As will have been seen already from these annals, cockfighting was then considered a very fashionable amusement. There was a great cockpit in St. James’s Park, London, up to 1816. The sport was prohibited by the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1835, which was made more stringent in 1849. The love for cockfighting in Oldham is almost extinct, though it did linger in some minds up to within a recent period. What should we say in these days of our men of “light and leading” if they practised cockfighting? Yet we must not judge too harshly. Cockfighting was an old English sport. Have we not read of the tradition which once prevailed in Eccles of Sir John Anderton winning the tithes of Eccles Church from the Duke of Suffolk on a great cock fight held at Westminster in the time of Henry VIII. Or Edward VI.? Baines says the whole story is a fabrication, but perhaps it contains the truth in a figure showing the fondness of the great people in those days for this pastime. Sir John Anderton is said to have produced the first duck-wing cock that was ever fought at a main, with the vaunting challenge –
So much currency has this story obtained that duck-winged cocks are called “Anderton jewels” in Lancashire to this day. So says Harland and Wilkinson in “Lancashire Legends”. Does not our old Puritanical friend Nicholas Assheton write in his diary, June 2nd 1618: “We all to Prestcod to a cocking”? Did not King James I of immortal memory pay to the master of his cockpit wages equal to the united salaries of two of his Secretaries of State? Do we not read of the accomplished Roger Ascham (Queen Elizabeth’s tutor) that he was addicted to cockfighting? Does not Burton say (Anat. of Melan.): “In fowle weather we use cockfighting to avoid idleness?” Even the Rev. Henry Newcome spoke of cockfighting with bated breath. Note this entry in his diary: “1662, immediately before the Restoration, Mr. Stopford had spoken largely against a cocking that was to be at Manchester, and I resolved to second him. Many gentlemen were enraged for what Mr. Stopford had said. Mr. Heyrick (Parliamentarian, Covenanter, and one of the Assembly of Divines) would not say one word; but I could not but speak, though I did it in as cool a manner as I could, and it pleased God what I said was comparatively well taken, and thus far they observed as to make an order and penalty for every oath in the pit. Was not this the origin of cock pennies?
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Mr. Stopford took courage herefrom, and the next Sabbath fell upon them again, and spake something unadvisedly, which caused the justices to bind him to his good behaviour for speaking against cockfighting, which was hard measure indeed,. Chet. Soc. Pub.” Truly these cockfighting Puritan justices had a greater liking for the national sport than for some of their own ministers. It has been suggested that there was something in a cockfight typical of English pluck. Harland also gives the following: - In the “Manchester Racing Calendar” from 1760 to 1800 there are the following “rules for matching and fighting of cocks”, which have been in practice ever since the reign of King Charles II. :- “1. To begin the same by fighting the lighter pair of cocks which fall in match first, proceeding upwards towards the end, that every lighter pair may fight earlier than those that are heavier. 2. In matching, with relation to the battles, it is a rule always in London that after the cocks of the main are weighed the match-bills are compared. 3. That every pair of dead or equal weight are separated, and fight against others, provided it appears that the main can be enlarged by adding thereto, one battle or more thereby”. In accordance with these rules a “cock match” was fought “on the 15th of April, 1761, and three following days”, which “consisted of twenty-eight battles” and was won by a Mr. Diconson. The same gentleman was a competitor in the following year, when twenty-five battles were fought and victory again declared in his favour. In 1771 “the ladies’ stand” was first erected, and there was a “cock match” on the 13th of June at the close of the races, “between the gentlemen of Yorkshire and the gentlemen of Lancashire”, when the former were victorious in “twenty-two battles and nine byes”. Subsequent matches were recorded in 1790, 1791, 1793, 1798, 1799, and 1800, at which the Earl of Mexborough, Sir Peter Warburton, William Hulton, Esq., Sitwell Sitwell, Esq., and Windsor Hunloke, Esq., appear as competitors. “The cockpit in Salford” is announced as the place where “the mains are to be fought”. As for the history of cockfighting in Manchester and neighbourhood in more modern times let Procter and other old grey beards tell. Who has not heard of my Lord of Derby and Captain White, each seated in his armchair at each end of the cockpit at Barge’s Bridge Inn, Broughton-road, Salford, each watching with barbarous delight the fate of his steel-heeled chanticleer? There are many villages in Lancashire which have still a “cockpit” in their local nomenclature, indicating thereby the popularity of the sport. An octogenarian old cock keeper told me the other day that “duck-winged” game birds were distinguishable by the lower edge of the wings being fringed with dark bluish green feathers like the plumage of a duck or drake, hence the name. |
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What influence the ancient love of cock fighting has had in building up the English character it is impossible to estimate. The “pugnacity” of the ordinary Englishman, pointed out on more than one occasion by Cobden as having led us into so many wars, may perhaps be partly attributable to it. If this be so, “How much of our public debt is owing to our ancient love of this pastime?” On the other hand, “How much of it owing to this penchant that England is ‘cock of the walk’ today?” April 25th – No material alteration in the price of provisions since the last statement. And David Jackson, of Oldham, warehouseman, entered this day. Ashton-under-Lyne, March 26th – Yesterday evening, George Berkenshaw and his wife were found with their throats cut in a shocking manner; the woman was dead and the man expiring. It appeared they had lived very disagreeable together, and that the man had cut the woman’s throat first, and in order to screen himself from the law cut his own. They were both buried in Ashton churchyard. April 29th – Beef and mutton 7d. a pound, old butter 10½ d. per pound; 36 reeds nankeen, 49 yards long wove, for 9d. May 1st – Peter Whitehead, son of Mr. Edmund Whitehead, hatter, entered this day. From 1780 up to this time hatting had been a very flourishing trade in Oldham. Mr. Edmund Whitehead, of Coldhurst-lane, was one of the principal hatters of the town. May 7th – Last night, an uncommon stormy night and a deal of snow on the hills this morning.
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For several days past it as been uncommon cold and a deal chilly rain, wich makes it an uncommon late spring. May 11th – Yesterday was one of the most tremendous days for wind and rain and snow ever remembered by the oldest person living. The wind north-east, and this day the wind verey high, with sleet and rain. May 12th. – This day as been an uncommon cold, weet day, the surface of the earth as soft and dirty as in the middle of December, the air full of clouds and wattry vapours, the air verey cold and piercing. Veggetation and spring have not yet made much appearance. May 15th – With great happiness we announce that the cold wet weather is terminating, for yesterday was an uncommon fine, warm day. The victorious General Napoleone Buonapart was born in Corsica in 1767. A work was publised in 1799 wich states him to have been born in 1769. By a return made to the War Office it appears that there as died in the last 12 months in St. Domingo only, 362 Brititsh officers, 7,374 privates. This account was taken from the ‘Manchester Gazette’ of May 13th, 1797. San Domingo appears to have been a huge charnel house. The English had only had the island (called Hayti then) since 1793, and it was always a source of trouble to maintain and control the mixed population. Then the climate wrought fearful havoc among the English troops. One Toussaint l’Ouverture led the blacks against the English in 1798, and forced the English to retire. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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