Oldham Historical Research Group

William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard

1810

September 6th – Was the license day at Oldham. There was none turned without. John Ogden, formerly of the Angel Inn, had a license granted for a house in New-road; and Bamford had one for a house in Oldham, and they mean to open them as liquior vaults.

There seems to have been a liquor vault in Oldham previous to these. It was said to be an easy way of getting money, and in large towns, where plenty of custom was to be had, liquor vaults were numerous, often, however, fostering the degrading habit of drunkenness.

At the conclusion of this month the weather continues very fine. Such weather for the harvest was never known before, and the corn is safely got in, and the farmer is busily getting his wheat seed in for another year. Goodness of God ought to be acknowledged for such great blessings.

October 3rd – Richard Herd entered as tenant on the Spread Eagle public-house, Royton; Edmund Wild, the late tenant, retires from public business.

October 14th – Yesterday Edmund Scofield, son of John Scofield, innkeeper, of New-road, Oldham, in returning from Manchester, was shockingly bruised by a cart wheel going over him.

Fine weather still continues, such as was never known before by the oldest person living.

October 7th – Died George Radcliff, innkeeper, at Streetbridge.

October 10th – The quarter sessions comenced at the New Bailey, Salford, when Lees and Mellor, 2 boys from Royton, for stealing at Cromton a quantity of hens. Sentance of one months’ imprisonment, and wipped.

October 14th – Wife of James Bardsley, of Fold, Greenacres-moor, in a fit of insanity, hanged herself.

October 16th – This day, the weather turned rather colder, and it began to rain.

October l7th – Was Oldham fair, exceeding fine till night, when it began to rain. There was an emence deal of company, a deal of pigs sold; a great quantity of horses and cows in the fair. The regements beating up for recruits were the Royal Marines. A deal of young people, and in genaral 2 nimps to one swain. O, war, what havoc hast thou made.

Oldham seems to have been completely scoured for recruits for both army and navy. In the midst of all its distresses it was always patriotic, even to a fault.

October l9th – Last night died Thomas Bradley, of Busk, hatter, aged 63 years.

October 20th – Was intered at Oldham, James Worthington. He had lived several years and died in Chaderton Workhouse. He formerly farmed the Higher Beartrees and Lower-house, both in the township of Chaderton. His age, 80 years.

October 22nd – Yesterday and last night uncommon wet, but very warm. It as been very wet since the l7th.

Downs, October 21st – The following ships arrived here this day from off the Schelkt:- Cristian 7th, Sir Edward Pellen, San Domingo, Berwick, Bellona, Defence, Mariborough, Defiance, Abouker, Theseus, Monarch, Bellerophon.

 

October 25th – Last night, died rather sudden, the Reverent Mr. Becket, minnister of Heigh Chapel, age 69 years; and old Jonathan Dureden, a taylor, age 76 years.

The Rev. John Beckett.” J. Butterworth says, “was born on Holy Thursday, in l742, at Wray, near Lancaster. In l761 he was elected master of the Free Grammar School of his native place, and in l764 ordained deacon by Bishop Keen. He was curate of Saddleworth about two years, and was licensed by Edmund, Lord Bishop of Chester, on the nomination of the Rev. Geo. Booth, rector of Ashton, to perform the office of curate in the chapel of Lees, otherwise Hey, on the 8th of April, l767. Thus for nearly 44 years he was incumbent of Hey Chapel. Butterworth says: He departed this life universally regretted by his very numerous congregation, October 24th l810 (this annal says October 25th), in the 69th year of his age. Some idea may be formed of the esteem and veneration in which he was held by his auditors by the fact that some time previous to his death, they presented him with a purse of gold as a small token of their approbation and esteem for his long services. A thing very uncommon in these days of marked apostacy, for a pastor of the Established Church to receive such a gift from the hands of his admiring hearers. His frankness and kind urbanity of manner will remain impressed on the mind of the author (J. Butterworth’s History of Ashton), while the Memory holds her seat.

Though known to but a few of the present generation, Mr. Beckett was always spoken of by those who did know him in terms of the highest respect. Many a tale still lingers in country homesteads of his manner of life. Country parsons were not so straight-laced then as in the present day. He took as great interest in the local Wakes as did the local Boniface. Anxious to do as much good as lay within his power, he mixed himself up with every movement calculated to benefit the poor. Of course, the Church was asleep in those days, and what seems to us lax discipline was to him a great means of doing good. Many an anecdote is recorded of the simplicity and highmindedness of his character, and even when imposed on as he often was by those who took advantage of his open-handed liberality, his reproofs were often in the shape of blessings rather than curses. The only relic that remains of Mr. Beckett besides his good character is the house that was built for and presented to him by his congregation. It was built in a meadow then adjoining the chapel, and he is to have had a pathway across the greensward into the chapel-yard. Things have been altered since then. The ancient vicarage is the property of the Hey Spinning Company, and a mill blocks the vision from the old vicarage to the old lane. It was such a man as he that Oliver Goldsmith had in his mind when he said: -

“There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose,
The village preacher’s modest mansion rose;
A man he was to all the country dear
And passing rich on forty pounds a year.
His house was known to all the vagrant train,
He chid their wanderings, but relieved their pain;
Pleased with his guests, the good man learned to glow,
And quite forgot their vices in their woe.
Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride,
And e’en his failings lean’d to virtue’s side;
At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adorn the venerable place;
Truth from his lips prevailed with doubled sway,
And fools, who came to scoff, remained to pray,
As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,
Swells from the vale and mid way leaves the storm
Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
"

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ANNALS OF OLDHAM

No. LXI

1810

October 29th - as intered, Peter Fletcher, mecanick, of Bullstake, near Cowhill; disorder, pluersey; age 56 years.

November 1st – At the sessions at Joseph Taylor’s Spread Eagle, one Booth, from Hollinwood, was ordered to the New Bailey by the magistrates, and being put in the lock-up previous to his going off, he cut his throat, but having mised the windpipe, there is hopes of his recovery.

November 2nd - Last night died John Jackson, of St. Hellens, fifer in the Lancashire Militia; disorder, consumption, age 26 years.

The effect of fife and drum on the Oldhamer was like that of the bagpipes on the Highlander. It raised his courage, and what some people call his “quills”, and under their influence he was ready to fight creation. “Over the hills and far away, ” or “The girl I left behind me,” and perhaps a pot or two of beer, rendered all persuasion or pressure unnecessary, if not altogether useless. Here’s to John Jackson, fifer in the Lancashire Militia.

November 2nd - Died, the Princess Amelia, youngest child of his Majesty, in the 28th year of her age.

The winter commenced last week with great severity in frost and snow.

Pottatoes: The crops have been torable, and farmers sell them 7s. to 8s. a load. Plums 9d. per quart; apples 2s. to 3s. per peck.

November 5th - Last night died Matty, wife of John Hilton, of St. Helen’s, Northmoor; disorder, consumption; age, 52 years.

November 9th – One Ross, a soldier in the 6th Regiment of foot, died at Bent, Oldham. He was buried this day at Shaw, with military honours.

November 3rd - Died near Adgecroft Bridge, Adam Garside, formerly servant to Mr. Walker of Burnley-lane, a man very fond of a horse, and a very civil honest man; disorder, inflamation; age, 63.

 

November 21st – Most tremendous high wind at north and north-east for two days and nights.

November 14th – The unforeseen misfortune of George Mash, keeper of the Dog and Partridge public-house, Bardsley Brow, Oldham, have been great. A few weeks since he had all his goods taken by the bayliffs, in consequence of law suit he had at Lancaster. Since then he has had his license silenced for three years, and on the 14th inst. He was taken into custody at the Farmers’ Arms, Northmoor, on a charge of picking the pockets of Thomas Greaves, of Oldham, grocer. It appeared they had been gaming to a great height. Mash was taken before the magistrates, who comitted him to the New Bailey, Manchester.

A short time since Thomas Okel, of Nimble Nook, in Chadderton township entered on the Waggon and Horses public-house, Top of Hollinwood, and James Whithead entered on the public-house at Nimble Nook aforesaid.

November 24th – Uncomon fine weather: and a few days since Thomas Jackson, hatter, Maygate-lane, entered on the public-house, bottom of Bent, late Edmund Tetlow.

The distresses of the country are great. Money is verey scarce, and all sorts of trade very low, especially hatting and lyght goods weaving. There distresses are rarely behind all expression, and the poor of all descriptions are suffering greatly.

By way of contrast to this doleful tale of Rowbottom’s let us see how the country was prospering as indicated by the imports and exports:-

In 1805 our imports were £28,561,270, against £39,301,612 in 1810. In 1805 our export of cotton goods was £9,525,465, against £18,951,994 (which is nearly double) in 1810. In 1805 other British produce exported was £13,851,476, against £15,109,907, in 1810. In 1805 foreign and colonial produce exported was £7,642,102, against £9,357,435 in 1810, or a total increase in all kinds of from £31,019,061 in 1805 to £53,419,336 in 1810. The “distresses of the country” were therefore only local. Even in Oldham, which at that time was a great seat of the cotton industry, vast piles of wealth were being made, though some portions of the inhabitants were suffering dreadfully. Wealth, however at that time, was in few hands.

November 22nd – Died, Sally, wife of John Wood of Burnley Brow; disorder, consumption; age 26 years.

Page 91

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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard
Transcribed by Mary Pendlbury & Elaine Sykes
Courtesy of Oldham Local Studies & Archives
Not to be reproduced without permission of Oldham Local Studies & Archives.
Header photograph © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for re-use under the C.C. Licence.'Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0'

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