ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. LXXII 1813 April 15th - This day Francis Dukenfield Astley, Esq., of Dukenfield Lodge, near Ashton-u-Lyne, was swore a magisterate for Lancashire. Mr. Astley was not only a magistrate, but was well known in craft circles, being Grand Master of Freemasons for the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire in 1814, and was also a member of the two orders of Knights Templars and Royal Arch Masons. April 18th - This day James Barnes, of Redtown, Nook, Oldham, hatter, was intered at Oldham. April 18th - Died, Betty, wife of James Wood, of Old Cann. Her disorder a mortification in her groin; age 44 years. April 22nd - At Sessions at Unicorn, at Royton, Francis Dukenfield Astley, Esq., attended as magistrate for 1st time. April 24th - Manchester: Meal, 48s. to 50s.; Flour, 65s to 70s.; potatoes, 8s. to 9s. a load. Oldham: Flour 3s. 8d. to 4s.; meal, 2s. 6d. t6o 2s. 8d. a peck; potatoes, 9d. to 11d. a score; beef, 11d.; mutton, 10d.; veal, 5d. to 8d.; Chees, 8 1/2d. to 9 1/2d.; old butter, 11 1/2d. to 12d.; new, 15d. to 16d.; bacon, 12d. per pond. April 15th - Napoleon Buonaparte, Emperor of France, left Paris to joyn his army in the north. April 24th - Yesterday, very cold; the wind north-east with snow. April 24th and 25th – The same. April 26th, 27th – The same, with wind north and north-east. April 28th - Tremendous Storm. – Yesterday afternoon a tremendous storm of wind and continued to blow with great velocity all the night. It blew down a deal of chimneys, and unthatched a deal of barns and cottages, and blew a deal of windows out, and a deal of trees up by the roots. It being in the night caused a general consternation.
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April 28th - Last night some villains broke into the factory near Holden-fold, belonging to George Holden; stole out a large quantity of weft, and a clear retreat. April 29th - Last night the house of John Taylor, of St. Hellens, Maygate-lane, was discovered on fire, wich treatened the destruction of the house. The fire burst out at the windows; all the furniture in the house was nearly consumed, together with there clothing. By the exertions of their neighbours, the fire was fortunately extinguished. April 12th - Monday, began to take down the old home, and remove it to Burnley-gate. The storm wich happened on the night of the 28th proves to have done a deal of damage. A deal of gardens where the fruit trees where in bloom, are quite striped of both leaves and blossoms, and a deal of trees torn up by the roots, and the edges are withered and from green turned to black. April 26th - Was intered at Oldham, James Townend, of Bardsley Brow, collior; age, about 64 years. A man who for a serious of years had paid great adoration to cock-fighting, horse-raceing, and foot-raceing. April 13th – Died John Taylor, of Chappel Croft, Oldham, aged nearly 80 years; he was a man very much famed in the art of ringing. May 2nd - Was Oldham fair; a fine day and a deal of company, and a deal of recruiting parties beat up in great stile. May 4th - Was entered at Rochdale John Ramsbottom, commonly called “Old Tottle;” by trade a cord wainer; age 90; of late years he has resided in and near Thorp; in the 91st year. May 5th - Manchester sessions commenced, when John Buckley, of Northmoor, for having in his possession, stolen goods, seven years transportation, and Wm. Jones, watch maker, of Oldham, for stealing lead, six months imprisonment, and Michael Rowbottom, of Thorp Clough, acquitted. May 28th - Last night some villain broke open the slaughter-house of Wm. Bently, of Maygate-lane, butcher, and stole there out the carcases of 2 lambs, with wich they made clear off. June 4th - A child, of Joseph Kershaw’s, of Highgate, drowned; and a child of Widdow Cowper’s, of near Coldhurst, so much burned that it died on the 6th. |
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May 6th - Joseph Denton, of near Hole Bottom, Oldham, machine maker, received so much hurt by an encounter he had with a person this day that he died on the 8th. May 9th - Was intered Mrs. Jane Stott, of near Hollinwood, who for many years followed the profecion of midwife with great success; age 69 years. The following is said to be a true statement of the loss of the French and their allies in the late invasion of Russia:- Killed: 24 genarals, 2,000 staf and other officers. 204,400- rank and file. Prisoners: 43 generals, 8,441 staf and other officers, 233,222 rank and file, 9521 pieces of cannon, 63 pair of collours and standards, 1 marshal staf, about 100,000 muskets, and about 27,000 ammunition wagons. April 16th - Died John Jackson, commonly called John Greens, a collior, of Oldham, age 69 years. May 21st - It appears in the Manchester papers of this date that there are 1,160 houses unoccupied, whose rents amount to £1,300. and with other premises unoccupied amount to £27,000. Perhaps there could be no better evidence than this of the depressed state of the cotton trade, which at that time found its head emporium at Manchester. A previous annal shows how the trade shrunk during this year, chiefly on account of the distressed state of the country. May 26th - Died suddenly, in a fit of appoplexy, Robert, son of Mr. Daniel Lees, of Bankside, Oldham; his age about 34 years. May 2nd - Was fought the great battle of Lutzen, where the French army was commanded by Bonaparte in person, and the allies by the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia. It was a most murderous conflict, and neither army gained much advantage. But in the end the French were masters of the field of battle. The French did not take any cannon or collours, and but few prisoners in the above bloody conflict. The battle of Lutzen, from all accounts, was a terrible affair – 155,000 French against 72,000 Russians and Prussians. Although the French were said to have won the day, the price paid was a dear one. Ney’s corps alone lost 12,000 men in killed and wounded, while the allies loss was very great. Some 18,000 men are said to have been slain at this battle on both sides.
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June 7th - Another misfortune has to be added to these pages. Samuel, son of Samuel Fielding, of Tanner Yate, Edge-lane, a youth fourteen years of age, whilst imprudently going to near the mouth of a coalpit in Edge-lane, fell down, and was killed on the spot. “Tanner Yate” is another addition to the list of “Yates” or “gates” for which Oldham was famous. Of course, it only meant a way or road. In olden times I find mention of Menegate, Maygate, Cashgate, Lord’sgate, Whitegate, Bentgate, Moorgate, Mossgate, Greatfieldgate, Watergate, Limegate, Haggate, Burnleygate, Narrowgate, Bangy or Bank Hey gate, Edgegate, Greengate, Bargap gate, and Locking gate, with others all in or about the parish of Oldham. In the first week of June, James Harrison, keeper of The Horse public-house, Edge-lane, entered as tenant at the public-house, late Booth’s, at Shambles, Middleton, and Booth began to sell at the Hore Inn. June 18th - Died Edmund Elson, of Northmoor, joyner and loom maker, aged 73 years – a man with a universal good character. I have mentioned the Elsons in a previous annal. Edmund Elson is stated here to have been a loom maker. Whether Cartwright’s steam loom had been introduced into Oldham at that time is not very clear. Certain it is that Oldham people had steam looms in other parts of the country in 1812. June 26th - George Wood, of Highgate, detected stealing braswork in the workshop of William Rowbottom, Oldham; on the 27th was taken befor Mr. Horden, and by him committed to New Bayley to take his trial. July 1st - John Marsden, of Oldham, shoemaker, committed to New Bayley on a charge of breaking a shop in Mosley. July 3rd - This day, Saturday, at five o’clock afternoon, Mr. Edmund Whitehead’s hat house in Coldhurst Hollow, Oldham, was discovered to be in flames. Notwithstanding the aid of two engines and the exertions of some active persons, it consumed the warehouse and its contents, and the dwelling-house. Damage £2,000, and not a pennyworth insured. This Mr. Edmund Whitehead seems to have been of a very respectable family, and I am told some of his relatives still reside in the district. July 8th - Died, Titus Bardsley, of Maygate-lane, stonemason, age 63 years. Disorder, a nervous fever. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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