of moor, Mr. John Tomlinson, Soho, and Messrs. Evans, Ince, and Co., King street.

From 1812 to 1820 several new hat manutactories, were commenced, but of the concerns dating their origin from that period only two are still existing namely, Messrs. Jacksons of Cannon street, and Messrs, Brierleys of Union street. In 1822 when the number of hat manufactories in the township was 24, it was estimated that one thousand dozens of hats manufactured at Oldham weekly. In 1825 the manufactories in this business amounted to 25, and of the concerns then existing only four have continued to the present time. In 1813 the number of collieries in the township was 19, in 1819, 21, and in 1825, 80. In addition to the extensive collieries of Messrs. Lees, Jones, and Co. Broadway lane, Limeside, Werneth, and Side of moor, Messrs. Evans, Barker, and Co., Coldhurst, and Messrs. Booth, Greenacres, Hodge clough, and Paulden, Mr. William Wrigley, of Wabbow hills, established a colliery at Lowside previous to 1813. A number of small collieries chiefly at Sholver and Glodwick were worked as single concerns.

Hitherto neither the streets nor the buildings of the town had undergone much alteration, but in 1825 the inhabitants entered into competition in right good earnest with the other manufacturing towns of Lancashire, in the race of public improvements, which at that period prevailed so generally. A few changes for the better had, however, been previously effected in the main street, and the old dilapidated buildings extending from the east end of High street to the Church gates were taken down and removed in May, 1817, with the intention of rendering the area at the junction of Yorkshire street and High street a new Market place, a project not even yet fully realised.

The decayed state of the ancient church combined

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