Oldham Historical Research Group

William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard

1818

All sorts of provisions are rising, except meal and flour.

March 5th -Last night an uncomon high wind, attended with snow, rain, and frost, and a man starved to death near Barrowshaw

March 5th -Died, James Cocker, of Scholes Fold, Maygate-lane; disorder, consumption; age about 40 years.

Select observations. Butter, chees, bacon, beff, and mutton, are rising in price. Hatting is very plentiful, and wages are something better, but the materials to work are very bad, and require a deal of labour from the workmen. Weaving of all denominations is very brisk, also all kinds of factory work, but wages are low, particularly weaving of all denominations. Tabbys are as nigh 6d. per yard as can be calculated – namely, 20s. per piece for 40 yards, with 7lb. 8oz., some 7lb. 12oz., in, strong goods are low wages, from 15d. to 18d. per pond for velveteens or cords; light goods are much wanted, and wages rather higher than they where some time since.

Tabbies 20s., or 6d. a yard for weaving. Sixteen yards a week would be fair average work, say about 8s. for the weaver, but we shall see a change shortly.

March 9th -A very roof, cold day, attended with a cold wind, rain, and snow.

According to Baines, the Rev. Robert Walker was inducted to the living of Middleton on the 19th of February, 1801.

March 10th -The same kind of day, but the wind much higher, and it fell a deal of snow.

March 15th -Was intered at Oldham William Wright, landlord of the Nelson’s Ball public-house, and a member of the Oddfellows Club. His funeral was attended by a large number of that society, with badges of their fraternity.

March 2nd -John Buckley, of Northmoor, and Philip Buckley, his son, and James Bayley, of Oldham, where aprehended at Bolton, on a charge of having stolen property in there possession. The two Buckleys where committed to the New Bayley for tryal. Nothing apearing against Bayley he was discharged.

March 21st -The weather still continues extreemly cold, the wind west or south-west. It in general is wind, rain, hail, and snow. The air is very chilly and cold, and at some times it has lightened very much. It has been so for several weeks past.

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Abraham Stansfield, Robert Simpson, George Duckworth where detected stealing pottatoes from James Scoles, of Naylors, within Thornham, on the night of the 15th, along with Abraham Hilton, all of Chadderton, who has turned informer. The three former where committed for tryal at the New Bailey.

March 24th -The weather still continues most severe cold, it being continual hail, rain, and snow; the wind south-west.

March 28th -Died at Oldham Anne, wife of Mr. Abraham Bellot, of Oldham, surgeon. She was daughter of John Lees, Esq., of Church-lane, Oldham.

Dr. Bellott seems to have married twice. A very handsome stained window was recently erected in Oldham Church to the memory of the second wife.

March 27th -Died, widdow of the late Thomas Howarth, butcher, of Oldham.

March 30th -Meal sells 2s. 8d. a peck; mutton, 8 1/2d.; beff, 8 1/2d. a pond; grey boiling pease, 5d. per quart.

This month concluded with extreem cold weather, being continually hail, rain, snow, or frost.

April 7th -Yesterday a deal of rain and very cold, and at a very strong frost; and this day it fell a deal of snow.

April 8th -Last night a very roof, cold night; rain and snow; the wind north-east.

April 9th -Was intered Jonathan Jackson, of Chappel Croft, Oldham, many years clerck of St. Peter’s. and afterwards at the Parish Church at Oldham.; his age, 84 years.

A short time since, the Rev. Mr. Fallowfield succeeded the Rev. Thomas Fawcet as curate of the Parish Church of Oldham.

Jonathan Jackson served as clerk to S. Peter’s Chapel and to Oldham Church nearly fifty years.

In pious memory of the late Rev. John Fallowfield, who for 24 years was incumbent of this parish.
Born, 21st Jan., 1780.
Died, 17th Mar, 1846.
Beloved by his relations and respected by his friends,his mortal remains repose in a vault beneath this church.

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ANNALS OF OLDHAM

No. LXXXVII

1818

April 18th -A very cold, windy day, with rain and snow.

April 11th -Last night one of the most tremendous roof nights ever remembered at this time of year. The wind was most astonishing high at north-east, attended with a large fall of snow, but in the morning the wind abated.

April 12th -Last night it froze most severely.

April 15th -The weather still continues very cold. No appearance of vegetation.

April 7th -Manchester Sessions. There were a very large number of prisoners for tryal, twenty eight of whom received transportation. John Buckley, of Northmoor, 14 years, and his son Philip 7 years.

April 15th -Was a very large meeting at Bent Green, Oldham, on purpose to petition for reform in Parliament. The meeting disolved in the most peasable order.

Local meetings on reform were evidently conducted with great decorum. Whether they were expected to dissolve in any but the most peaceable manner is not stated; but it would almost seem as if tumult was expected. A great spirit of distrust was shown by the authorities, both local and imperial. The system of espionage adopted by the Government was the source of a vast amount of mischief, and prevented Government from learning the real wants of the people.

April 19th -The weather still continues very harsh and cold; very frosty nights, with a cold wind at north-east.

April 21st -The air is more clear, the wind is subsided, and the air more warm, and as some apearances of spring.

April 19th -Was intered at Oldham, Mrs. Ann Heap, mistress of the Crown and Cushion public-house, Oldham. She was far advanced in years.

A short time since died, at Oldham Workhouse, John Rowbottom, schoolmaster. His age, nearly 60 years.

April 23rd -An uncomon cold day. The wind tremendously high, with rain and snow, and the air extreemly cold.

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April 24th -Last night an uncomon roof night. The wind alarmingly high at north-east. It resembled a hurrycane, with a large fall of snow.

The high, cold wind still continues, acompanied with rain, sleet, and snow.

April 23rd -An old woman of the name of Crowder in a fit of despair hanged herself at Bent, in Oldham.

April 27th -The weather still continues cold, with the wind north-east.

April 27th -Was intered at Oldham, Newton and his wife. They both died within a few days of each other. There place of abode was Fairbottom. They where each in their 84th year, and had been married to each other upwards of 60 years.

April 25th -Died, at near Coldhurst, wife of John Jackson. She was daughter of John Garside, where she died.

April 30th -Died James Bardsley, of bottom of Maygate-lane, stone-mason; his age 71 years. Same day was intered at Oldham, Joseph Cheetham, of Block-lane, aged 73 years, and Jonathan Mills, at Top o’th Bent.

May 17th -Spring made its first apearance on the morning of the 5th, and is very fine this morning again, and vegetation is making rapid strides.

On the 5th it comenced uncomon fine seasonable weather, and still continues exceedingly fine to this, 17th.

May 24th -The weather still continues uncomon seasonable and fine, the sun shines clear and is uncomon hot; grass, corn, and all kinds of vegetation never had a better appearance, and blossom of all kinds is imence.

At Liverpool, in the course of last week, there arived at that place from America, 70,120 barrels of flour, 109,900 bushels of wheat, which as caused a reduction in price.

May 25th -Oldham, flour is selling the very best America or English from 2s. 10d. to 3s., meal from 2s. 2d. to 2s. 5d. a peck, pottatoes from 10d. to 14d. a score.

In the years 1816-17-18 the harvests were deficient , and to compensate for this in 1817 and 1818 American and other wheat and flour were imported. Of course, the price of wheat was above the protective value, otherwise foreign wheat could not have been imported. The average price of wheat in 1816 was 72s. 2d., in 1817 94s., in 1818 83s. 8d. The protective price was 80s. In after years the price of wheat fell to such a degree as to close our ports to foreign corn.

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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard
Transcribed by Mary Pendlbury & Elaine Sykes
Courtesy of Oldham Local Studies & Archives
Not to be reproduced without permission of Oldham Local Studies & Archives.
Header photograph © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for re-use under the C.C. Licence.'Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0'

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