During the last month the names of the streets were put up in Oldham for the first time. There were only seven principal streets in the town at that time, viz., Manchester-street, High-street, Yorkshire-street, West-street, King-street, George-street, and Henshaw-street. The smaller streets amounted to thirty, exclusive of ten at Greenacres Moor. One thing to be regretted in the naming of these street is that many old names were not perpetuated. Who knows where Markfield and Ward Croft and Pingott are today, names known a century ago. August 8th –This day a letter was received in Oldham from Philadelphia, in America, giving an account of the arrival there of John Lee, late of Oldham, and Grace, the wife of Thomas Greaves, also of Oldham. Greaves arrived there before Lee and his sweet parramour, and had them imediately taken into custody, and Lee committed to jail. Property to the amount of several hundred pounds was found in the possession of the frail female, which Greaves got possession of, and had his fair one put under restrained. August 10th – Died Molly, wife of William Butterworth, of Hod, Chadderton. Age 51 years. And a few days since died, wife of Benjamin Ward, of Jackson Pit, Oldham. The Wards are evidently a very old family in Oldham, taking their name probably from the old wards or prison which was in Wardcroft, an institution in Oldham probably dating from the reign of King Alfred the Great. August 8th – Foot race between John Lees, Esq., Col. of the Oldham local militia, and William Clegg, Esq., of Westwood. It was what is generally denominated a sprint. They ran in a field near the Pack Horse, in Failsworth, for a certain quantity of dinners, and a certain quantity of wine, wich was won by Col. Lees. It was no uncommon thing for these well to do spinners to have friendly contests in running, walking, or even riding among themselves. They had more time to devote to such sports in those days. Besides the ancient inn was more a place of resort for them then than now. August 15th – This day the Oldham local militia set out on their route for Bolton-in-le-Moors, there to be trained and exercised for fourteen days. They were attended by a large groupe of females who manifested their sorrow on the above ocation by a spontanious flow of tears. The gaping crowd of admirers looked on the militia as one of the mainstays of their safety. And when called to training service, there was a popular fear that they might be wanted to fight Bony, some day. The Peninsular war was raging, and accounts were coming to Oldham almost every week of the heroes who were defending the British flag.
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August 10th – Several farmers in this neighbourhood are begun to cut corn; particularly Mr. Wm. Clegg, of Westwood, has begun to cut on Northmoor. August 20th – Last night died, at the bottom of Northmoor, Jenny Wood, her age 47; disorder, consumption. August 23rd – Peter Kershaw, of Alderroot, unfortunately killed in the factory at Lees Hall by the upright shaft catching his cloes. He was a remarkable civil, peacable man, age about 53 years. August 24th – Anna, wife of Robert Hill, keeper of the Bulls Head public-house, Mottram, poisoned herself by willfully swallowing a large quantity of arsinic. August 30th – Last night died Mary, widow of the late James Nield, of Lees Hall, hatter. She died at St. Helens, Northmoor; disorder, consumption; age 47 years August 30th – The Oldham local militia arived at Oldham from Bolton, where they have been to be trained and exercised. They were as usial attended by a large concourse of spectators, particularly females. August 31st – Last night some villains stole two hens from William Rowbottom’s and two from James Chadwick’s. They were traced to the Shorp-clough road August 31st -Oldham rushbearing Saturday. A fine day till towards night, when it turned to rain. There was but few company, and in consequence of the times there was but only one rushcart, wich came from Hollinwood, wich was never before in the memory of the oldest person living of their being only one rushcart. They took the rushes back, so that on Sunday there was not a single rush in Oldham Church to preserve old peoples’ feet from the cold during the winter. This is an interesting annal showing the use to which rushes composing the rushcarts were put. We are told in Newton’s Herbal to the Bible, 1587, that with sedge and rushes many in the country do rise in summer to strew their parlours and churches, as well for coolness as the pleasant smell. Brand says:- “As our ancestors rarely washed their floors disguises of uncleanliness became very necessary; of course, many of the floors were of clay.” From this annal it will be seen that the rushes were required to keep people’s feet warm in church. Thus it would seem that rushes were used for coolness in summer and for warmth in winter. In the old days when churches were seldom warmed with artificial heat something was needed to promote the comfort of the worshippers during the cold winter weather. In some churches I have seen provision made to prevent these rushes being trailed over the church by means of a high board placed across the entrance to the pew. In olden time the rushcart always ended up at a church, when the rushes were strewed in the churchyard to dry, and then carried into the church and placed within the pews, but in these days we find the rushcarts end anywhere but at the church. |
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September 1st - Sunday. A very fine day, and a deal of company. September 2nd - A deal of company, and moderate spending with those that had money, but poor hatters in general had a poor Wakes of it in consequence of the poorness of their trade; weavers also fared bare. It was observed that in general there were two nymphs to one swain. September 5th – Wife of one Kay, of further Stakehill, shopkeeper, in a fit of insanity drowned herself. September 7th – A lamentable misfortune happened at Hollinwood, five colliers being in a coalpit. There the firedamp exploded, and the poor colliors most misserably burned. Two of them – one 11 and the other 13 years of age, and sons of Nat Higgins, of Block-lane – died in a few hours. Another one Lacey, a boy of 15 years of age, died on the 9th. The other two are likely to recover. Fine harvest. The corn harvest this year is such as it was never known before by the oldest person living. The crops are very promising and luxuriant, and the weather is such as to astonish everyone. It is extremely hot; the ellement is serene and clear, and the springs are drying up for want of water, and a deal of corn is housed, but mostly cut. September 8th – Sailed from the Downs for off Flushing. September 10th – For several days past the public attention on a large commet, wich has made its apearance in the north-west quarter. This comet was the great wonder and terror of the age. I have heard my mother say that night after night its tail hung over a certain cornfield which she had to pass on her way to Oldham, for she was then a girl apprenticed as a dressmaker to a Mrs. Mossley, who lived at Mumps, and there was a popular fear that the tail of this comet would set the standing corn on fire. Hone tells us that the excellence of the vintage of 1811 was attributed to this great comet, as well as the abundance of crops that year. Nay, the number of twins born that year, and the fact that a shoemaker’s wife in Whitechapel had four children at a birth were in like manner laid to the charge of the comet, and likewise were the facts that wasps were few and that flies became blind that year. I have tried to identify this comet, but I cannot get nearer than 1812. Can any of my readers help me? The Bellona of 74 guns with Sir Richard John Strachan on board. September 7th – Died at Strangeways Hall, Manchester, Joseph Hanson, Esq., a truly great and good man; a staunch friend to the cause of liberty, and a true advocate for the poor. His age, 39 years. The life of Joseph Hanson was evidently worn out of him by the distress of the poor. He seems to have always taken their part against the rich, and looked on the cause of distress as preventible. I do not doubt he was a much mistaken man, but his errors leaned to the side of mercy. As already stated, it was almost a dangerous thing in those days to be a friend of the poor, as such people were looked on as egging on the popular discontent, which had to be met by repression.
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Mr. Axon gives the date of Hanson’s death as September 3 and says he was the author of “The Defence of the Petition for Peace,” 1808. He also says that after retiring from business he lived at Strangeways Hall. “Mr. Joseph Hanson, in giving evidence before the House of Commons in 1811 on the petition of the Manchester weavers, stated the number of spinners to be 9,000, and the number of weavers 12,000, the latter earning 11s. per week, and the former 7s., when fully employed.” Of course he would be speaking of handloom weavers, and of a class of spinners who probably used Dutch wheels before Crompton’s mule came into operation. September 16th – The roof of the factory belonging to Joseph Buckley, of New-road, Oldham, suddenly broke down, and did considerable damage in the higher rooms. Fortunately the workmen were not in the room the moment it broke down. September 13th – Was the licence day for the parishes of Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham, wich was holden at Mr. Joseph Taylor’s, the Spread Eagle, in Oldham, but there was no one turned without, nor any new ones. A short time since Henry Booth entered as tenant on he public-house in Werneth, late Cheetham’s, and Edward O’Connor entered on the Duke of York public-house in Tinker-lane, Hollinwood, late Seed’s. September 15th – One John Schofield, of Cowhill, labourer, for being drunk on Sabbath day, was set in the stocks for six hours this day at Oldham. September 18th – One William Barker, a carter, from Todmorden, unfortunately killed by being thrown under the cart wheel, near Lower-place, Rochdale. September 20th – A few days since the wife of Daniel Jackson, millwright, Oldham, was delivered of three children, wich, with the mother, are likely to do very well. The commet still every morning and evening shines forth with great lustre, and it still continues fine and dry, and the corn is all got in, wich is very fine. The popular belief mentioned by Hone, that the comet was credited with the abundance of human fruitage during this year, would seem to have some confirmation from this annal. Here we have three children at a birth, while in a former annal this year, we have mention of twins being born. Last night and this morning a very great quantity of rain fell, which has cooled the earth very much. September 27th – This morning four colliers were winding down a pit to their work at Coppice, Nook; the rope broke when nearly 60 yards from the top. Fortunately no limbs were broke, but were very much brused and shaken. One was James Townend, and two were brothers of the name of Mills, Townend nearly 60; the rest boys. September 28th – Middleton last night, Thos. Fletcher, landlord of the Suffield Arms public-house here, a man 67 years of age, in vilant rage, stabbed with a large carving knife into the belly of one Samuel Kent, a young man, his waiter, so that Kent died in about ten hours after. On the 30th the coroner’s jury set their verdict wilful murder. Fletcher, of course, was committed to Lancaster to take his tryal for the same. Fletcher was uncle to Kent. |
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