September 21st -Samuel Farrer, a collier, very much burned by the fire-damp in a coal-pit of Mr. Kennion’s, near Bowderhead-lane. September 21st -When knaves fall our honest men fare best (says Lord Clarinder). This morning a duel took place between Lord Castlereah and Mr. George Canning, two of his Majesty’s Secretaries of State, when Mr. Canning received a ball from his adversary through the fleshy part of his thigh. So the affair ended. Our “Annalist” is evidently rather hard on the ministry of that day. This duel arose out of a quarrel over the failure of the Walcheren expedition. Wilberforce calls Lord Castleragh “a cold blooded creature,” but he seems to have had plenty of fight in him, and provoked much opposition. Tom Moore’s bitter squib on Castleragh has not even yet lost its piquancy.
September 24th -The wet weather still continues, to the great detrement of corn, and grain is rapidly rising. Flour is now 4s. per dozen pond, and meal 2s. 7d. per peck. September 23rd -This day as not been so wet, although it as rained at different periods; yet the industrious farmer has been buisey cutting and housing their corn. September 26th -Died, Betty, wife of James Coates, fustian cutter, Royton. Disorder, consumption. Age 37 years. September 26th and 27th - Wet days, and the corn spoyling. It is remarked by several that it as rained queet as successively more or less every day. September 29th -The house and the offices, late the property and residence of John Ogden, hat manufacturer, New-road, near Werneth, was sold by auction, and purchased by Mr. Arthur Clegg, but supposed for Messrs. Henshaws, Barker, and Hadfield, for £745. September 29th – Fine day. September 30th -A very wet day.
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October 1st -An uncomon fine day, but being Sunday, no business could be done in the corn. On Saturday last. At Manchester, flour sold £4 per load, new meal 55s., and old meal, 49s. At Oldham, flour 4s. 3d. per peck, new meal 2s. 9d., and old 2s. 6d. October 6th -It has been about a week of weather, which at this time may be called good weather, for it as but rained little, although it as been a poor drought. October 4th -The San Domingo, of 74 guns, arrived at Deal, and the day following sailed for the Downs. October 6th -Robert Winterbottom, from the Horse and Jockey, Primrose-bank, entered as tenant at the Buck’s Head publice-house, on Greenacres Moor, and Mrs. Jenny Taylor is begun to sell ale at the Horse and Jockey, Primrose-bank, late Robert Winterbottom. October 7th -Flour dropped 8s. a load, and a trifle at Manchester. October 11th -A letter was received from Flushing giving a dreadful account of the sickness and deaths in that country, and amongst the deaths are James Wolstencroft, late of Maygate-lane, and Bates of Bent, Oldham, both of the 52nd regiment. Woolstencroft was the son of David Woolstencroft of Whittaker Fold, age 39 years. They died of a fever wich as made great ravages in the British Army who went in the late expidition to the iselands of Lealand. We are told that an enemy more fatal and cruel than Bonaparte drove the English from the place which was the only fruit of their recent victory. A malady of the most fatal kind soon appeared among the troops, and showed the necessity of their immediate recall. Some of our Oldham lads appear to have been in this evil case, and died for the sake of their country, just as much as if they had been shot in the battlefield. October 13th -Uncomon fine weather, and has been for several days. October 16th -This morning died suddenly Jonathan Mills Taylor, of Oldham. October 18th -Was Oldham fair; a very great deal of company, and a moderate fine day, but very dirty. And the Oldham local militia arrived at Oldham this day from Manchester, where they have been on duty since the 3rd inst. They are upwards of 700, and make a fine appearance. |
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Following is a list of the ships in the Scheldt, viz: - Caesar, Blake, Victorious, Audacious, Resolution, Theisious, Abouker, Revenge, Denmark, Heroe, Marlborough, Impeteaux, Clide, Fishgard, Imperiens. These vessels were kept here for the purpose of shutting up the Scheldt, and for enabling our shippers to introduce British merchandise into Holland. Pottatoes, the crops of this useful root have been uncomonly productive, and are very fine ones, and are exceedingly good, the farmers are selling them eight shillings a load. There have been the greatest quantity of hazle nuts ever known in the memory of the oldest living person. They have been sold by the Hucksters in Oldham 2 1/2d., and some 3d. a quart. Hazle nuts seem to have been an article of food in this period of scarceness and dearth. October 22nd - Last night, died Widdow Travis, of Vin Nook; age 84 years. October 24th - Excellent fine weather at this time; it began to mend at the beginning of the month. October 25th - Wednesday was the anniversary of his Majesty entering the 50th year of his reighn, of the jubilee, wich was a day of public rejoicing all over the United Kingdom, firing of guns and cannon, ringing of bells, and all demonstrations of joy whatever. Public dinners given to the lower people was the order of the day, and the poor in the Workhouses were regaled with plumb pudding, roast beef, and ale. The Jockey Club, holden at Samuel Horrocks’, Oldham, set about the laudable purpose of giving dinners to old people, when 59 sat down to a sumtious dinner at Mr. Horrocks’, and when dinner was over they each had a pint of good ale. Their ages together amounted to 3,971 years. Dinners where given at other public-houses in the Town of Oldham up to the amount of the whole of 1200. The staf of the local militia fired three vollies and a feue-de-joy. Public service was performed at both church and chapel, and the Orange societies walked in grand procession, and made a fine show. There was fireworks, and firing of cannon, and all manner of demonstrations of joy all over the country. Mr. O’Niel sent me a copy of a handbill, which shows who were the moving spirits in Oldham at that time.
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To the Rev. Mr. Winter, of Oldham. Dear Sir, - We the undersigned being informed that it is your intention to preach the annual sermon on Wednesday next, for the benefit of the Sunday schools under the Established Church, and having also seen a notice for the constables of Oldham calling an adjourned meeting of the inhabitants of this township, to be holden at the Angel Inn, in Oldham aforesaid, on Monday next, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of taking into consideration the best mode of celebrating Wednesday next in honour of our most gracious King, then entering upon the fiftieth year of his reign, take the liberty of requesting you that you will be pleased to postpone such annual sermon in order to allow the carrying into effect the resolutions which may be adopted by such meeting of the inhabitants, and we doubt not but it will be attended with beneficial consequences at the proposed sermon on a future day. JOHN DUNKERLEY.JAMES TAYLOR. ROBERT WHITTAKER. EDWARD LEES. JOSEPH LEES.JOSEPH JONES, jun. WILLIAM CLEGG. PETER FEARNHEAD. THOMAS BARKER. HENRY BARLOW. Oldham, October 20th 1809 In Consequence of the above respectable requisition, I beg leave to inform you that I have consented to postpone the annual sermon for the Sunday schools to a future opportunity, of which due notice will be given, and remain, yours faithfully, W. WINTER October 31st -The fine weather still continues, and never a finer October was seen. The farmers have been buseyly emploped in getting in their seed. The air is very warm, and vegetation seems to make a show as in a fine spring. November 5th -The fine weather still continues. November 6th -Being Monday, there were bonfires and other demonstrations of joy. November 5th – Died, Mr. Ralf Kershaw, of Copster Hill; aged about 46 years of age. Mr. Ralph Kershaw seems to have been a man of great public spirit during the threatened French invasion in 1798. This gentleman was entrusted with the command of the Oldham Association of Horse. E. Butterworth says:- “John Kershaw, of Copster Hill, yeoman, died February 21st, 1793, and was father of Ralph Kershaw, gent., who died unmarried November 5th, 1809, and who is said to have devised legacies of £15,000 each to his two nieces. His sister Betty conveyed the estate, by marriage, to Joseph Harrop, gent., of Bardsley, who died May 22nd, 1814, and was father of Jonah Harrop, Esq., J.P., of Bardsley. Mrs. Joe Sidebottom, of Harewood Lodge, Mottram, and Mr. William Sidebottom, of Water Side, Mottram. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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