They will speak to those who have left our shores for distant homes in almost every part of the world, where, may be, they have helped to found great industries and build up great cities. Let us hope that all may learn from these records cause for thankfulness, for contentment, and for perseverance still in promoting the progress and prosperity of the British race. These annals or chronicles are contained in thirty-four memorandum books about note-paper size, with brown paper covers, and they contain entries extending over forty-three years. The first book extends over 1787/8, the second over 1789/90 and ’91, and the remainder extend over one year each. There are, therefore, some books short of completing the full series. What has become of the missing books it is not easy to say, nor is it known whether 1787 was the year when the writer commenced his labours. The book for 1788-8 opens and continues as follows:- 1787 and 1788 From latter end of June 1787, to the latter end of August, 1787, was one of the wettest hay harvests ever known by the oldest person living, it raining the greatest part of those days. November 2nd 1787, for 3 weeks of the last past excessive wet weather. October 27th 1787, William Scofield, of Grotten Head, in Saddleworth, unfortunately fell into a coal pit at Greenacres. He languished six hours, and then died. He was 15 years old. If youth would be more cautious when in any place of danger it would stop the mouths of those who are apt to say they had no business at all there. He feel in as he was imprudently standing at the hie (eye) of the pit. NOTE – According to Higson – Deceased lived at Luzley, and was a gentleman apprentice to the cloth making business with Hugh Shaw, of Grotton Head, great grandfather of Captain (Hugh) Shaw of the Oldham Volunteers, auctioneer, of bottom of Church-lane; and also of Mr. Giles Shaw, ironmonger, who is editing Local Notes and Gleanings; of Alderman Hugo Shaw, of Manchester, and of many others. – The Shaws came to Grotton Head during last century from Lower House farm, Foulrakes, in Saddleworth, which they held for many generations.
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The father of Hugh Shaw, the elder, was Thomas Shaw, baptized at Saddleworth Church December 18, 1686. The father of Thomas was Robert Shaw, baptized at Saddleworth Church May 12 1658. The father of Robert was George Shaw, baptized at Saddleworth Church, January 15, 1633 who paid for three chimneys to the Hearth Tax in the reign of Charles 2nd. Will dated April 15th, 1592. This shows a descent of 10 generations. The Shaws of the firm of Mess. Shaw and Jardine, cotton spinners, of Manchester, and also of the firm of Shaw and Esry, of New Chester, Delaware Co., U.S., are of this family. On the night of November 5th 1787, was one of the most tremendous nights for rain accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning that was ever seen. Nothing could stop the velocity of the water, for it swept down all bridges, &c. before it. At Chadderton Hall it burst all the fish ponds in the srubbery. Salford bridge was taken and a man was drowned as he was standing looking over one side of it. Onions were sold this year 3lbs. per penny, coarser sort 4lbs. per penny, in November, 1787. December 12th 1787 died wife of James Ogden, schoolmaster, of Oldham. Ann, wife of John Lawe, of Oldham, aged 26 years. Esther, wife of Jonathan Neild, of Oldham. Old Halkyard, of Greenacres, died December 18th, 1787, age 97. The Halkyards probably originated in this neighbourhood from Hawkyard in Saddleworth. In the reign of Elizabeth they were very respectable people, as we find one of the Radcliffes, of Foxdenton, marrying a Hawkyard. |
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ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. II Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back Ann Fitton, keeper of the Hare and Hounds Inn, in Bury, hanged herself on Sunday, the 16th December 1787. She was relict of Joseph Fitton, who was unfortunately killed, along with three other persons, in a barn, where a company of players were acting, in June last. James Smethurst, of Oldham, cotton twister, died, December 27th 1787. (Twister here means doubler probably) James Smethurst is the first Oldham doubler on record. E. Butterworth has a note on this James Smethurst, who was the owner of Water-street Mill. He says:- “Notwithstanding that a large proportion of the working population were, as yet, rude in manner and rough in speech, many of them manifested considerable shrewdness and perseverance of mind, which was brought to bear with wonderful success in the promotion of the inventions which created the greatness of the cotton manufacture. Mr. James Smethurst was one of the Smethursts of Bent, relatives of the Smethursts of Stock-brook.” The Smethursts are a genuine Oldham, or, rather, Chadderton family. In 1455, when the Chadderton estate was divided into three parts, the name of Robert Smethurst appears as the holder of “londes and tenementes’’ in Chadderton. In 1534 Henricus Smethurst was tenant at will under Edri; Assheton Armiger, one of the Lords of Foxdenton, and held land at “Bloke Lone”. In 1597 the family of Edmund Smethurst were probably engaged in the woollen trade, under John Tetlow, of Coldhurst. We find the name in the church records all through the intervening three centuries. “A plain yeomanry-like dwelling in Bent was for a long time the abode of the Smethursts, a relative of whom, John Smethurst, yeoman, was resident in Chadderton in 1681. Richard Smethurst, yeoman, of Oldham, was living in 1688. The present William Smethurst, Esq., of Stockbrook, Chadderton, was descended from the Smethursts of Chadderton. – E. B.”
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Marlor, of Oldham, a Chelsea pensioner, he lost his hand in the expedition to Carthagena, under Admiral Vernon. Died January 1st 1788. He was commonly called “Stump Marlor”. The blockade of Carthagena, under Admiral Edmund Blake, about the year 1757, resulted in a serious discomfiture to the English, and had a great influence on politics. This was about the beginning of the “Great Seven Years’ War”. Speaking of this war Green says: “No war has had greater results on the history of the world, or brought greater triumphs to England; but few had more disastrous beginnings”. Carthagena was one of these disasters. Oldham did its share in this great war. “Stump Marlor’s” memory ought, therefore, to live in our local annals. His proper name will no doubt be found in the parish registers. Who would not be proud to be his descendant? Raynor, wife of Thomas, of “Old Clarks”, died, in advanced age, January 12th 1788. “Old Clarks” was a group of houses near Clarkwell-street, off Chadderton-road. Much speculation has been indulged in as to the origin of “Old Clarks”. It was probably the residence (in 1633) of Richard Tetlowe, clerk of Oldham Church, who must have been a man of great respectability in his time. The clerkship at that time was evidently held from a higher authority than the chaplain of Oldham Church, as will appear from the following will:- In the name of &c.,August 2, 1633, I, Richard Tetlow, of Wuldham, being sicke, &c., doo make, &c., this my last will and testament, &c. First, I commend my soul, &c., and my body to Christian burial in such manner as my ancestors have beene. And for such temporal goods with which God hath blessed me withal, my will and mind is that, my debts being paid and funeral expenses discharged out of my goods, and chattels. Item: After my just debts paid, &c., I give the rest unto my wife, Abigail, and Grace, my daughter, excepting my apparel, which I do bequest to my brothers Thomas Tetlow and Ralph Tetlow, equallie to be divided amongst them. I doo desire the Right Worshipful Edmund Ashton, Esq., and Isaac Allen, rector of Prestwich, to bestow the clearkshipp upon my brother Ralph Tetlew, or if they will not let him enjoy the same, then I desire that they would be pleased to be good to my wife and child and my brothers. Item: I doo appoint and intreat my father-in-law, George Harpur, and my uncle, Richard Winterbotham, to be executors of this my last will and testament, and I entreat Nicholas Wild and Edmund Tetlow, of Dryclough, to be the supervisours of this my last will and testament. – This family of Tetlows appears to have had the clerkship of Oldham for two or three generations at that time. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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