January 22nd - Died, Sally, wife of Mr. James Clegg, hat manufacturer, of Bent, Oldham; her age, 55 years. January 20th - The Sessions commenced at the Bayley, and ended on the 28th, when twelve received sentence of transportation. John Andrew, a banksman, of Edge-lane Colliery, for defrauding his business, two years’ imprisonment. George Mash and William Jump, two bayliffs of Oldham, for fraud and cruelty in the execution of their duty at the house of John Daniels, of Roundthorn, near Glodwick, one year each in Lancaster Castle, and at the expireation of the term to find bail for their future good behaviour. A special commission was opened at York. There where sixty-six prisoners to try that where connected with the late disturbances in the West Riding. Three where executed for the murder of Mr. Horsfall, January 8th, and fourteen others where executed on the 16th, at half-past eleven, and the other at half-past one. These where for attacting Bawford Mill, in April last, and some for breaking into houses and stealing alms &c. Six where transported for seven years, some acquitted, and some released on bail. The judges where Sir Simon Le Blanc and Sir Alexander Thomson, knights. Counsel for the Crown where Mess. Park, Topping, and Richardson; for the prisoners, Mess. Hullock, Williams, Broughton, Courtney, and Fitzgerald. For an account of the trial of the Luddites I must refer my readers to the historical account before referred to. The names of those hanged on the 8th were George Mellor, William Thorpe, and Thomas Smith, for the murder of Mr. Horsfall. The names of those hanged on the 16th were John Swallow, John Batley, Joseph Fisher, Job Hey, John Hill, William Hartley, James Hey, Joseph Crowther, and Nathan Hoyle, for burglary and robbery in a dwelling-house, and James Haigh, Jonathan Deane, John Ogden, Thomas Brook, and John Walker, for beginning to demolish a mill of Mr. Cartwright’s. For the part taken by him as a magistrate in suppressing these riots, Joseph Radcliffe (formerly “Pickford”) of Royton Hall, but at this time of Milns Bridge, was made into a knight and baronet. January 20th - Died, Nanny, wife of Joseph Standering, master of the Pack Horse Inn, Newton-lane, formerly of the Wheatsheaf, Bent, Oldham. National debt, February 1812, was £922,000,000. In June, 1812, Buonaparte entered Russia with an army upwards of 4000,000 men; his success, as usial, great. He took the great city of Moscow, but the city was mostly burned, which caused the invading army to retreat. A very great snow fell, and a severe frost commenced, which killed great numbers of both men and horses. The Russians state the loss of the invading army to be: killed 40 generals, 1,800 officers of inferior rank, 150,733 rank and file; prisoners 41 generals, 1,298 officers of inferior rank; 167,510 non-commissioned officers and soldiers; 1,131 pieces of cannon; 2,000 baggage wagons; 50 stand of collors, and 16 eagles.
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“Napoleon entered Moscow in September, 1812, and planted himself in the Kremlin. The city was soon in flames. In a day or two he had to move his headquarters. Early on the morning of the 17th he was abroad and gazing on the burning city. After watching the flames for some time, he exclaimed, “This sad event is the presage of a long train of disasters.” Never did he utter truer words, In that fire he might see predicted the fall of the French empire, the empire he had built at such costly expenditure of crime, and treasure, and brain, and blood.” While in Russia the conspiracy of Malet filled the Emperor with alarm, as it taught him how slight a hold he had on the affections of the French people. It was on account of this that he hurried back to Paris, while his once brilliant army was suffering the most extreme privations, and dying as fast as it could from exhaustion and fatigue, rather than from injuries inflicted by the enemy. – See “Life and Times of Palmerston.” January 27th - This day, the local militia for Ashton-under-Line, Oldham, Cromton, Chaderton, and Royton where swore in at Rochdale, but they did not obtain more than one guinea each man. February 3rd - Last night, died, William Haywood, of Scolesfold, Maygate-lane, an old Chelsea pensioner, age about 75. William Farrington, Esq., of Shaw Hall, near Chorley, high sheriff for Lancashire this year. February 9th - Yesterday died, James Haywood, fustian manufacturer, of Greenacres; disorder, inflamation in the bowels. His age, 49 years. February 9th - Last night, died, Edmund Ogden, of Scoolcroft, Oldham, formerly of Busk; disorder, consumption; age, 49 years. February 3rd - John Buckley, of Northmoor, apprehended at Manchester, on a charge of receiving stolen goods and the same night Joe Nadin searched the house of Buckley, of Northmoor, and carried off goods to a large amount. Buckley was of course commited to the New Bayley for trial. February 23rd - John Evans entered as tenant at the public-house, Edge-lane, late Robert Garforth’s. February 18th - Died, Mr. Thomas Shepherd, of Royton, attorney-at-law; disorder, a rupture; age, 40 years. This month concludes with very wet and cold weather, and as been so for some time. The wind for most part as been uncommonly high at south-west, and been extremely cold. The distresses of the country are behind all description; labour of all kinds is so scarse, and wages so low; weaving for cords or velveteens from 16d. to 20d. a pond 24 hanks. Tabbys with 6 pond 8 oz. in 18s., and so in proportion. Day labourers are working for 2s. a day. |
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Day labour at 2s. a day seemed at that time a hardship; but we must remember this was said of a manufacturing community. Day labour at 2s. a day was no doubt good pay for agriculture, but that rate of wages must have been seriously advanced with the advent of machinery. Working days were also much longer then than now, and no doubt such wages were earned by what we should term skilled artisans. March 4th - Last night, about eight o’clock, seven men broke into the house of Philip Bury, of Moor Close, within the township of Tonge near Middleton, and forceably robbed them of two sets of silver spoons and about £26 in money, with wich they made clear off. March 8th - Wm. Jones, watch maker, was detected stealing a quantity of lead from the shop of Andrew Bamford, of Oldham. He was taken before Mr. Horden, at Royton, and by him committed to the New Bayley for trial. March 10th - Was observed as a general fast. March 11th - Was intered William Ashton, of Bent, Oldham; he was formerly a slater; his age, 88 years. Same day died Mary, widow of the late Daniel Chadwick, both of Water-street, Oldham. He was a milnwright, and formerly of Burnley-lane; age 63 years. March 16th - In near Lever-street, Manchester, a large factory was discovered to be on fire at 11 o’clock forenoon. Great endeavours where made to have stoped the progress of the flames, but it failed of success. From the “Manchester Historical Recorder” I learn that this mill was in Great Newton-street, and belonged to Mr. Bennett. March 19th –T his morning died Ann, wife of Jonathan Woolstoncroft of Burnley Brow, Northmoor; disorder, rumatism, wich she had been afflicted with for several years; age, 49 years. March 11th - The estates of Mr. John Dunkerley, of Pit Bank, where sold by auction for the following sums, namely:- Pit Bank estate to Mr. John Taylor, hat manufacturer, Oldham, £6,045; Hopkin Fold to the same gentleman for £1,445; Barrashaw to a Mr. Cromton, of High Cromton, £550; Sholver to one Haywood, for --------------forgot the sum. Pit Bank estate has since put almost altogether under the yardstick, and I should not wonder if the total value then was not equal to the yearly value now. Weaving of all denomination still continues very bad, especially strong goods. Hatting is a deal brisker and work more plentiful, but the sufferings of the poor is behind all description, provisions being so dear and so little for their labour. House breaking. – A few weeks since, the house of Philip Berry, of Moor Close, within the township of Tonge, was entered by a gang of armed men, disguised with handkerchiefs over there faces. They bound the family and drove them into a chamber, they robbed the house of everything valuable, locked the door and decamped with their booty. On Sunday night, the 28th, a gang of villains entered the house of Mr. Robert Burton, of Pole Fold, near Prestwich. They bound the family with cords, plundered the house of a large sum of money in gold, and carried away everything of value. They where disguised with handkerchiefs over their faces.
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On the night of the 31st a gang of villains soon soon after dusk entered the house of David Atkinson, of Springs, within Chadderton. They forced him into the pantry, where they locked him up. They then robed the house of money and goods. They even took his wearing apparel, and they then get their supper, and decamped about one o’clock in the morning with their booty. They were armed and disguised. They fried a large quantity of bacon and eggs, and drank all his milk, and took his lantern and the sheets off his bed. Green remarks of this period that “with the increase of poverty, followed its inevitable result, increase of crime.” This quite agrees with the many accounts given in these annals of petty burglaries. Indeed they seem to have been altogether beyond the control of the ordinary constable. Watch and ward had been, as we have already seen, kept in this district, showing the disturbed state of the country at this time. This month concludes with very wet weather. N.B. The persons who committed the above robberies were executed in the spring of 1814. April 2nd - An uncommon cold roof day, a deal of hail, and a large fall of snow, and very loud claps of thunder. April 3rd - A very roof day and a large fall of snow, and at night it froze very keenly. April 6th - Yesterday, an uncommon day for rain. April 5th - Oldham, flour 4s. 3d. to 4s. 5d., meal, 3s. to 3s. 2d. per peck, pottatoes 10d. to 12d. per score. And this day the cronor and jury set upon three bodies who had come by untimely ends, viz., David Lowe, who was killed on the 3rd instant in a coalpit at Coldhurst by the roof falling on him at work. A child killed at Glodwic of James Fletcher’s, of New-road, killed by drinking a quantity of vitril. April 6th - Michale Rowbottom, of Thorp Clough, commited to the New Bailey for trial on a charge of stealing potatoes from James Heap of Stakel. April 9th - Died, Thomas Hawworth, of Oldham, bucher; disorder, consumption, age 33 years. Same day, George Smith, of Oldham, in indigence and want, a hatter, formerly a book-keeper to Mr. Clegg, of Bent. April 10th - Meal and flour lowered 10d. per peck. April 14th - Pottatoes in Oldham-street 9d. per score. April 17th - Oldham, meal 3s. 7d. to 3s. 9d., flour 4s. to 4s. 2d. a peck, potatoes 8d. to 10d. per score. The markets at Manchester where this day uncommonly full of all sorts of provisions. It was no uncommon thing to subsidise those who brought the best supplies of provisions to Manchester market, though I find no note of this in this particular year. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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