Among Raines’ MSS. I find a letter by Sir Watts relating to this Rochdale riot, written only a few days after occurrence. It is addressed to his faithful henchman, Mr. Dechet, who at that time was enjoying his honeymoon at Blackpool. [EXTRACT]
Chadderton, 11th August, 1795 I received your letter some little time back, and would have sent you an answer sooner, but, on account of the riots at Rochdale, was not able to see Mr. Holt. All is now quiet again, and I think will remain, so, as corn is getting rather cheaper. Don’t take it into your wise head that politics had anything to do with this little disturbance. It was merely the dearness of flour, and, as I was the great favourite of the whole people assembled, there could be no democrats amongst them, as I am not in that class of devils, nor liked by them -- ******* WATTS HORTON August 5th – John Taylor, of Primrose Bank, and several others sold meal at 3s. per peck this week. August 10th – Abraham Jackson, of Oldham, sold flour at 4½ d. per lb. 4s. 6d. per peck for flour is, I think, the highest point mentioned thus far in these annals. This fact, taken into account with the small earning power of the workers, is calculated to give us a fair idea of what is meant by the “good old times”. The weekly earning power per head of the population in Oldham, taking men, women, and children workers, and non-workers, is said to be over 6s. to-day. At that time it was little over 2s. per head. The price of flour to-day is about one-third what it was then. The improved condition of the working people in less than a century is, therefore, almost inconceivable. Manchester, meal has sold this day 47s. per load, but it is a fact that it sold on the 1st instant at 50s. to 52s. per load. August 22nd – Manchester. – The following is a true statement of the price of meal this day:- Old meal, 35s. to 37s.; new meal, 45s. to 47s. per load. Potatoes, owing to the wetness this week, were very dear; and at Oldham it is with heartfelt joy I relate that Joseph Bradley sold meal at 1s. 11d. per peck, and flour at 2s. 9d. per peck. Horse Stealing – About the middle of last month John Bates was found guilty of stealing a mare, the property of Mr. Perkins, of Somersetshire. He was persued into Worcestershire, and was tried at Worchester, but the judge reprieved him before he left the city. This Bates was a Derbyshire man, but had of late resided in Oldham, where he had a fair character, but being in debt, fled to Wiltshire, where he was weak enough to commit the above deed.
|
August 25th – Bought two pecks of malt at Mr. Whittaker’s, price 1s. 10d. per peck; weight, 18lbs. 8oz. Hops, 4oz., 3d. August 24th – Being Middleton rush-bearing Monday, it was very throngly attended, and, owing to nankeens and other light goods being so high in wages, the inhabitants appeared in high spirits, and well dressed. There were seven rushcarts on Saturday. This entry shows the nature of the employment of weavers at Middleton:- “Nankeens and lights goods”, which, no doubt, would include silk weaving. Middleton seems to have been a land of Goshen amid the general desolation. “Seven rushcarts”, in a small place like Middleton, would surely mean a high state of jubilation in the public mind. August 26th – Joy appears on every countenance on the rapid fall of meal and flour. And last night, Jane, daughter of Jonathan Chadwick, of Wood, got out of bed asleep, fell down stairs, and was much bruised. Manchester, this day, new meal sold 42s. per load; old meal, 35s. to 37s. per load. Oldham rushbearing commenced, and there were four rushcarts – viz. one from Cowhill, one from Nimblenook, near Denton, one from Hollins, and one from Fog-lane. Owing to the fineness of the weather, there were an uncommon deal of people. On Sunday a fairer day never came from heaven. Oldham uncommon throng, and a deal of strangers, which in general were well dressed. Monday 31st – Rushbearing. Monday the sky serene and clear, not a cloud to be seen; very warm, and a fine, modest breeze of air. An uncommon deal of people in general. Two nymphs to one swain, the war having drained this town of men, so that but one recruiting party appeared, which was the Windsor Forristers horsemen dressed in green. The poor people fared better than they have done at the rushbearing of 1793 and 1794, for all sorts of business Is brisk except strong fustian. The quaint manner in which this annal is recorded may raise a smile. “Two nymphs to one swain, thewar having drained the town of men”. The echo of an ancient lay comes to mind –
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excuse the adaption. Oldham Wakes was always the grand symposium of “nymphs and swains”. I heard an old matron tell a tale many years ago much as follows: “Oldham Wakes was a regular ‘leetin on’ place. If a ‘nymph’ met a ‘swain’ whom she knew, she always levied blackmail in the shape of a ‘Wakesing’, which meant a present of nuts or gingerbread. It therefore behoved young men to go to the Wakes with well-lined pockets. “Old Thrum” and his wife lived in a thatched cottage not a hundred miles from Greenacres. They had an only child, a son known as “Young Thrum”, who had been brought up as a “mammy lad”. The back part of the cot was a loomhouse, with a clay floor, from which ascended a ladder into the upper storey, which was the sleeping apartment. People would not live in such houses today. It was Oldham Wakes Monday at noon, and “Young Thrum” had donned his “holiday best” ready to go to the Wakes. “Old Thrum” had “tipped” him up 2d. as “Wakes brass”, but “Young Thrum” showed signs of discontent, and instead of putting on his “beaver” and hieing to the Wakes he sat sullen and silent in the loom house. At length “Old Thrum” inquired to cause of his son’s discontent, but received no further answer than the exhibition of his son’s extended hand, containing two old penny pieces lying in its palm. “What’s to do?” said “Old Thrum”, “isn’t tuppence enough?” “Aw’d never moor nor tuppence to go to th’ Wakes wi’ in my life, when aw wer coortin thi mother”. “Ay, but fayther”, answered Young Thrum, with an arch leer, “Aw would ha’ a prattier nor my mother!”. Manchester, this day new meal sold from 36s. to 38s. per load; old meal from 30s. to 35s. per load. Potatoes to the fineness of the weather , the farmers being engaged in cutting their corn, were scarce and dear. Sep. 9 – Archery. Lady Horton’s quiver of arrows were shot for in the park and won by Mr. Thackerey, the day being fine. There were a great many ladies and gentlemen, and an uncommon deal of spectators. Manchester, this day, new meal sold from 38s. to 40s. per load, and old from 30s. to 37s. per load. At Oldham, new meal, 2s. 1d. per peck. Flour, 3s. 3d. and 3s. 6d. per peck. Aug. 28 – Peace concluded between the Republic of France and the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassell. Hesse-Cassell was a small independent German state, afterwards, in 1807, incorporated with the kingdom of Westphalia. Sept. 13th – An account was received a few weeks ago from the West Indies, giving account of the death of James Henthorn and Dan Prestwich, both of the 34th regiment of foot.
|
Sept. 14th – The rapid demand for nankeens surpasses anything ever heard of before, so that most of the strong fustian weavers are turned to that business. Sept. 16th – Accident happened at Royton. A son of Joseph Buckley’s, aged nine years, who drove a horse at a factory, being jammed between the tail pole and wall was killed. Speaking of horse-power or gin horse-power at factories: A tale is told of the long daily labours of some of our earlier cotton spinners and their families, and it illustrates also the kind of motive power in use before the days of Watt and his fellow inventors. The rude machines of those days were often turned by the water-wheel, supplemented sometimes by a gin horse. At an old farmhouse in Crompton this compound power was used, and the old man who drove the gin-horse earned the marvellous wages of 6d. per week and “baggings”. His employer, however, being of an inventive turn of mind, discovered a plan by which the horse might be driven by one of those persons who was engaged in tending a spinning jenny in a room over that in which the gin-horse performed his endless rounds. This was done by fixing an appliance on the shafts to which the horse was yoked, and which, by pulling with a string from above, a sound blow could be given on the belly of the horse, thus urging him on to increased speed in case he should flag in his exertions and the machine consequently get under speed. This was surely the first self-actor – at all events, it answered so well that the services of the driver could be dispensed with. It was thus that the labours of a family and their neighbours would often be prolonged into the greater hours of night. On one occasion, for some reason, the labours of this particular family were cut short at what they considered the early hour of nine o’clock, and retiring into the house the old paterfamilias asked derisively what was the reason for so early an arrival at home. Well, said one of the workers, th’oss were done and wayter were done, and they thought it were time to give o-er then. Aye! said the old man, and, egad, I believe you’d weary th’ wind. September – In this month the great mutinies in Ireland in the 104, or Manchester volunteers, 105, 111, 113. On account of these regiments being drafted into other regiments, and sent to the West Indies, the 13th, 17, and 18th Dragoons are now in the West Indies. Such notes as these give us an insight into what the rulers of our country had then to deal with. “Without were fightings, and within were fears”, to use the words of one of old. |
Page 36
William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
 |
 |
 |
