ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. XXXIX 1801 August 25, - Lancaster Assizes commenced, when John Stansfield, John Buckley, John Jackson, of near Chadderton, found guilty of administering elegal oaths. Seven years’ transportation each. August 22nd – Oldham meal and flour rose 2d. a peck. August 24th – Excellent fine weather still continues. August 29th – Meal and flour has taken a rapid rise, the former selling – old, 2s. 8d. and 2s. 9d. a peck ; new meal 2s. 11d. a peck ; flour 3s. 4d. a peck. No material alteration in anything else. August 29th was Oldham Rushbearing Sauterday. A fine day, but very thinly attended their where four rushcarts - viz., one from Northmoor, one from Cowhill, one from Treacle-street, and one from Bent Green. There was always an individuality about Treacle-street. Even at that early period it seems it sent its rushcart to Oldham. Have I not heard of its rushcart in after years? How that a native of Treacle-street, afterwards an ornament to his church and to his native village, did and would draw in the waighs of his local rushcart. Yea! though he had had a recent bereavement, and his friends thought it would be unseemly; and moreover he had crape on his hat. What of that? Let the dead bury their dead! Would not those red, white, and blue ribbons go round that hat and round the crape as well? His motto was, “This one thing I do.” And did he not draw in the waighs of that rushcart with his red, white, and blue ribbons round his hat and round the crape? And would he not have drawn in that rushcart if there had been as many devils in Worms - I mean Oldham - as there were tiles on the houses. One at least of his old playmates used to say that he did and would. All honour to Treacle-street. August 30th – Oldham Rushbearing Sunday; an excellent fine day. A deal of strangers, but in general two nymphs to one swain, wich may, in one instance, be attributed to this calamitouswar. This most agreeable and pleasant month is now ended, which for answering the ends of vegetation was never equiled.
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September 5th – At Oldham, meal (old) 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d., new 3d. a peck more; flour, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. a peck; potatoes, 8d. a score. September 12th – Meal at Oldham, old 2s. 2d. to 2s. 6d., new 2s. 6d. to 2s. 8d. a peck; flour, very good, 3s; American flour sold at the new warehouse 3s. a peck; apples 1s. to 1s. 8d. a peck; onions about 1d. a pond. Since this month came in, the following persons have died, viz.:- James Wolfenden, joyner, Fog-lane, Oldham; disorder, a fever. John Haywood, a glazier, Oldham; disorder, a fever. Nanny, wife of James Mellor. She was daughter of James Whittaker, keeper of the Swan Inn, Oldham. Her disorder was consumption. Likewise Old James Woolstencroft, of Maygate-lane, age 91 years. September 13th – Last night, wife of David Jackson, hatter, of Coldhurst-lane, fell upon the spindles of a spinning jenny with an infant child in her arms, when, a spindle having penetrated its head, it died in consequence of the wound. October 3rd – No material alteration in the price of provisions. On the 12th of September William Gallant, of Bolton, was executed at Lancaster, charged with seducing soldiers from their allegiance, and seven others for different offences. October 12th – Last night died John Whitehead, hatter, Maygate-lane ; disorder, consumption. PEACE This most happy event took place on the 1st day of this month in London. It arived at Manchester on the 3rd day, where universal joy shone forth with the greatest splendor. On the 11th, the news of the ratification of the preliminaries arived in this country. The greatest demonsterations of joy took place on the ocation. On the 12th, at night, a general ilumination took place at Oldham, where all kinds of people gave convincing proofs of their joy uppon the ocation. On the 15th a general ilumination took place at Manchester, where several bullocks and sheep where roasted whole, and given to the population on the ocation. A general joy to the height of enthuism pervaded all over the country, where bells where ringing, colours flying,and cannons roaring, and nothing but joy and happiness apeared in everey countinance. |
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This was but a short lived peace, some say a disastrous peace. It gave Napoleon breathing time. Napoleon himself spoke of it as a measure only necessary that he might restore and recruit his navy. The definitive treaty was settled at Amiens in the following year. But, oh, how weary the country was of this war! What piles of correspondence still exist, showing the popular discontent! And yet Oldham and the country generally grew under it. October 16th – The weather still continues to be the most seasonable ever remembered, so that the farmers are busy getting in their wheat into the ground for next year’s crop, and such achange has taken place as no one could have emagined, for all sorts of grain has had such afall as to astonish and delight the lower classes of people, for it is a fact that meal is now selling from 1s. 9d. to 2s a peck; flour, 2s. 6d. a peck; potatoes, 6d. a score; turnips, 2d. a peck; Joseph Parr, of Street Bridge, has sold at 2s. 6d. a load. To accomplish this great end, the Almighty has showered the greatest blessings upon us by the vast crops of everything he has sent us. It is not corn, and grass, and potatoes alone, but His blessing is extended to every tree, srub, and flower, for the oak is dubbly loaded with acorns. Likewise there is such a quantity of heps, haighs, and sloes, nuts, raspberrys, blackberrys, and, indeed, every root is doubly loaded with its vast products. At this time the earth is so covered with grass as to be rarely astonishing, so the present stock of cattle are not able to keep it within its proper bounds, and there has been such an astonishing quantity of all sorts of garden vegetables, that neither man nor beast have been able to dispense with them. October 17th – Manchester – meal, 35s.; flour, 43s. a load. And Oldham meal, 1s. 9d.; flour, 2s.3d. a peck; pottatoes, 6d. a score; old butter, 10d.; mutton. 8 1/2d.; beff, 8d.; brown sugar, 6d. to 8d.; rice, 3d.; and hops, 1s. 2d. a pond; apples, 1s. 6d. to 2s.; malt, 2s. 7d. a peck. October 14th was Oldham Fair. It was a wet day. A deal of horned cattle and swine, wich sold at an extravigant price. There was one blessing observeable-there was no recruiting sergeant nor air-renting militaria drum. This was only a calm before another storm. “Bony” was drawing himself up into an attitude, and directly would tell the world what he intended to do with England. This interval of peace is pleasant even to read about.
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On the 22nd of October they had their day of rejoycing on peace at Middleton, when a bull and several sheep were roasted whole, and given to the poppulance, with plenty of ale. The utmost joy apeared on almost every countynance. Notwithstanding they have been such stanch advocates for the late just and honourable wars as they termed it. November 7th – Oldham. Since my last, meal has advanced 5d., and sells now 2s. 2d.: flour, which was 2s. 3d., now 2s. 6d. a peck. Lately died Mally Ogden, relect of the late John Ogden of Chaderton Fold. Likewise Betty, relect of the late Robert Lees, of Maygate-lane. November 6th – Betty, wife of Major Bamford, glazier, of Oldham, died. November 8th was a grand fete at Thomas Buckley’s in honour of peace. The day and the night and part of the next day was spent with the greatest harmony and mirth, and in the morning of the ninth several excellent patriotic songs were sung, when the company, which consisted of all the staunch patriots in the neighbourhood, retired highly satisfied with the mirth, glee, and good humour which is the true character of the above meeting. The ale was home-brewed, and of an excellent quality, and the spirits of the most delicious taste. The meat was cooked in the nicest manner. November 11th – Died, John Hall, bricklayer, Cowhill; disorder, a fever. November 16th - Died, Susannah, wife of Thos. Ogden, hatter, St. Helens, Maygate-lane; disorder, consumption. Universal happiness has once more shewed its face in this land, and has placed the poor in an enviable situation in comparisons of some of the periods since the cummencement of the late war, for what by the fall of every necessary of life, excepting butcher’s meat, and the rapid career of every sort of business, especially fustian weaving, wich was never brisker; yet wages have been much higher, although those that weave mule-spun weft will get 1 1/4d. per hank, wich is considered good wage, and those that make their own – and a deal at this time do, to the no small mortification of their old masters – make a deal better wages by 10s. a piece. Spinning, &c., at the factory is very brisk, and wages never better, so is the weaving of light goods very brisk and wages good. Hatting is not as brisk as other kinds of trade, altho’ wages are torable, but upon the whole, the very countinance of the poor is altered; for, instead of the thin, meagre, dejected countinance, we meet with nothing worse than courtious smiles. So much for this blessed peace. Some masters give as high as 1 1/2d. per hank for weaving mule weft. |
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