A “Great wynt” was always a notable event to reckon by in Oldham. In this case, as many of the houses in Oldham were thatched, they would no doubt share the common ruin. I find no other record of this wind, though it would probably long live in tradition. Talking with an ancient mater some time ago, she was telling me the ages of her children, then grown-up persons, and she wound up her story by saying that “eawr Job wur born i’th great wynt.” January 30th -The weather fine and pleasant at this time. The scarceness of coals excites the astonishment and wonder of this country, as is natural. The poor feel effects of this trouble as well as all others to a greater degree than the rich. They have this winter met with a great deal of trouble and disappointment by the scarceness of coals, for they have not been obtainable for money. Therefore the poor have been under the necessity of burning slack, bags, or any other rubbish they could light of at Manchester. They have been sold as high as 4d. for a horseload, or two baskets. At Prestwich and other places in this neighbourhood they have been sold as high as 4 1/2d. per 100 lbs. This scarcity of coal was no doubt caused by the demand, which at the time was increasing for coal for mill purposes. E. Butterworth says :- The great consumption of coal which ensued as the inevitable consequence of the introduction of the steam engine as the moving power of cotton mills served to develope the mineral resources of the district, and stimulated the colliery proprietors to extraordinary activity in working the mines to the fullest extent and upon the most efficient plan of which they were capable. Messrs. James Lees and Joseph Jones proved more than equal to the energy and enterprise required in such stirring times, and Mr. Edward Evans, senior, of Edge-lane, son of Mr. John Evans, of Oldham Edge, rendered himself by his own unaided efforts not only an extensive colliery proprietor, but skillfully practical in the engineering of mines.” No doubt one of the flourishing industries of Oldham would be coal-mining, and many a fortune at that time was built up which yet endures. February 8th -This day (Monday) a rough day, and a great fall of frost and snow ensued. Robert Gregg Hopwood, Esq., of Hopwood, near Middleton, High Sheriff for Lancashire. I have already given a note showing how the Greggs and the Hopwoods were changed into Gregg Hopwoods. The Hopwoods were a famous family of Hopwood Hall, near Middleton, and took their full share in public events during the 17th and 18th centuries. Marriages were celebrated at Hopwood Hall during the Commonwealth, Edmund Hopwood, a magistrate, being the celebrant. Some few incidents in connection with his office show him to have been a moderate and humane man, but his life would have been more appropriately noticed under the history of Middleton. February 6th -Died, Mary, wife of David Howarth, of Cowhill; disorder, consumption; age 39 years. February 17th -It commenced a very fine thaw, and put an end to a keen frost.
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February 13th – A singular and fatal misfortune happened to one John Chapman, a youth of about 16 years of age. As he was returning from his work - a box maker - he slipped in consequence of the frost near the church, Oldham, and fell, and having a chisel in his pocket, it penetrated his belly, and he died in a few minutes. February 18th-Oldham; Meal (good) sells at 1s. 10d. per peck; flour 2s. 10d. per peck; potatoes 6d. per score; treacle, 4d. a pound; beef, 9d. per lb.; mutton 9d. per lb. Select Observations.- In consequence of some of the necessaries of life being reasonable, and the uncommon briskness of all sorts of trade, a universal joy is felt in the country. Mule spinning is behind all imagination, for a man upon an average earns 30s. a week, and all sorts of weaving were never brisker, although wages have been higher. Masters are giving 1 1/2d. per hank for picking mule weft; in common jenny weft, say 3d. a pound weaving, which makes a piece 6d. a pound more than about a year ago, and indeed, some reckon it to be mended more than 6d. per pound. But the country flourishes, and all is joy and happiness. Glorious times these for factory people, prices advancing 6d. a pound in one year for the work people. What must have been the profits of the employers? I remember an ancient cotton spinner of that period who declared he would no longer follow the trade if it would not afford a profit of 1s. 6d. a pound, and he gave up the trade in disgust. He died a poor man though, but this was his boast to his dying day. March 4th -Died, after a few days’ illness, old John Fenton, of Chadderton; disorder, a fever. March 6th -The weather at this time is unfavourable to the approaches of spring, it being at this time a very keen frost. March 7th -Was found in a pond of water, near Chamber Hall, John Bramhall. He had been in all night, and it was supposed he had drowned himself in a fit of insanity. Same day died daughter of Edmund Newton, of bottom of Maygate-lane; disorder, a fever; age, 20 years. On the 2nd of March died the most noble Francis Russel, Duke of Bedford; age 37 years; disorder, a rupture. He was a staunch friend to freedom, and a truly virtuous upright man. Died, March 20th, Mary Bradley, grocer and corn dealer, Oldham; age, 72 years. March 23rd -Died, Thomas Chadwick, of Wood. In 1794, when the Royal Lancaster Volunteers were raised, he entered as a volunteer. He of course became a sergeant. He came sick from Ireland, and died at his father’s, at Wood; disorder, consumption; age, 32 years. The Chadwicks were not originally of this district, but have a fine old family history in connection with Rochdale. From what I gather it would require a whole volume to contain an account of what was once this powerful, wealthy, and flourishing family. |
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March 24th -Last night died Betty, daughter of Thomas Ogden, of Busk; age 14 years. March 31st -Died Ann, wife of James Needham, loom-maker, of Top-o’th- Moor; disorder, consumption. March 30th -News arrived of the signing of the definite treaty of peace at Amiens on the 27th instant. Gillray was the great caricaturist of that age, as Teniel is of this. A cartoon in Gillray’s peculiar style had a great circulation, both in England and France, in 1802, commemorating the peace concluded between Great Britain and France. A facsimile of this cartoon is to be found in Hone’s “Book of Days.” It is entitled, “The First Kiss these Ten Years; or the Meeting of Britannia and Citizen Francois.” It represents an apartment, in which the typical Frenchman meets Mrs. Britannia, and he is in the act of embracing and kissing her. His short arms only reach half round the fat little woman’s waist, and he seems in such earnest that his qeue flies up over his head, and suggests the nether end of a certain old gentleman’s tail. His armour and accoutrements lie idly on the floor, and Mrs. Brittannia’s shield and spear lean neglected against a wall. The Frenchman expresses his delight at the meeting in warm terms, saying: “Madame, permittez me to pay my profound esteem to your engaging person, and to seal on your divine lips my everlasting attachment.” The sturdy lady, who is blushing deeply, replies: “Monsieur, you are, truly, a well-bred gentleman! And though you make me blush, yet you kiss so delicately that I cannot refuse you, though I were sure you would deceive me again.” On the wall, just behind these two principal figures, are framed portraits of George the Third and Bonaparte, fiercely scowling at each other. Hone says this caricature became as popular in France as it was in England. Immense quantities of impressions were sent to and sold on the Continent, and even the great Napoleon himself expressed the high amusement he derived from it. April -This month began with exalent fine weather and vegetation is making rapid approaches. All earthly happiness seems at the highest splendour, for the plenty and cheapness of most sorts of provisions doth greatly astonish and delight the people, and business of all sorts the most, and the highest wages given, especially hatting, weaving, and spinning, and to complete this mass of happiness, treacle is 3lb. for 10d., malt 2d.a peck, hops 1d. per lb., meal 1s. 7d. per peck, flour 2s. 8d. to 3s. a peck. All sorts of butchers’ meat is very dear, beef or mutton 9d. per lb. April 18th -Died, Thomas Shaw, near Chadderton. He had been confined to his bed for 12 years in consequence of lameness. April 21st -Died, Thomas Heap, of Mumps, and in about a fortnight his wife died. They were an elderly couple.
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The Heaps of Oldham were at one time a very good family and rather numerous. The name of Margaret Heap occurs in the burial register of Oldham Church, in 1561. But before then at a manor court held at Chadderton in 1534, we find quite a heap of Heaps at “Glodight” holding land under the Radcliffes, of Foxdenton. E. Butterworth says that among the principal inhabitants of Glodwick in 1633 was Mr. Ralph Heap. A branch of the family lived at Stampstone in 1662. In an old deed I have seen, dated 1672, mention is made of Mary, daughter of Joseph Heape, late of that place. A family of Heaps lived at Mumps in the 17th century. Some of the Heaps seem to have migrated in recent times to other places. This may account for the family not appearing numerous in Oldham to-day, but probably the female element has been predominant, and while the family has been absorbed in other families, the name has to a great extent been lost in Oldham. April 22nd -Died, George, Earl of Guildford, a patriotic, upright, nobleman. April 30th -This month has been attended with a deal of fine showers, yet it has been frosty and cold, which has rather retarded vegetation. Good potatoes at Manchester 4s. a load; at old John Travis sell at 4s. a load, but in general from 5d. to 8d. per score. Good meal sold at Oldham May 1st ,1802, at 1s. 5d. a peck. Old John Travis of Goldborne, and his family, were somewhat important people in Oldham. John Travis saved his money out of shopkeeping, and became so well-known and trusted in Oldham that people preferred to lend their money to him to putting it into the banks. Indeed, either because of the scarcity or absence of local banks in Oldham, or probably because of the shock banking credit had received through the suspension of specie payments through the Bank of England a few years before, Oldham tradesmen as a rule went to him and deposited their cash with him, and he stood to them in the position of a local banker. I know of at least one of our earlier cotton spinners who banked with him, whose son had used to fetch the fortnightly wages from him, just as our pay clerks fetch money for wages from the local banks today. John Travis accumulated at one time a great fortune and possessed considerable property. He thus became a great power in Oldham. I have been told that at one time he owned the Grimbies estate. It is probably he who is alluded to by E. Butterworth, who says: “About 1802 (this year) Messrs. James Lees, brother of Mr. John Lees, of Greenbank (John o’Sally’s), and John Travis, of Oldham, erected the original Castle Mill at Greenacres Moor, which was shortly afterwards let to several parties who carried on business on a small scale. It was in this mill that Messrs. George Lowndes and Co. and John Twemlow had concerns, the former in 1805 and the latter in 1807.” I rather think old John Travis would be uncle to the Travises who were tallow chandlers. It is said that Old John Travis was largely involved in the affairs of the Rochdale canal about the time of its formation, and that he dropped a considerable portion of his well earned fortune in this undertaking. |
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