ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. LXXV 1814 February 6th - Died, Samuel Fielding, of Edge-lane, formerly of Holden Fold. Age 59 years. 18th - The frost still continues with unabating fury. 5th - Lancaster Assizes commenced, when James Howarth, of Stakehill, for stealing a black gelding at Manchester, sentence of death. James Barnes, a publican, of Oldham, for uttering forged notes, acquitted. Simon Mellor, of near Royton, for obtaining money by false pretentions, acquit, and John Seal, for stealing a mare, sentence of death. Death for horse stealing would seem a severe penalty, but we must remember horse-stealers were only a species of highwaymen. March 18th - A bag or pocket of hops stole from Abraham Mills, innkeeper, Royton was found on the premises of Philip Buckley, of Northmoor. Philip was taken before Mr. Horden, and by him committed to the New Bayley. March 22nd - Last night and several nights froze keenly. March 23rd - Yesterday a very fine day and did not freeze any last night, and is this morning very fine and warm, and as a small apearance of spring. Mutton, 11d.; beef, 11d.; pork, 10d.; bacon, 13d.; sugar 14d. to 18d.; treacle, 8 ½d. a pound. March 25th - Was interred, Matty, wife of James Hanford, keeper of the Jolly Hatters’ public-house, Oldham. February 27th, 1814 – Henry Scott, lieutenant in the 1st battalion of the 6th Regiment of Foot, was slain near the river Adour, in France. He was an upright, generous, well-bred gentleman, and was universally respected. He married Miss Anne Clegg, of Westwood, near Oldham. March 31st - Yesterday, died, Abraham Whittaker, of Racefield, near Chaderton, bricklayer and miller; and John Bardsley, of Maygate-lane; a very eminent scoolmaster, fever, age 55 years.
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This John Bardsley would probably be the one who is mentioned as taking part in founding the Mathematical Society in Oldham. He deserves an honoured place in these annals, and it is to be regretted that we know so little of him. He was a co-worker with Wolfenden and Hilton, and others who did so much to popularise the study of mathematics in Oldham and in Lancashire at the beginning of the present century. I gather from Mr. Wm. Knott, J.P., who remembers him, that his school was opposite the white stone in Burnley-lane, near to Yew in Nook. John Bardsley was famous in mathematics, and gathered around him a group of irreverent boys, some of whom no doubt profited largely by his learning in this line, but others looking on the schoolmaster as the sworn foe of boyhood, and following the local custom of calling nicknames. How like boys are in all ages! Do we not read of certain young persons being torn by she bears out of the woods for mocking old schoolmaster as he went up from Jericho to Bethel? So these ruder Oldham boys called their schoolmaster “bacco-chops.” I gather from Mr. Alderman Ward, who knew some of Bardsley’s pupils, that he was a somewhat severe schoolmaster, who believed that to spare the rod was to spoil the child, and so he was wont to rule with a “ruler.” Several of the Mellor family, leather merchants, were among his pupils. If any of my readers know more of him, and will kindly send what they do know to the editor of the Standard, I shall be glad to incorporate it with these Annals. And James Standering, of Bent, late of the Pack Horse, Newton-lane, and formerly of the Wheat Sheaf, Bent; consumption, age 32 years. 29th - Died, in consequence of drinking a large quantity of gin, James Heanthorn, of Shaw Chapel. He died at the Beaver Inn, Oldham. 31st - John Lees entered the Punch Bowl, late James Barnes. A few days since died William Moors, of Tonge-lane, famed in the art of growing large gooseberrys. April 6th -Was intered John Taylor, of Holden-fold, in the 80th year of his age. 14th - Was intered at Middleton, Alice, wife of Robert Haywood, of near Hilton-fold. She was daughter of the late Edward Hide, innkeeper, Tonge; consumption; age, 33 years. |
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12th - Onions 6d. a pond. 10th - This day news arived from Paris giving an account of the entrance of the allied armies into Paris, and of the Senate pronouncing the dynasty of the Emperor Bunaparte and his family as to Sovreighns of France at an end. The allied armies had Paris in their hands in the March of 1814. On the 1st of April the senate decreed that Napoleon had forfeited the crown, and that the right of succession was abrogated. Napoleon was sent to Elba. Lord Castlereagh protested that Elba was in too near proximity to France, where the revolutionary volcano was still smouldering, and prophesied mischief, nor was it long before mischief arose. Likewise the abdication of Buonaparte and his family to the crowns of France and Italy. The joy that was manifested on this occasion by all ranks of people is behind all description. 18th - Geoffry Taylor, of Tonge, was interred; a man far advanced in years. 18th - Being Monday, a general illumination took place in Manchester to commemorate the downfall of Buonaparte and the re-establishment of the Buorbons. It was the most splendid ever seen in that town before, and conducted with the greatest order and regularity. The restoration of the Bourbons accorded well with the ordinary English instinct. Not that Englishmen cared much for French royalty, but that the outrages of the Revolution had created disgust at the enemies of the Bourbons, and also that Napoleon had been the means of bringing so much misery in England. 21st - Betty, wife of Jonathan Ogden, of Denton-lane, had been a long time in a disponding state, and by long sickness was reduced very low in spirits; we sympathise with her friends. Her mother was drowned by accident in 1780, and her brother William Taylor, drowned himself February 23rd, 1812, near Holdenfold. 23rd –T his day Manchester flour 44s. to 48s., meal 30s. to 35s., pottatoes 6s. to 7s. a load. Oldham flour 2s. 7d. to 2s. 9d., meal 1s. 10d. to 2s. a peck, pottatoes 8d. to 10d. a score. A short time since G. Statham entered as tenant George Inn, in Oldham, late Mrs. Waller, afterwards Cheetham.
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The latter end of this month was extreemly wet and cold. Public rejoicing took place in Oldham on Monday, the 25th. Where all ranks of people manifested there joy on the downfall of Buonaparte. At an early hour the bells were ringing, the gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood, walked in procession through the town (amongst whom we observed Sir Thomas Horton of Chaderton). They where attended by a band of musick; they had a deal of flags and collors, with different devices on them. Freemasons and Orangemen joyned the procession in their different uniforms. The gentlemen set down to a sumtious dinner at the Spread Eagle Inn, where many aprobriate toasts were drunk, and evening spent in the greatest harmony; John Mayers Taylor in the chair. The Masons dined at the Angel Inn. A sheep was roasted in the streets, near the Buck’s Head, Bent, where the Orangemen dined. At Mr. Horrock’s the Lamb Inn, an exalent diner was provided, Mr. John Winterbottom in the chair, the greatest harmony prevailed, the different manufacturers gave dinners and ale to their respective workpeople, and paraded the streets with musick and flags with different devices on, a pair of looms were drawn in a cart where a person was weaving callico, and a person representing Buonaparte was winding. Every degradation was used to insult the memory of the fallen monarch, whose tyrannical carrier was at an end. The whole was conducted with the greatest harmony and goodwill, ale &c., flowed in the greatest profusion. E. Butterworth says:- “In April, 1814, the news that the succession of brilliant conquests gained by the allied armies had terminated in the abdication of Buonaparte, and the restoration of general peace was hailed in Oldham with most unusual joy. The event was celebrated here on Monday, April 25th, by a procession almost unequalled in local annals for its splendour and extent.” “John Mayers Taylor was son-in-law of Thomas Henshaw, the founder. Freemasons and Orangemen appear to have been strong in Oldham at that time. There is a touch of Oldham humour in making ‘Bony’ into a ‘bobbin-winder’ – a term often used as a reproach among hand-loom weavers. Thus Old Joshua Brooks saluted Jone, at Birches, when he went to be married:-
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