ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. XLVII 1806 This Year, one thousand eight hundred and six commenced on a Wednesday, wich was a fine calm day, and in plenty of families there was plenty of ale, roast beff, pies &c. “If the Kalends fall on Wednesday there will be a hard winter and bad spring, but a good summer. The fruits of the earth will be much beaten down, money will be scarce, and young men will die.” – Saxon MSS But the late disasterous events upon the continent throws a gloom uppon the features of the thinking, for the unpareled victorys of Buonaparte have thrown Europe into the greatest consternation, and as had a visable effect upon trade and comerce, but the glorious victory of Trafalgar as been of great utillity to the commerce and credit of this nation, and as placed us at present tryumphant over our enemies, wich may ever be the case is the wish of evey honest Englishman. Popular joy in England over the victory of Trafalgar was checked by news from abroad of the ravages of Napoleon. He had been thwarted in his plan of invading England, but he made the Austrians and Russians pay the penalty. Only the day before Trafalgar he forced an Austrian army to a shameful capitulation in Ulm (Wurtemberg). The Austrians had 28,000 men under General Mack. Napoleon marched from Ulm on Vienna and Austerlitz on the 2nd of December, 1805. He crushed the united armies of Russia and Austria, amounting to 80,000 men. Tidings of these victories were received in England with dismay. Trafalgar cost us Nelson, our greatest admiral, and Austerlitz cost us Pitt, our greatest statesman. Green says, “though Pitt was still but forty seven, the hollow voice and wasted frame of the great statesman had long told that death was near, and this blow to his hopes proved fatal.” The following is an accurate statement of the following necessarys of life, viz:- Meal, 2s 4d. to 2s. 6d.; flour, 2s. 9d, to 3s.; malt, 2s 11d. to 3s. per peck; treacle, 4 1/2d.; butter, 11d. to 12d.; new butter, 15d.; candles, 10d.; cheese, 7d. to 8d.; pork, 6 1/2d. to 7 1/2d.; beff, 6d. to 7 1/2d.; mutton, 7d. per pond; onions, 2 pond for 2 1/2d.; hops, 11d. to 13d.; bacon, 8d.; soap, white or brown, 9 1/2d.; sugar, 9d. to 11d. per pond; pottatoes, 7 1/2d. per score; hay, 8d. per stone; straw, 3d. per stone; white peas, 3 1/2d. and 4d. a quart; salt, 4d. a pond; coals 14d. to 18d. a load at the pit; cotton wool, from 14d. to 17d. a pond, but it is white, such as is spun in 24 hanks, weaving 24 hanks at 2s. 2d. to 2s. 6d. a pond. All sorts of light goods moderately brisk, but wages declining. Hatting very brisk. Carding, spinning, and roving at factorys work scarse and a deal out of employ. The export of yarn, which was a growing business, at that time received a severe check through the disturbed state of the continent. This yarn was spun at factories, and hence the stoppage of mills and the scarcity of work.
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January 10th - A very high wind. January 16th - Last night an uncomon deal of rain. The waters rose astonishingly, put the country into consternation by washing down houses, bridges, &c. At Thorp Clough a house ocipied by William Garside gable end washed down, looms and other machinery destroyed. A part of Street Bridge washed away. The waters at Manchester where astonishingly high, bringing down cattle and husbandry, geering, and sweept a bridge away in Salford, and did a deal of damage all over the country. January 19th - Yesterday an uncomon deal of rain. This I suppose will rank as a great rain storm. I regret that so poor an account has been kept of great storms in Lancashire. January 16th – Last night the house of James Fallowes, shopkeeper, Bent, Oldham, robbed of cash to the amount of £20, in wich the thiefs made clear off. January 17th - Died, Alice Hardy, of Scoles Fold; a very old woman. January 23rd - Died Edmund Cocker, of Dunsters, near Stakehill, far advanced in years. January 23rd - This morning died at Putney, near London, of a fever brought on by disappointment, the Right Honourable William Pitt, First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, &c. He was born May 8th 1759. The melo-dramatic in which Rowbottom records this annal is enough to raise a smile. “A fever brought on by disappointment” is here the alleged cause of death. We have already seen that Pitt was but in a weak state of health when he took the reigns of power. Though the fears of a French invasion had not been realised, yet the conquests of Napoleon in Europe had brought discomfort and dismay into the hearts of English statesmen. They conjured up in their minds a more terrible Napoeon than the Emperor of France, namely a Napoleon the conqueror of Europe. Green paints in few words the death of Pitt:- “Roll up that map,” he said, as he lay on his death bed, pointing to a map of Europe which hung upon the wall, “it will not be wanted these ten years. Once only he rallied from stupor, and those who bent over him caught a faint murmur of “My country! How I leave my country!” As stated in this annal, on January 23, 1806, he breathed his last and was laid in Westminster Abbey in the grave of Chatham. “What grave,” exclaimed Lord Wellesley, the future deliverer of England, “contains such a father and such a son? What sepulchre embosoms the remains of so much human excellence and glory.” |
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January 23rd - A child was burned to death at Laners, near Edge-lane, aged 4 years. January 25th - Ended Manchester Sessions, when George Smith, of Oldham, hatter, found guilty of having in his possession, stolen hats; sentence – Lancaster Castle for 6 months. No bill found against Samuel Andrew, charged with defrauding the Union Provision Warehouse. This “Union Warehouse” was evidently the United Friendly Society’s warehouse. We have seen that the committee had all fled, and these proceedings were evidently taken against those who stood their ground. Andrew was probably connected with the management of this society – the bill against him being cut by the grand jury. January 29th - Died last night, Marion Ashton, of Chaderton Workhouse, far advanced in years. January 29th - Died, John Buckley, formerly of Busk, aged 80 years. January 29th - Thomas Lord, of Northwood, Northmoor, very much brused in Manchester by being crushed betwixt a cart and a wall. February 5th - Was interred at Oldham, Betty, relict of old Robert Seddon, of Oldham. February 6th - Two young men going down a coal pit to their work near Coppice Nook, the rope broke, and they fell to the bottom, and they were most shockingly brused, the one having both legs, one thigh, and one arm broken, but hopes are still entertained of both of their recoverys. February 7th - Mary Brierly, wilst at her labor at the Old Chapel Factory, Bent, Oldham, her clogs were caught by the upright shaft, and her body so brused that she died a few hours after; her age 17 years. February 15th - Oldham, meal sold of an exalent quality 2s. a peck; flour, 2s. 8d.; very good, 3s. per peck. Malt, 2s. 9d. a peck. A few days since died at a very great age, Simon Kent, of Chaderton Heights.
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THE NEW MINISTRY, TREASURY:
SECRETARIES: PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL: LORD PRIVY SEAL: FORREIGHN DEPARTMENT: UNDER SECRETARYS: HOME DEPARTMENT: U. SECRETARYS: COLONIAL DEPARTMENT: LORD CHANCELLOR: CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: ADMIRALITY: M. G. OF ORDINANCE: S. AT WAR: TREASUREAR OF NAVY: LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND: SECRETARY: CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER: ATTORNEY-GENERAL: SOLICITOR-GENERAL: |
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