Meal is now selling from 2s. to 2s. 1d. a peck; potatoes 7d. to 9d. a score. Fatal conflict happened about eleven o’clock at night of the 11th. Being Easter Sunday some young men from Bent, Oldham, and some young men at Maygate-lane, happened to be at Peter Holts, the White Hart public-house, bottom of Maygate-lane. A dispute arose and a battle ensued, one John Smethurst, of Bent, was so brused that he died on the 14th. A jury sat on the business, when John Warburton and Robert Lees were committed to Lancaster Castle on a charge of manslaughter. They both resided in Maygate-lane. April 15th -Was intered James Cocker of Chadderton Heights. Age, about 60 years. April 16th -Was intered at Rochdale, Old Mills, of Cinder-hill, within Chadderton, aged nearly 70 years. April 17th -Died, Peter Barnet, shoe maker and leather cutter, Oldham, about 60 years of age. April 18th -Died, James Neild, hatter, Oldham, aged about 70 years. April 19th -The very best flour is selling at Oldham this day at Christopher Bower, at 2s. 8d. a peck, meal 2s. a peck. April 20th -Died, John Horrocks, master of the Cheshire Cheese public house, Oldham, age 64 years. This day, 24th, flour from 2s. 5d., 2s. 6d., and 2s. 7d.; meal, 1s. 9d. to 2s. a peck. Butter old 7d. and 8d. and 9d. 10d., new 14d. and 13d. a pond. Beef 7 1/2d to 8 1/2d., Mutton, 9d. Veal from 4d. to 5 1/2d.; bacon 8 1/2d. to 9 1/2d a pond. Treacle 4d. and 4 1/2d. a pond. April 25th -Extreem cold weather with the wind wich is very high at North East, it as been so for several days. April 28th -Died at Burnley Brow, North Moor. Abraham Wild, a collior, formerly of Broadway-lane, age 59 years. This month concluded with very cold weather, with the genarly North East wind and is extreem draughty. May 3rd -Oldham Fair; a fine day, but in consequence of Bury fair falling on the same day the company was not so numerous |
May 6th -One William Booth, a butcher at bottom of Hollinwood, killed by a fall from his horse. May 9th -Last night died Kitty, wife of Samuel Ogden, a hatter of Top-o’th-Moor. May 3rd -Thomas Booth and James Robinson, comonly called Yorkshire Gimmy, on a charge of robing the counting house at the factory of Messrs. Carlows, of Bury, of upwards of 500 pounds committed to New Bailey for tryal.. May 8th -Gooseberrys sold one shilling per quart at Oldham. May 11th -A young woman in the neighbourhood of Glodwick in a fit of despair destroyed herself by throwing herself down a coal pit; her age, 16 years; and one Abraham Mills, a youth of 19 years of age, of Broadway-lane, in consequence of a quarrel with his sweetheart, drowned himself in a pit near that place; and same day died Robert Whitened, of Horsedge Fold, drum major in the Oldham militia; disorder, consumption. May 13th -Some fine rain fell this morning, but there never was a more favourable appearance. There has been the greatest show of all kinds of blossoms ever remembered, and the show of grass is abundand. May 11th - A yong woman drowned herself at Droylsden. The coroner’s jury verdict, lunacy. May 18th -Joseph Mills, of Top-o’th-Moor, eluded the vigilance of his family, and drowned himself. He had been for some time in a poor state of health, and visably in a desponding state.
I have begun to look on this verse as a kind of incantation, not knowing exactly what it means. May 22nd -Gooseberrys sold 6d. a quart this day at Oldham. |
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Spring is the most forward ever remembered by the oldest person living. The grass for quantity and quality astonishes every beholder, the flowers, and particularly every kind of blossoms, are such as to astonish and delight every beholder, for every tree and srub is displaying its beauty on every bough, and the corn was never equiled for fine, and as every promising apearances, and a most delightful and heavenly view as the whole of fields and meadows at present. May 25th -Was intered Thomas Clegg, comonly cald Tom Clegg, of Barn-fold, Oldham, a hatter by trade, and who by dint of industry and economy had realised a very large fortune. His age, 84 years. May 26th -The severe wind wich as been so high for several days past as subsided; it as been very cold and genarly north-east. It is feared it as done a deal of damage to blossoms. May 28th - Last night an extreem strong frost. It is feared it as greatly damaged blossoms. Fruit, pottato wiseles, and other tender things. May 29th -Goosberrys sold 2 1/2d. and 3d. a quart this day at Oldham, and flour from 2s. 6d. to 2s. 8d. per peck; meal from 1s. 9d. to 1s. 11d. per peck; malt 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. per peck; butter, new, from 14d. to 15d.; old very good at 9d. per pond; new pottatoes 4d. a pond; beff 7 1/2d to 8 1/2d.; mutton 8d.; bacon 8 1/2d to 11d. a pond; chees 7 1/2d to 8 1/2d. a pond. The frost on the night of the 27th is found to have done a deal of damage, especially to yong oaks and ashess, in different plantations. June 4th - Ended Kersal Moor races, and an unpresidented number of people attended. Great improvements on the course, and the ladys stand, and all other stands had been recently erected on new and improved plans. Procter tells us the cup for 1819 was won by Mr. Houldsworth’s Rhadamanthus (W. Scott), seven starters. In this year the grand stand was built, and a second gold cup was run for, value 100 guineas. |
June 3rd -This evening, as the Shaw coach was returning from Kersal Moor races it was overturned in Sheepfoot-lane, near the Race Ground, when Betty Scofield, Mally Scofield, and Alice Chadwick, all daughters of Mally Chadwick, wife of James Chadwick, manufacturer, of Bent, Oldham they where with others most misserably brused, particularly Alice, who now, on the 7th, lies in a dangerous state, having a leg most dangerously brused and lacerated. June 11th -These 7 dwellings in Scoles-fold, Maygate-lane, the property of -----------------, where sold by auction at the Spread Eagle, Oldham, and purchased by Thomas Ogden, of Maygate-lane, badger, for two hundred and five ponds. June 7th -Was held a meeting of the friends of the people for parliament reform in a large room, Bent, Oldham. When several resolutions where agreed to. This room, I am told, was an upper storey in what was known as Spite Hall, approached by steps or stairs from the outside. Bamford says in his “Life of a Radical”:- “Among the best and truest supporters of persecuted Radicals and the Radical cause was a small but firm band of patriots at Oldham. Their like never, to my recollection, existed previously in Lancashire, nor has it existed since. Some of the best have long been called to the reward of the good and faithful servant. Some still remain, but battered and bowed by the storms of life.” June 16th - Was intered at Oldham Benjamin Clegg, of Shude-hill, Oldham, aged about 60 years. June 19th - Died, Thomas Taylor, of Saint Hellens, formerly in the Royal Lancashire Militia; disorder, consumption; age 26 years. June 20th -Was intered at Oldham, James Kay, otherwise Tootel, a hatter, betwixt 60 and 70 years. June 21st -The Oldham cavalry were presented with a superb silk flag, and on the 2nd they marched on their rout for Preston in order to perform permanent duty. |
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William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
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