ANNALS OF OLDHAM No. CXVI 1830 [CONCLUSION] I am often asked if these Annals will be re-printed in book form. Let me say this depends on the demands there is likely to be. The book would be a large one of some 320,000 words, and if I can get a sort of guarantee from likely subscribers I shall publish, not otherwise. The year one thousand eight hundred and thirty began on Friday, wich was a cold winterly day, and such a New Year was never ushered in before, for all kinds of disstress and missery; all kinds of labour is the most disstressed; weaving of all denominations is at the lowest eb imaginable, and a deal of weavers are without work, and cannot obtain any of any kind watever. Good tabby is wove 12 ponds for 18s. to 20s., and velveteen cords, &c., 8d. to 15d. per pond. Hatting is very slack, and a deal of hands are entirely without work to meet all this. Provisions are pretty reasonable. Good meal 1s. 5d. to 1s. 7d., flower 2s. to 2s. 2d., malt 2s to 2s. 2d. per peck; chees 4d. to 6d., treacle 21⁄2d., pork 4d. to 5d., beff 4d. to 5d., mutton 5d. to 7d. per pond; pottatoes 7d. to 8d. per score.; hay 6d. to 7d. per stone; bacon 6d. to 7d., butter 6d. to 8d. per pond, old butter 5d. to 9d. per pond. All kinds of goods for weaving for garments are very cheap. January 1st – The year began on Friday, wich was a very cold winterly day. It will be seen from these annals what was the condition of the people of Oldham from time to time, and for the most part no doubt the description given agrees with that of the people in other manufacturing towns. England generally was suffering from a depression, the cause of which few seem to have understood. Since 1792 England had waged a long war, and had accumulated a great national debt. Some people thought this the cause of some of the poverty. Others attributed the poverty to improvements in machinery. High rents of land, caused by the passing of the corn laws, were alleged as a fruitful cause of the discontent in agricultural places. One thing is certain, the distress was real and widespread, and though in places like Oldham its bad effect was counteracted by the introduction of the cotton trade, yet even here the condition of the people who clung to the old ways of trade must have greatly deteriorated. We may ask ourselves the reason for this distress. |
The answer is not far to seek. During the forty years over which these annals extend the producing power of the people, though greatly increased by means of machinery, was in inverse ratio to their earnings. While in 1793, or shortly before, the earnings of working people amounted to £8 per head per year throughout England, in 1830-1 it was only £5 12s. While the average price of wheat in 1784-1793 was 55s. 3 1/2d., in 1829 to 1832 it was 65s 8 1/2d. the average earnings in Oldham would be more than the average of the country generally on account of the great proportion in the number of people engaged in the cotton trade. I should say that the average earnings of a family engaged in the cotton trade in 1830 would be about 19s., while the average of the whole town would probably be about 15s. a family. The great distress in the country was caused by wealth getting into few hands. Agriculture during the past 20 years had made but little progress, judging by the number of people engaged in it. The families engaged in manufactures had increased during that period by about 25 per cent, while the unemployed had considerably more than doubled since 1811. The increase of crime during that time was something enormous. As 1830 is the last year to which these annals extend, I may here give some particulars relating especially to the cotton trade. No regular account was kept of some of these things before 1812, and I can only give the comparison for those periods. Mr. Kennedy, of Manchester, puts it thus: In 1812 the production per spindle per day of twelve hours of 40’s was two hanks, and of 60’s 1½ hanks. In 1830 it was 2¾ hanks and 2½ hanks respectively. The price of cotton waste per pound was, in 1812, 40’s grade 1s 6d.., and 60’s 2s. In 1830 the prices were 7d. and 10d. respectively. The cost of labour per pound was, in 1812, 40’s 1s. 60’s 1s. 6d.; in 1830, 7 1/2d. and 1s.. 0 1/2d. respectively. The cost in cotton and labour together, without profit to the master spinner, was, in 1812, 40’s 2s. 6d., 60’s 3s. 6d.; in 1830, 1s. 2 1/2d. and 1s. 10 1/2d. respectively. January 2nd – A deal of snow and severely cold. January 4th – A severe cold day, and it froze and was very slippery. January 5th – Froze severely. January 7th – Jonathan Buckley, from Heyside, for ill-treating his apprentice, committed to the New Bayley for tryal by Mr. Holme and Mr. Horden. This cruelty to apprentices was very common, as before noticed in these annals. “Doctor Healey,” we are told by Bamford, was put apprentice to a cotton weaver at Bolton, “where he learned the business, but under such oppressions and cruelties from his master and dame as instilled into him a thorough abhorrence of tyranny.” And this it would seem had something to do with the “Doctor’s” career as a Radical. |
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January 11th – A cold day, and Joseph Watterhouse, butcher, of Oldham, died. January 15th – Most severe cold every day. January 15th – Benjamin Consterdine, formerly of Oldham, intered this day. Old greybeards remember Ben Consterdine at “Th’ Round About” now known as the George Inn. The family came from about Blakeley, where they are said to have had a long pedigree. Ben retired from the public business some time before his death, but it seems by this annal that he was buried at Oldham. I am told at St. Peter’s. Ben had two sons, James and Edward. James learnt the woollen business with Schofield near Littleborough, and after that went into business on his own account, I think, in Cannon-street, Manchester. Anyhow, he was a central figure in the commercial world of Manchester in the earlier part of the century, and was at one time, I believe, chairman of the Royal Exchange there. He did a large business with France, and often travelled there. At the close of the war, when Napoleon succumbed and the old dynasty was called back to power, Mr. James Consterdine had the honour of making a speech to his Imperial Majesty Louis, King of France, for which he received a decoration equal to a knighthood. The second son, Edward, went into the cotton business at Littleborough, where the family owned a mill. Many of Edward’s descendants lived in or about Oldham, and two of his grandsons have recently brought honour to Oldham in the shape of open scholarships at Balliol and Corpus Christi Colleges, Oxford. January 20th – Very cold, with severe freezing for several days past, and this morning very roof; the wind high, , with snow and severe freezing. January 21st – Yesterday was such a day as was scarcely ever experienced for wind and snow, the wind was very high, and drifted the snow to a very great extent. January 30th – The weather still continues very cold, and the frost is very severe. January 29th – This day at the Sessions at Manchester, Jonathan Buckley, for cruelty to his apprentices, received a sentence of two years’ imprisonment at Lancaster Castle. Buckley resides at Heyside, in Crompton. January 31st – The weather still continues the most distressing cold. It last night froze uncomonly hard, and a deal of snow still remains, and in consequence of the severe freezing it is so slippery that several have this day broke their limbs in consequence of falling. |
February 2nd – This morning died, after a well spent life of nearly 78 years, Mary, widow of William Royle of Beartrees. She was formerly Polly Chadwick of Beartrees. February 2nd – Died, at Oldham, Samuel Smith. He was in the employ of Daniel Lees, in his extensive cotton works, New-road, Oldham. February 8th – Last night it commenced a thaw to one of the most severe storms that we have met with for a series of years. February 13th – The thaw still continues to warm the shivering limbs of the starving poor. February 15th – The thaw is very pleasant, and the snow is nearly all dissolved. February 15th – Last night died, after a long and painful illness, Joseph Mellor of Top o’th’North. He had been seriously attacked with sickness. February 17th – Was a pigion shooting in a field of John Lords, at Westwood North Moor, wich was woon by –------- it is disputed who is the winner. February 18th – Last night it froze uncomonly keenly, but was very fine. February 19th – Was intered at Oldham, Brown, at Maygate-lane, a dealer in dry goods. He genaraly went by the appelation of Sootsman. February 21st – Yesterday, a cold day, and a deal of snow. February 23rd – It comenced a fine thaw. February 18th – Died, at Bent, Oldham, Joseph Healey, of that place; a very emenent doctor. Age 50 years. This, I suppose, would be Joseph Healey, the Radical. What an embodiment he was of old superstitions and modern politics! Sam Bamford was never so happy as when he was pulling a hole in the coat of this poor Joseph – his fellow prisoner and fellow soldier in the cause of Radicalism. Bamford tells us how that he was born at Captain-fold – that his father was a famous cowleech. That he was a decent man, of the Methodist persuasion, and a firm believer in witchery. Joseph was bound apprentice to cotton weaving at Bolton, where he learned to abhor tyranny. At the end of his bondage he came to live at Chadderton, where he had a married sister. |
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