ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. LIV 1809 May 11th -The first sessions was holden at Mr. Joseph Taylor’s, Spread Eagle, Oldham. The Reverend Mr. Joseph Hordern, of Royton Hall, and Mr. Samuel Taylor, Esquire, of Moston Hall, and two of his Majesty’s Justices of peace. A deal of business was done, and it is to be holden this day fortnight at Royton, and a fortnight after here again, and alternately at both places. This we are told by the late Mr. John Higson, the first regular petty sessions held in Oldham. In later years it was held at the Angel. The weather uncomonly hot, and the earth in want of rain. May 11th -This day, about noon, Mr. Samuel Mayal, grocer and tea dealer, of Oldham, in a fit of insanity, shot himself through the body, and died on the spot. He performed this rash deed in the garret. Wilst living he was an ornament to society, and in him the poor have lost a very valuable friend. He was really possessed of every fine feeling. So that he was a compleat gentleman, and never was a man more unervesally pitied by all ranks of people. Age 39 years within three days. May 15th -A party of recruits set off from Oldham on their rout for Horse Spring Barracks, and wher atended, as usual, by a large groupe of females, who testified their sorrow by an unusual flow of tears. They belonged to the 6th Regiment of Foot, and John Ogden of Burnley-brow was in the list. There number was only eight. War was raging in the Peninsula. Both Spain and Portugal were to be the prey of Bonaparte. Green says: Tory and Whig alike held “that never had so happy an opportunity existed for Britain to strike a bold stroke for the rescue of the world.” The war was, therefore, very popular. “Corrunna” had to be made up for, and our Oldham youth rushed like a horse to the battle. May 16th -Died, Alice, wife of James Walker, of Nim-nook. Disorder, consumption.
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May 23rd -Died, John Woolstencroft, Maygate-lane; age 66 years. The conclusion of this month was uncomonly wet, more so than was seldom ever known. May 27th -Yesterday Kersall Moor races concluded. The weather was fine, the sport good, and, as usual, an inumerable deal of spectators, but very little spending amongst the lower classes, and the publicans in general complained of ill-success. June 4th - His Majesty’s birthday. June 6th -An uncomon roff, cold boisterous, rainy day, and has been for several days past; it is extremely cold, a deal of vegetation is withered and vastly damaged, and fruit trees damaged by the uncomon high wind. A little time since John Hilton entered as tenant on the Wheat Sheaf public-house, Bent, Oldham, late Smethurst, and a little time back, Joseph Standring who now keeps the Pack Horse, Newton-lane. June 6th -His Majesty’s ship, St. Domingo, arrived at the Downs. On board are John and Thomas Rowbottom, Robert Wolstencroft, Simon Taylor out of this neighbourhood, and Ratclif Wrigley, J. and A. Turner, and Abraham Turner, James Whitworth, James Robinson, Henry Heap, John Hasten. Abraham Richardson, Benjamin Chadwick, all from near Rochdale; Daniel Broadbent from Lees. What looking out for old friends, as vessels arrived laden with troops who had been in the wars fighting for dear old England! Some names will be found here, I doubt not, which are honoured still by their family successors, even in this generation. I can almost hear some one saying, “That was my grandfather;” nor will such an one be less proud because the name appears in the “Annals of Oldham.” June 12th -Yesterday, died Jenny Taylor, of High Gate, age 66 years. June 24th -John Whitehead entered as tenant at the Westwood Inn, North moor, late Fletcher. June 13th -The Oldham local militia marched from Oldham for Bolton, to perform permanent duty for 14 days. |
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June 28th -The Oldham militia arrived at Oldham from Bolton, and on the following day were dismissed. A few of the last days of this month where very fine hay days, and a deal of good hay was got in, and the crops in general are very heavy. July 5th -Died, George Ashton, of Nathan Row, Oldham; a person who sold fustian pieces to Manchester Market; he had the misfortune to have his arm very much broke at Manchester some time since, wich was the cause of his death. Age 55 years. Same day died John Brierly, cotton carder, &c., of Sheepwashes, Oldham. July 6th -For four days last past, uncomon cold whet wheather, so that hay time is entirely at a stand. June 29th -Wife of Wm. Meadowcroft, of Lower Place, near Rochdale, had the misfortune to be much bruzed; her leg broke to a shocking degree by a stand breaking down at Bagstate races on the 1st of July. She was delivered of two children which soon after died. She languished till the 8th instant and then expired. She as born 18 children and only in the 30th year of her age. July 10th -Sailed from the Downs on a cruise, supposed to be the North Seas or Flushing. The following ships: St. Domingo, Blake, Repulse, Audacious, Victorious, Thesous, Denmark. These vessels, some of them troopships, were evidently sailing with sealed orders. The great event, which was shortly to come off, was the battle of Talavera, which was fought on the 27th of July, 1809. Green tells it was “a bloody action of two days,” which restored the renown of the English arms. The losses on both sides were enormous, and the French fell back at the close of the struggle, but the fruits of victory were lost by the sudden appearance of Soult on the English line of advance, and Wellesley was forced to retreat hastily on Badajoz. Many an Oldhamer fought in these battles. July 14th -A little boy had the misfortune to be killed in descending a coalpit near Werneth. Hay harvest this year has been uncomon productive and very well got in. There were never heavier crops in the memory of the oldest person living. July 18th -Oldham, this morning, one John Preestly, a native of this place was detected coming out of the shop of Wood, shoe warehouse, but he had not stolen anything but a knife; he was committed to the New Bailey on the 19th. The quarter sessions commenced on the 20th. He was tried and found guilty; transported for seven years.
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July 20th -This morning a man was found dead on the brick kiln, near Glodwick. It is supposed he was suffocated. In the latter end of this month, three men burnd by the fire damp in the coalpit in Werneth, one of wich is said to be since dead. Uncomon wet weather commenced the latter end of this month. A deal of wimberry or bilberry this season sold from 6d. to 7d. per quart. August 3rd -This day the sessions at Royton. The magistrates, the Rev. Mr. Hordern and Mr. Taylor, commited two yong women to the New Bayley for one year each for having three bastard children each, and a man for beging ion Oldham was sentenced by the same magistrates to be publicly wipped. August 4th -The man for beging was tied to a cart teal and wipped through Oldham. John Chadwick, constable, Richard Brown, alias Red Dick, wipped him, the audience, particularly the females, were highly against this treatment, and gave a vent to their disaprobation by insulting and stoneing his Honor, Mr.Brown. This barbarous penalty for begging seems uncalled for in the then distressed state of the country. To such a height of wickedness is the present age that some person at present unknown put a quantity of poyson into a watering trough at Newmarket. A number of running horses drunk of the water, two of whom died and the rest were much affected. A reward of 100 guineas was offered for the discovery of the offenders. Newmarket races at that time seem to have had a great popularity. This dastardly deed would no doubt create a great sensation. Rowbottom mentions it as a sign of the depravity of the times. August 10th -A few days since, Stanley Lees entered as tenant at the Stag’s Head public-house, Bent Brow, late Saxon Garlick’s. August 11th -Was entered at Royton James Taylor, of Royton, late of Holdenfold. He was an idiot, but of a remarkable calm, quiet, peaceable disposition.; his age about 33 years. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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