deal of it will be spoiled, for a weter, colder, dirtier haytime was never remembered. I have heard say that during this year one of my grandfather’s mowers one night left his scythe in the meadow of Knowls-lane, and in the morning his scythe was buried in snow. This would be in the May or June. August 17th – Flood on Sauterday morning. It begun a raining with the wind south; sometimes it veered to south-east. It rained to such a degree that the waters rose astonishingly. At Craig Clough it swept a loom-house away with such velocity that a part of the looms were found nearly at Middleton. At Chadderton its velocity was great, and its appearance terefick. It swept away a house, and thrut the inhabitants into the greatest consternation. The inundation was general all over the country. In Saddleworth it swept 3 bays of the largest factory, situate at the bottom of Greenfield. It destroyed most of the mill wairs, dams, &c., all over the country; swept away a great number of bridges; swept away a vast quantity of hay, and laid all low lands under water, and left them covered with mud, sand, &c. Happily no person lost his life, but some few cows, horses, and sheep lost their lives by the current washing them away. Upon the whole, it was the greatest flood ever remembered in this country. This mill is no doubt known as Bottomley’s, and has had some unfortunate experiences in the shape of floods.
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Even within living memory the floods have done great damage to this valley. Not many years ago one of these floods was attended with loss of life. August 21st – Early this morning the celebrated pedestrian, John Wood, of Northmoor, set out from Oldham to walk to Manchester for a considerable wager. He set out from the Britaniah Tavern, and walked to New Cross, Manchester. He was allowed one hour and four minutes, but performed with east in one hour, one minute, and 35 seconds. Bets at starting: 2 to 1 he won. This was evidently a good record. We seem to have progressed in many things, especially where machinery is involved. Perhaps a walking contest or a race is as good a test of merely human powers as anything. The distance was 6½ miles, in little over 61 minutes. This record is considerably beaten to-day. An uncommon deal of wimberry this year, although they sold as high as 4d. per quart. August 17th – The Bishop of Chester confirmed 6,011 young persons at Manchester this day. August 28th – The wet weather still continues. August 31st – Was Oldham rushbearing Saturday, which was very wet, cold day, and extreme few company, and owing to the wretchedness of the times there were only two rushcarts, one from Cowhill and one from Nimble Nook. September 1st. – Was Oldham rushbearing Sunday, which was a very fine day, and a tolerable deal of company. September 2nd. – Was Oldham rushbearing Monday; a fine day and two rushcarts. September 9th – The archers commenced their annual shooting at Chadderton Hall this day. There were very few archers and very little company. |
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ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. XXI September 21st – There has been about a fortnight of exalent, fine weather, wich has made the earth to smile, but within this few days it has again turned to bitter cold and rain, wich as caused meal and flour to rise astonishingly. Meal is now selling at Oldham as high as 2s. 2d., and flour 2s. 8d. a peck. September 23rd – Extreme wet cold weather still continues, and all the neccessarys of life advancing, weaving of all sorts lowering, calicoes 6d. a cut; fustian every day is still lower and lower. Great fall of cotton. This article of commerce, the very best for weaving velveteens, &c., is now selling at 2s. 8d. a pound, and inferior sorts between 2s. and 2s. 6d. September 30th – The cold and chilly weather still continues, to the great dettrement of all sorts of grain, &c. September 28th – Died, wife of Joseph Poole, grocer, Oldham; disorder, child bed. October 7th – Died, John Mills, Taylor, Chappell-street, Oldham; disorder, consumption. October 5th – It is a shocking circumstance to relate that meal is now selling from 2s. 3d. to 2s.5d. per peck, and flour, 2s. 8d. to 2s. 10d. per peck; cotton, 2s. to 2s. 5d. per pound. October 13th – The most dismal times present to our view ever remembered. The season still continues so wet and cold that the fruits of the earth are all blighted, crippled, or starved, for a great deal of flowers and grain have never ripened or come to perfection, but have withered away the same as untimely buds, wich sometimes buds at Christmas. Roses, honnisucles, and a deal of flowering srubs have perrished before they fully blowed or ripened. The air is as cold as in December. The earth is wet and soft as in a wet January. Evereything has the most terrafick and gloomey appearance, such as never was known before. There is a deal of corn – say oats – wich, for lack of sun, will never ripen this season. Tradition says that the year 1735 was a similar year, but what must become of the poor? God have mercey on us. October 14th – Oldham this day meal sold at 2s. 7d.; flour, 3s. 2d. a peck.
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And the Badgers in and about Chadderton sold this day meal 2s. 8d. a peck, twelve pond. October 21st – Oldham. – This day meal sold at 2s. 6d., flour 3s. 1d., apples 1s. 4d. a peck, damson plums 3½ d. a quart, potatoes 1s. a stroke. October 23rd – Last night died John Hilton, of Holdenfold. October 28th – This day, at Oldham, meal 2s. 7d. and 2s. 8d. 12 pond a peck. Flour same as last week. And this day a large mob of people from Saddleworth and the neighbourhood of Oldham assembled in Oldham, who gave the Badgers notice to lower the price of flour and meal, or else they would come on Thursday next and retail out at a lower price. From thence they went peaceably home. October 30th – Last night died Benjamin Ward, butcher, Oldham. Disorder, consumption. October 31st – This day the mob assembled according to their promise, and took al the meal and flour they could light on on the road, and sold it out – flour 2s. and meal 18d. a peck, and reserved the money for the owners. November 1st – The mob assembled again on the new road leading to Ripponden. They came chiefly from Saddleworth, and they took possession of 8 loads of flour wich they retailed out on the road at 2s. a peck. November 3rd – Died, John, son of Daniel Bardsley, of Maygate-lane, age 23 years. Disorder a fever. November 4th – William Brierley, of Chadderton-fold, in a fit of insanity, drowned himself in a pond called Clogger Pond. He was not found until the day following. Age 64 years. November 4th – This day meal 2s. 9d.; flour, 3s. to 3s. 3d. a peck. November 11th – This day meal 2s. 8d. to 3s.; flour, 3s. 6d. to 3s. 8d. a peck. November 13th. – Last night Ellen Hide, alias Nell of Flutes, of Oldham, fell down the cellar steps at the Black Horse, Failsworth, and was killed on the spot. November 16th – Last night, died Morton, of Stalybridge. He had the misfortune to break his thigh a few days since. And this morning was found dead in a field near Nod, Chadderton, wife of John Fenton. It is supposed she died in consequence of a fit. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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