17th -A deal of different articles are at this time low. Beff from 3 ½ to 6 a pond; mutton from 4 ½ to 6 ditto; pork from 3 ½ to 4 ditto; cheese 4 ½ to 6 ditto; butter 7 ½ to 8 ditto; sugar 6 to 8 ditto; bacon from 4 to 8 ditto. 16th -Died, Dolly, wife of John Haigh, of Beartrees; her age 24 years. And the same day died Anna Bamford, of Church-lane, Oldham; her age 65 years. Serious Charge. – On December 21st Sally Newton was taken into custody on a charge of robbing her master – Buckley, breadbaker and grocer, Mill End,Oldham; and on the same day, Betty, wife Samuel Newton, hatter, of Henshaw-street, Oldham, was apprehended on a charge of aiding and assisting her daughter, who, had robbed her master to a serious amount, they were on the 22nd taken before the Rev. Mr. Hume, and by him committed to the New Bayley for trial. 23rd -The weather for the last three months as been excessive wet, scarcely ever such remembered by the oldest person, and this day it fell a large quantity of snow.
25th -Yesterday a miserable, wet cold day; likewise a deal of snow and sleet. 30th -Was a very fine day; the sun shining, and very warm. E. Butterworth tells us – “In 1821 all the symptoms of returning prosperity began to display themselves. The great body of the people became contented with their conditions so long as trade continued flourishing. New cotton manufactories and dwelling-houses rapidly increased, and various projects for improving the town were proposed. The abundance of capital, the facility of obtaining credit at country banks, the increasing amount of paper money in circulation, and the spirit of speculation so rife gave a strong impulse to manufacturers.” The following annals are supplied by Higson, 1821 1821 – A Sunday school established at Heyside. July 4th - Thomas Jackson appointed organist at St. Peter’s Chapel at a stipend of £5 per annum. July 14th -The Right Hon. R. W. C. P. Howe created Viscount Curson and Earl Howe, Curson Ground takes its name from this family. July 19th -The coronation of King George IV, celebrated at Oldham, when 3,593 scholars, belonging to 16 schools, walked in procession, and an ox was roasted at Townfield. |
Oldham Auxiliary Bible Society established this year. 1822 Higson continued:- In 1822 Oldham township contained 24 hat manufactories, in which it was estimated one thousand dozens of hats were manufactured weekly. The working men at Luzley Brook and Shaw side established a library and newsroom at the Swan Inn near there. February -Mr. J. Scott, of Oldham, an intelligent botanist, died, aged 83 years. March 27th -Nanny, wife of Riley, author of “The Itinerant,” died, age 67 years. She was a Saddleworth woman. The name Nanny was often a corruption of Ann, and sometimes became a regular Christian name. We all remember the Ettrick Shepherd’s song:-
James Oldham Oldham, of Missenden Abbey, Bucks, an opulent ironmonger, in Holborn, London, an alleged descendant of the Oldhams of Oldham, and whose personal property amounted to £400,000, died June 22nd. September 20th –Jesse Ainsworth, married Hannah Lees at Gretna Green. September 23rd –First stone laid at the Queen-street Independent Chapel. Cheetham Hill Sunday School, in connection with St. Peter’s Chapel, established before October 3rd this year, when that place of worship had nine Sunday schools, and 1,770 scholars in association with it. December 1st - Opening of the Primitive Methodist Sunday School, Oldham. Moravian Chapel, Salem, built this year. Greenacres Chapel enlarged and improved. The year one thousand eight hundred and twenty two begun on a Tuesday, wich was a wet, cold day, and the trade in general very lowe. The hatting trade reviving, but weaving of all kinds is very bad, and weavers in general had but a poor Christmas: but malt being moderate, several poor familys mustered a brew, and made themselves a little comfortable. Provisions of all kinds being reasonable, the poor are (better) provided for then on some former years. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite every wish on the part of Rowbottom, the price of weaving could not be forced up, even with the adventitious aid of trade unions, and, though the weavers were suffering from competition with the power-loom, the general body of the people were improving their position, and Rowbottom says the poor were getting better cared for. 1822 was a glorious year in Oldham. It was like the beginning of a new era. The staple trade received new impetus. Egyptian cotton had begun to be grown under the fostering care of Mehemet Ali, the first shipment from Alexandria having been made in 1821. Exports of cotton yarn and twist and goods were thriving apace, going up nearly 3 ½ millions sterling in value between 1821-22. As an evidence of the flourishing state of the cotton trade, the following firms came into existence in Oldham, according to E. Butterworth, from 1821 to 1825:- Messrs. Dronsfield, Potter and Lees, Hartford Mill, 1822; Duncuft and Greaves, Manchester-street, 1822; Fletcher, Clegg and Co., Castle Mill, 1822; John Radcliffe and Co., Lees Hall Mill, 1822; James Robinson, Mumps, 1822; Benjamin Schofield and Co., Rhodes Mill; George Booth and Co., Clarksfield Mill; Clegg and Robinson, Castle Mill; Hague and Ormrod, Castle Mill; Lawrence Haigh, Derker Mill; Abraham and Isaac Lees, Croft Bank; Lees and Milne, shore Mill; Joseph Lees, Rose Hill Mill; Daniel Mellor and Co., Clarksfield Mill; William Radcliffe, Union Mill; John Robinson and Son, Rose Hill Mill; Suther, Lees and Co., Medlock Mill; J. and J. Wainwright, Fog-lane Mill; James Wild, Vineyard Mill; John Wrigley, Copster Hill Mill. These were chiefly small firms who took who took turning. How few of them still remain! Nor must we overlook the fact that Mr. Henry Platt, the founder of the firm of Messrs. Platt Bros. and Co. commercial business in a very humble way in the year 1821. January 1st -John Haigh, at Beartrees, sold his stock, when his oats sold at two shillings a rider, or ten sheaves; wheat 3s. and 6d. ditto; clover 4 1/2d. a stone; hay 8d. ditto. January 7th - Died at Lowerside, near Glodwick, Joseph Clegg, aged 69 years 17th -Died, at Priest-hill, Oldham, Joseph Scott, formerly a hatter; his age, 84 years. John Taylor, of Three Pitts, within Thornham, unfortunately drowned in the canal near that place. 28th -Died, at Mumps, Mr. James Lees, a considerable manufacturer; his age, 73 years. This James Lees was of Wallshaw House, and is reported to have risen entirely by his own industry, being, as the saying is, “a self-made man.” The following is a statement of the following articles:- Meal from 1s. 8d. to 1s. 10d. per peck, flour from 2s. 2d. to 2s. 7d. per peck, malt from 2s. 5d. to 2s. 9d. 12lbs, treacle from 3 1/2d. to4d., butter from 9d. to 11d., new butter 14d., candles from 7 1/2d. to 8d., chees from 6 1/2d. to 7 1/2d., pork from 4d. to 5 1/2d., beff from 6 1/2d. to 7 1/2d., mutton 6d., bacon from 5d. to 7d., salt 4d., sugar from 6d. to 9d., and soap from 7d. to 7 1/2d. per lb.; potatoes 5 1/2d. to 6d. a score, peas 4d. a quart, hay 3d. a stone, straw, cotton boards from 7d. to 10d., bale 1s. a pond; oats from 10d. to 1s. a horse load, and onions 1d. a pond. |
Provisions being moderately cheap helped the general prosperity of the people. Notice here the prices of butter, pork, beef, mutton, and bacon; lower considerably than these English products are to-day. Trade very bad, especially weaving; very bad velveteens, cords, and cettrer, all wove at 17 pence a pond. Tabbys of the very best quality are wove for 21 shillins: the weft in must be from 7lbs. 12oz. or upwards. All kinds of light goods are extreme bad. Hating is extreme brisk. No alteration in factory work. When Rowbottom speaks of trade being bad he speaks as a poor handloom weaver. It would have taken more than two Rowbottoms to persuade the growing crowd of “little masters” that trade was bad. 21st -Manchester Sessions commenced, when Sally Newton, for robbing her master, Joseph Buckley, bread baker, Oldham, seven years’ transportation; Betty Newton, for receiving money of her daughter, acquitted. This month concludes with extreme fine weather, not as yet had very little frost or snow, and the air quite warm. 2nd -Last night an uncommon night for wind and rain. The wind south, which was tremendously high. 4th -Died at St. Helens, Northmoor, Nancy Burgess 26 years; disorder, consumption. 10th -The season thus far has been very mild. There has been an extreme little frost or snow, but in general very wet. James Shuttleworth of Barton Lodge, near Preston, high sheriff for Lancashire. 17th -Died at Chadderton Mill, Ann Dyson, her age 65 years, and at Bottom of Maygate-lane, Alice, wife of Samuel. She was daughter to the late Samuel Raynor of Northmoor. She died in child bed. 22nd -The season continues very fine, and seems very promising for a fine spring. March 1st -Died, at Oldham, Mr. Daniel Lees, spinner and manufacturer, who from a small beginning died emencly rich, his age nearly 68 years. E. Butterworth says:- “In 1795, Mr. Daniel Lees, brother of Mr. John Lees, of Church-lane and Werneth, and grandfather of John Lees Ainsworth, Esq., and Mrs. Ainsworth, of Pit Bank, erected a cotton mill in New-road, or Manchester-street, called Bankside Mill. Mr. Lees originally commenced cotton spinning in Duke-street, where he carried on business before 1791, In his latter years he became one of the most opulent manufacturers in the district.” 10th -At night died, in Church-lane, Oldham, Mr. William Chippendale, captain and adjutant in the Oldham local militia, his age 30 years. Mr. Chippendale married the daughter of John Lees, Esq., of Church-lane, Lord of the Manor of Oldham. He died young, but he stands credited, according to tradition, with having invented or suggested the motto for the Oldham coat of arms. “Haud facile captu” – not easily caught. E. Butterworth says:- “The armorial bearing of the Oldham family was – Sable chevron, or between three owls proper; on a chief of the second three roses, gules seeded, or. As there seems to be no authentic motto relating to the arms, a military officer of a local corps, inclined to be waggish, imparted a jocular motto. |
Page 147
William Rowbottom's Diary as published in the Oldham Standard |
 |
 |
 |
