Such was the state of the country that it was necessary to have sufficient soldiers at command in case of an outbreak. Hence the camp at Kersall Moor. Wheeler tells us that the whole routine of camp duty was observed, and a telegraph was placed on an elevated point from which any information could be conveyed throughout the district in a few minutes. The encamped suffered great discomfort from incessant rains. The weather during the latter end of this month as been uncomon seasonable, very fine warm sun and refreshed with seasonable showers, so that vegetation as made the most rapid appearances. On the 23rd of May the especial commision was opened at Lancaster for the tryals of the rioters commenced, when 8 received sentence of death, and great numbers transported and imprisoned. June 11th - Last night some person fired a ball through the shut and window and into the watchouse at Oldham Workhouse. 100 guineas reward was offered for the aprehention of the offender. June 13th- Manchester, flour £5 a load. June 15th- Oldham, flour 5s., meal 4s. to 4s. 2d. a peck. At Lancaster Assizes there was 8 condemned, 17 transported, 7 imprisoned 6 months, 6 traversed till next aziz. 20 aquited. June 17th- Was intered at Oldham, John Greaves, of Chapple Croft, Oldham, formerly of the Order of Masons, age 64. June 19th- Was intered, at Oldham, Jonathan Howard, of Block-lane, aged 77 years. June 20th- Was intered at Oldham, Robert Jackson, of Stock-lane, hatter, aged 50 years. June 12th- Last night, Joe Nadin apprehended at Manchester 38 persons from various parts of the country. They were assembled at a public-house in Ancoats-lane, on the 13th. They were examined by the magistrates at the New Bayley, and by them commited to Lancaster on a charge of administering unlawful oaths. Amongst them was John Newton, of Round Thorn.
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As to the nature of these illegal oaths. I copy the following from the history of the Luddite riots as the correct version:- “I A.B., of my own voluntary will do declare and solemnly swear that I will never reveal to any person or persons under the canopy of heaven the names of the persons who compose the secret committee, their proceedings, meeting, places of abode, dress, features, complexion, or anything else that might lead to a discovery of the same, either by word, deed, or sign, under the penalty of being sent out of the world by the first brother who shall meet me, and my name and character blotted out of existence and never to be remembered but with abhorrence; and, further, now do swear that I will use my best endeavours to punish by death any traitor or traitors should any rise up among us, wherever I can find him or them, and though he should fly to the verge of the nature I will pursue him with increasing vengeance; so help me God, and bless me to keep this, my oath, inviolable.” The indomitable John Knight was among those apprehended but he had nothing to do with administering these illegal oaths. June 17th - The Oldham local militia marched from Oldham for Bolton-in-le-Moors. June 20th - John Rowbottom arrived at Northmoor, discharged, and a pensioner. I doubt not that someone will be able to identify this John Rowbottom. By the way, several of the Rowbottoms seem to have been connected with both army and navy. June 22nd - Flour 5s. 6d. a peck, meal same as last week, pottatoes 2s. a score, new pottatoes 1 1/2d. a pond. June 27th - Manchester, meal and flour, the same as last week, old pottatoes 25s., new pottatoes 50s. a load, goosberrys 1 1/2d. a quart. June 29th - Meal, same as last, goosberrys 2d. a quart, old and new pottatoes 1 1/2d a pond. June 22nd - Wife of Mr. John Wright, mercer and draper, interred at Oldham; age, some above 50 years. June 18th- James Smethurst, of New-road, Oldham, interred this day; age, about 59 years. June 30th- This day, Thomas Whitehead, commonly called Tommy Currey, a glazier and hatter, of Oldham, interred; his age, 67 years. |
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June 28th- Monday, Mr. Sadler took his third ariel flight from near Shudehill, Manchester. His balloon took a south-east direction, went over the villages of Fairfield and Stockport in 48 minutes. With great difficulty he alighted eeight miles north-east of Sheffield, a space of 51½ miles. It is the same Mr. Sadler who went in an air balloon from Manchester, May 19th, 1785. He alighted near Doncaster, In a few days after he took another flight, and alighted near Radcliffe Bridge. Ballooning seems to have been a favourite hobby. Who has forgotten the old song about Tinker’s Gardens:-
The latter end of this month was attended with uncommon heavy rain and the air rather cold. July 4th - Last night James Fallows, shopkeeper, Oldham, in going near Street Bridge with a gang of mowers with their scythes, one David Ogden accidentally sliped on the road and jured against Fallows, so that Fallows received a severe cut in the back of his leg. It bled profusely. He was taken home in a cart, no one apprehending the least danger of his life. He got home, but died in a few minutes after; age 30 years. The word “jured” or jurred is very expressive, and perhaps is not a very common word now. What we should say in these refined days would be “pushed” against Fallows. Jurred, or jowed are two good Oldham words. July 5th - This morning died John Mellor, of Bottom of Northmoor, a man famed for vocal musick. Old Chelsea pensioner. His age 69 years. I have before noted the great natural gift for music in the Mellor family, inherent, as it would seem, for centuries. On Saturday, the 20th of June, as a man was digging for turf on Ashton Moss, under the surface of the earth he discovered the remains of a man, whose skin was entire, but the flesh was wasted away, and some of the bones where wasted. The skin appeared like taned leather. No conjecture can form anything about him.
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July 16th - This day Anne Lees, commonly cald Nan of Muds and Mary Mayall, two laydeys of easey vertue, were taken before Mr. Horden, the former charged with keeping a house of ill-fame in Bardsley-brow, Oldham, and the latter with assisting, when Lees was committed to the New Bayley, to be tried next sessions. Mayall, for want of suirties for her future good behaveour, was likewise committed to the above prison. July 17th - This day sailed from Portsmouth the San Domingo, for Cherburgh. July 18th - Last night it fell an uncommon quantity of rain, so the waters where swelled. July 20th - Yesterday very warm, but a very great deal of rain fell. July 17th - Last night a gang of villains where discovered breaking into the counting house of the Edge-lane Collory, when one John Jackson, otherwise Green, was detected. The rest made there escapes. Jackson was an inhabitant of Oldham. Commited to the New Bayley. July 22nd - Last night died Ann Whitworth, of Whitaker Fold, aged 60 years. July 25th - Last night arrived at Oldham, and this morning set off for Manchester, three pieces of flying artilleery and Howitzer, with all their appendages. Such a novel sight atracted the attention of a deal of spectators. They were returning from Yorkshire, where they had been on account of the late disturbances. The Luddites in Yorkshire had been crushed and scattered by the overawing power of the military. Many of them were safely lodged in gaol before the end of the year, principally, we are told, through the zeal, perseverance, and energy of that intrepid magistrate Joseph Radcliffe, Esq., late of Royton Hall, but now of Milus, Bridge, who was created a baronet for the part he took in the suppression of these Luddite riots. Green says:- One of the earliest resulst of the introduction of machinery was the ruin of a number of small trades which were carried on at home, and the pauperisation of families who relied on them for support. In the winter of 1811, the terrible pressure of this transition from handicraft to machinery, was seen in the Luddite or machine-breaking riots, which broke out over the northern and midland counties, and which were only suppressed by military force. July 22nd- Manchester Sessions commenced when Ann Lees, alias Mud, for keeping a house of ill-fame in Oldham, three months’ imprisonment, and John Jackson, of Oldham, his sentence, two years imprisonment. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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