Part 23

THE present century opened in a tempest of war and confusion, which gave little prospect of soon exhausting its fury. Mention will be found below of several serious riots on account of the high price of provisions, which may be thus accounted for: The exemption from cash payments in 1797 had given great relief to the merchants and tradespeople generally, but had little effect upon the condition of the working classes; and the war had not yet withdrawn so many men from productive industry as materially to raise the rate of wages. The total number of levies for the army, from the commencement of the war to the end of 1800, was but 208,388. It had, however, continued sufficiently long to raise the price of all provisions enormously, and the very deficient harvests of 1799 and 1800 greatly increased this evil, and added to the distress. So much disquiet was excited by these causes that Parliament was called together for a second sitting in November, and all sorts of expedients were resorted to to increase the supply of food—bounties were granted on the importation of foreign corn—the use of corn in distilleries, or for making starch, was prohibited—the manufacture of fine flour, or the use of it in making bread, was forbidden, while the use of oats and barley was permitted and encouraged—bakers were prohibited from selling bread that had not been baked twenty-four hours—and, lastly, in the month of December His Majesty issued a proclamation exhorting the strictest economy in families on the use of every kind of grain, recommending that people should abstain from pastry, and on no account allow the consumption of bread in their households to exceed one quartern loaf for each person in a week. Statutes against “engrossing and regrating,” that had almost become obsolete, were also raked up and eagerly put in force against speculators, whether great or small, both by country magistrates and chief justices, though the great Holt had long ago laughed at them. The average price of wheat this year was 119s. 6d. per quarter; and Three per Cent. Consols averaged 63½.

JANUARY—A subscription entered into for the relief of the poor in Worcester, in consequence of the “high price of bread, butter, and other necessaries of life.” The parties at the public meeting, called to promote the subscription, pledged themselves “to reduce the consumption of flour and butter in their own families as much as possible, and earnestly recommended the same to all ranks of persons within the city and suburbs.” The subscription, in the whole, amounted to more than £700. The soup kitchen was opened before this time.

JANUARY 7—The post boy, carrying the mail with the letter bags from Worcester, for Bewdley, Kidderminster, and Stourbridge, was stopped about six in the morning, two miles only from Worcester, by a man on foot, who presented a pistol—cut the straps of the portmanteau and carried the mail away. A reward of £200 was offered by Government, but the offender was never apprehended.

JANUARY 14—The County Magistrates, at Quarter Sessions, ordered that “no makers of bread for sale, shall make, or sell, any superior quality of bread at a higher price than the standard wheaten bread; and that every peck loaf should weigh 17 lbs. 6oz., and every quartern loaf 4 lbs. 5 oz. 8 drams.” Price of wheat in Worcester market, 13s. 4d. to 15s. 6d. the bushel. Hops, £14 to £16 per cwt.

JANUARY 17—The “Worcester Fencible Light Dragoons,” retiring to England from service in Ireland, were thanked by Lord Cornwallis, Adjutant General of the forces in Ireland, for their services in that kingdom.

JANUARY 25—The magistrates of Worcester offered ten guineas reward for the discovery of the writer of “several inflammatory papers, reflecting upon their conduct,” which were found in the Foregate Street.

JANUARY 25—A labouring man robbed at Barbourne, Worcester, by footpads; and, two days after, a farmer, on horseback, was stopped at the same spot.

FEBRUARY 21—A man apprehended in Worcester market for “forestalling,” and committed to the assizes for trial.

MARCH 9—A “Worcester Fire Office” established, with a capital of £100,000.

APRIL 4—Disturbances in the Worcester markets, on account of the high price of provisions. The magistrates issued a notice that sellers would be protected. The consumption of butter greatly reduced in consequence of its enormous price.

APRIL 7—The Corporation of Worcester offered premiums of 1s. 6d. for the first 100 bushels of potatoes brought into the market before the 1st July; 1s. for the second 100; and 9d. for the third. Claimants upon 240 bushels were paid. Wheat at 14s. 6d. to 18s. per bushel. Beef at least 9d., and mutton 10d. per lb.

APRIL 25—The colliers of Stourbridge in a state of great disturbance from the scarcity. A squadron of the 7th Dragoon Guards sent into the neighbourhood.

MAY 2—Meeting of the gentry and inhabitants of Stourbridge; the Hon. Edward Foley in the chair; at which resolutions were passed, begging the farmers to bring wheat into that market to sell at 15s. per bushel, and barley at a price not exceeding 8s.

MAY 9—Disturbances at Redditch, which threatened to be very serious, but quelled by the Bromsgrove Volunteers, who stood a furious attack made on them by the mob with great firmness and prudence. Several of the rioters were apprehended, but discharged on finding sureties for their good behaviour.

MAY 15—Attempt on the King’s life in Drury Lane Theatre by Hadfield. Addresses from the Worcester Corporation were sent to the Right Hon. the Earl of Coventry for presentation, as recorder of the city.

MAY 30—Accounts of “Internal Defence Subscription” published, from which it appeared that £4,550 had been subscribed by the county, and £532 by the city of Worcester: spent equally in the augmentation of the Militia and the Yeomanry Cavalry.

JUNE 10—Visitation and address by the Bishop, in which the scarcity was attributed to the war and inclement seasons. Use of “Church Catechism,” in the instruction of children, urgently enforced.

JUNE 26—Honorary degree of M.A. conferred on Lord Foley, at the Oxford Commemoration of Founders and Benefactors of the University.

JULY 9—A further subscription entered into in Worcester for the relief of the poor, who had been constantly subsidised from the fund ever since the winter; 96,000 quarts of soup having been distributed amongst them, besides great quantities of potatoes and much money.

JULY 21—Lord Dudley and Ward purchased a large quantity of imported wheat at Liverpool, to retail to the poor at a reduced price. Price of wheat in Worcester market, 21s. to 22s. 6d. per bushel.

AUGUST 10—The price of wheat in Worcester market having fallen to 10s. and 13s. per bushel, the relief committee discontinued their labours. The promise of a plenteous harvest produced this change for the better.

AUGUST 15—The Mayor and magistrates of Worcester attempted to enforce sanitary regulations—such as cleansing “the kennels,” for they considered “all stagnate water injurious to health, and the exhalations from it the forerunners of contagious disorders.”

AUGUST—A great number of houses between Stourport and Worcester searched for unlawful nets, used for the taking of small fish in the Severn. Many such being found they were all publicly burned at Bewdley.

AUGUST 25—This evening, because the bakers in Worcester were unprovided with bread to sell, the populace assembled as soon as it was dark and began to demolish their windows, but the disturbance was soon put a stop to by the magistrates. A sudden rise in the price of flour on the previous Saturday had prevented the bakers from supplying themselves with the necessary quantity for the week.

SEPTEMBER 12—The Mayor, magistrates, &c., of Worcester met “to ensure a more regular supply of the necessaries of life, at reasonable prices,” to their fellow citizens, and determine to erect a corn mill to be worked by steam.

SEPTEMBER 19—A mare, belonging to Mr. Tully of St. John’s, ridden seventy miles on the London Road, from Worcester to Benson, in eleven hours and forty-nine minutes.

SEPTEMBER 21—Meeting of farmers, &c., at Bromsgrove, when they agreed to supply that market, for three months, with wheat at 11s. 6d. a bushel.

NOVEMBER 21—“John Bunn, jun., flax dresser,” advertised his address. Sales of flax crops occasionally advertised.

NOVEMBER 27—£2,350 subscribed to the Flour and Bread Institution, for the benefit of the industrious poor. The institution bought foreign wheat largely, and sold to the poor at reduced prices. It was said in its results “greatly to exceed the expectations of its most sanguine promoters.”

DECEMBER 1—Lord Valentia and Mr. Child supplied the Bewdley market with grain, at 12s. a bushel, to be sold to the poor, under the direction of the bailiff.

DECEMBER 5—Mr. Burrow, saddler, of Worcester, purchased a large quantity of potatoes to sell again to the poor under the market price.

DECEMBER 10—John Beet, of Rowley Regis, butcher, was convicted by the Droitwich magistrates, in the full penalty of 50s. for “cutting and gashing two cow hides and a calf skin, and for slaying them below the gambrel or knee.”

LOCAL ACTS PASSED THIS YEAR—For continuing and enlarging powers of Bewdley Turnpike Trust; ditto Kidderminster Turnpikes; Act for repairing roads leading to and from the Hundred House.

1801.

IN February, this year, Mr. Pitt unexpectedly retired, and Mr. Addington was called to the King’s Councils, a fact principally to be attributed to the ill success of the war which had been entered into with France, and continued at a cost of blood and treasure totally disproportionate to its advantages. The new ministry, from the moment of entering office, declared peace to be their aim, and the preliminary articles were signed in London in October. This war, which had lasted for eight years, cost us £427,000,000, and at the end of it the only additional possessions we retained were Trinidad and the Dutch holdings in Ceylon. In consequence of the harvest in 1800 being almost an entire failure, the high price of provisions continued to create much distress amongst the poor, and the bounties on flour imported from America were increased. The Three per Cents. fluctuated between 54¾, in January, and 69½, in October: average price about 61. Wheat averaged 69s. 10d.

JANUARY—Price of grain in Worcester market 20s. to 24s. a bushel.

MARCH 28—Riot amongst the Worcester women, on account of the high price of provisions—20d. being asked for a pound of butter; 2s. a peck for potatoes; and 9d. a pound for meat. The mob of women prevented the Birmingham “badgers” from carrying off their purchases, and then, assembling before a baker’s shop in Broad Street, compelled his wife to throw out to them all the bread she had in the house. Special constables were at last sworn in and tranquillity restored.

MAY 27—Price of the quartern loaf fixed by the Mayor of Worcester at 1s. 7d., though selling the same day in London at 1s. 4½d. Constant complaints that the markets at Worcester were higher than elsewhere, and as this continued to be the case, a Mr. B. Lloyd purchased, in June, 1,000 barrels of American flour at Liverpool, and sold them here in single barrels.

JUNE 20—Two vagrants, confined in the County Bridewell, forced out a window, and, dropping themselves over a wall twenty feet high, made good their escape.

JULY 17—The committee of the Worcester Flour and Bread Institution reported, that since the previous October, 100,000 loaves had been sold to the poor by its means at one third less than the average market price. During the same period 140,000 quarts of soup had been distributed.

JULY 30—The Directors of the Worcester House of Industry, which was established in 1795, published a statement apologising for the increase of rates. The average number of poor relieved in and out of the house, during the previous twelve months, had been 583 weekly! while in 1795 it was only 235. The Directors attributed this increase to the high price of food and the sickliness of the season, and said it was not greater than in other manufacturing towns.

AUGUST 5—Miss Mellon performed at Worcester Theatre to crowded houses.

OCTOBER 14—Dinner at the Crown Hotel, Worcester, “to celebrate the Peace.” Illumination, &c.

OCTOBER 15—Ball at the Guildhall, for the benefit of the Infirmary, attended by 300 persons. Net profits £102.

NOVEMBER 10—Lord Foley met with a severe accident while hunting, one of his horse’s legs dropping into a deep hole and falling back upon his lordship.

NOVEMBER 10—An advertisement having been inserted in the Worcester papers, by the Hon. Mr. Ward, stating that he intended to offer himself as a candidate for Worcester at the next general election, the Corporation met and voted unanimously that “as there is no vacancy in the representation of the city, the Corporation considered that an insuperable bar to their countenancing a contest from any quarter whatever, having had woful experience how destructive it is of peace and good neighbourhood, which happily has prevailed among all ranks of citizens for a long time.”

DECEMBER 14—Both the Worcester members, Mr. Wigley and Mr. Robarts, voted in a minority of 22 to 80, to continue the restrictions on the use of barley in distilleries.

DECEMBER 18—General collection made throughout the city by the parish officers on behalf of the Infirmary, instead of further illuminations on account of the Peace.

DECEMBER 21—Considerable festivities at Witley Court, on Lord Foley attaining his majority. A very large sum distributed amongst the poor of the neighbourhood.

1802.

THE confirmation of the Peace of Amiens diffused universal joy, and the harvest of 1801 having been tolerably abundant, much less pressure was experienced on account of the price of bread. Three per Cents. stood at about 70½. Wheat averaged 69s. 10d.

JANUARY 9—C. Thellusson, Esq., M.P. for Evesham, distributed one hundred guineas amongst the poor freemen of that borough.

JANUARY 11—William Smith publicly whipped in the corn market, Worcester, according to sentence of sessions, for stealing a bag.

FEBRUARY 1—Lord Foley appeared at the bar of the Court of Common Pleas, and suffered recoveries of estates of considerable value. He took his seat in the House of Lords on the 22nd April.

APRIL 16—The Worcester Militia, under Colonel Newport, called together and disembodied.

MAY 5—A private in the 5th Dragoons, immured in Worcester gaol for desertion, and daily expecting exemplary punishment, received an account of the death of a distant relation in Ireland, bequeathing him a property of £4,000 per annum.

JUNE 1—General Thanksgiving for the Peace. An address of congratulation was voted on the occasion by the Corporation of Worcester, and forwarded to the Earl of Coventry, as recorder of the city, for presentation.

JUNE 9—The Hon. Mr. Ward attained his majority, and the event was celebrated at Himley with great rejoicings. A barrel of beer, called “Big Ben,” containing 1,000 gallons, which had been brewed at the birth of Mr. Ward, was tapped on the occasion.

JUNE 8—The Yeomanry assembled on the _Sunday_, as requested, and received the thanks of His Majesty and the Parliament. Each troop, henceforth, reduced to forty rank and file.

AUGUST 29—Lord Nelson, accompanied by Sir William and Lady Hamilton, visited Worcester, on their return from a tour through South Wales. He was met on the road by a great number of people, who drew his carriage into the city: visited the china manufactory; was received by the Mayor and Corporation at the Town Hall; entertained at a collation; and the Earl of Coventry, the recorder, presented him with the freedom of the city in a china vase from Messrs. Chamberlain’s manufactory. [The visit is recorded by the mosaic of stones in front of the Guildhall.]

SEPTEMBER 10—The price of coals being raised, Lord Dudley and Ward directed that the poor inhabitants of Worcester should be supplied from his pits at nearly half the ordinary cost.

SEPTEMBER 27—H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge visited Worcester, his regiment being then quartered in this county, and was presented with the freedom of the city.

DECEMBER 10—The magistrates of Worcester published a correct list of fairs, &c., because the difference between the Old and New Styles being then thirteen days instead of twelve, great uncertainty prevailed respecting the days on which they actually took place, and people frequently arrived “a day after the fair.”

PRIVATE ACT PASSED THIS YEAR—For enclosure of waste lands at Ripple.

1803.

THE hollow peace proved very short-lived. Buonaparte being evidently bent on the subjugation of the entire continent, and the British refusing to evacuate Malta till they had satisfaction as to his designs, war was again declared in May this year. The return to hostilities seemed as much to please the nation at large as the peace had done only the year before. On the threat of invasion arose that unparalleled volunteer enthusiasm to which many of the following memoranda have reference. Consols fluctuated from 73 in January to 52 in October; average price, about 60. Price of wheat, 58s. 10d.

JANUARY 10—A. Robarts, Esq., M.P. for Worcester, “with his accustomed liberality,” presented half a guinea to each of the poor freemen of the city who chose to accept it, and the gift was “gratefully received” by upwards of 500 persons—the total sum distributed being 270 guineas.

JANUARY 24—The new member, Joseph Scott, Esq., entertained 500 of the freemen at a dinner, and next day invited 123 of his more respectable friends to dine at the Hoppole, in celebration of his election. One of the toasts given was, “The pious and revered memory of the late Mr. Alderman Mather.”

FEBRUARY 1—The Venerable Bishop Hurd completed the select and valuable library at the Episcopal Palace, Hartlebury, which he has since bequeathed as an heir-loom to his successors in the see.

MAY 18—The Worcestershire Militia, under Colonel Newport, set out, by forced marches, for Gosport, in consequence of the renewal of war with France.

MAY 26—The Messrs. Chamberlain sent, in pursuance to order, a superb set of porcelain to court, for the use of His Majesty on the ensuing birthday.

JUNE 6—The Droitwich Road Bill received the royal assent, after a very severe opposition in Parliament.

JUNE 22—Meeting of the hop planters of Worcester and Hereford at the Talbot, Tything, Worcester, the Hon. James S. Cocks in the chair, to petition that the use of quassia may be prohibited.

AUGUST 12—The enthusiastic citizens of Worcester form themselves into a corps of “Loyal Worcester Volunteers;” and similar corps were formed in every town and many of the rural districts in the county. The subscriptions for clothing and arms for the city corps amounted to £2,500.

AUGUST 19—The Worcester Loyal Volunteers, amounting then to 722 men, met on Pitchcroft, and elected the Hon. George Coventry their Lieutenant Colonel, and Samuel Wall, jun., Esq., their Major.

SEPTEMBER 21—Lord Foley formed a rifle corps of 100 men, to be added to the extraordinary defences of the country “at the present crisis.”

OCTOBER 9—(Sunday)—General muster and exercise of the Loyal Volunteer Infantry on Pitchcroft. Almost all the drills took place on the Sunday—the members of the corps being, from business, unable to attend on any other day. Hon. George Coventry commandant of this district.

DECEMBER 3—The ladies bought up every particle of flannel that they could lay their hands on, to make flannel dresses for the volunteers!

DECEMBER 16—William Sturges, Esq., of Acton Hall, Worcestershire, M.P. for Christchurch, Hants, received permission to take the additional name of Bourne. This gentleman gave name, in turn, to a very well known act of Parliament.

LOCAL ACTS—For continuing and enlarging powers of acts for repair of road from Worcester to Bromsgrove; for making horse towing path from Bewdley to Diglis; for inclosure of lands at Little Comberton.

1804.

MR. PITT, having strengthened his hands by the addition of Addington, now Viscount Sidmonth, and his friends, returned to office; the war with Buonaparte was carried on with fresh vigour, and the volunteers at home were fired with an increase of patriotic ardour. The number of men withdrawn from productive industry amounted already to at least 400,000; and that remarkable rise in prices, which continued throughout the war, now commenced. Consols averaged 57. Bad harvest; wheat averaged 62s. 3d.

FEBRUARY 12—(Sunday)—General inspection, on Pitchcroft, of the Loyal Worcester Volunteers under Colonel Coventry, by Colonel Houston. The St. John’s, Bewdley, Stourport, Kidderminster, Evesham and Pershore, and Elmley corps also reviewed this week.

MARCH 10—The towns of Bewdley and Kidderminster alarmed very early by the beating of the Volunteer drums, in consequence of a report that the French had landed, 50,000 strong. The Volunteers immediately assembled, shouldered their muskets, and set off towards Worcester with immense alacrity and amid the enthusiastic cheers of their wives and sweethearts. After marching some three or four miles they were informed, that it was a false alarm, intended merely by way of proof and exercise. So they marched back again, in ire and chagrin.

APRIL 10—Colours, worked by the young ladies of Evesham, were presented to the Evesham and Pershore Volunteers by Mrs. Perrott.

APRIL 17—A similar presentation was made to the Worcester Volunteers by Lady Deerhurst. Colours afterwards consecrated in the Cathedral.

MAY 29—The ancient custom, of the different companies walking in procession with the Mayor and Corporation of Worcester to the Cathedral, revived.

AUGUST 1—The Tenbury Volunteers (Captain Edward Wheeler) received colours from Mrs. Pytts of Kyre House.

SEPTEMBER 6—A meeting of the trustees of the Upton roads to rebut the statement of “certain interested innholders who, to serve their own private ends, make a practice of falsely representing to their customers that the road from Upton to Gloucester is so greatly out of repair as to endanger the safety of travellers, and that there are no proper accommodations for persons travelling in carriages, either at Upton or Corse Lawn.”

SEPTEMBER 17—The South Worcester Volunteers presented with colours on Hanley Common by Mrs. Lygon, who also presented the privates with a purse of 100 guineas to drink the King’s health.

NOVEMBER—The Directors of the Worcester House of Industry gave notice, that they intended to obtain for all incorrigibly vicious females twelve months’ hard labour in Bridewell; therefore they had better keep clear of the united parishes and the workhouse beadles.

LOCAL ACT—For continuing and enlarging the powers of the Upton Turnpike Trustees.

1805.

THE discussion of the Catholic claims was the principal domestic matter occupying the attention of Parliament and the public; while the death of Nelson, and Trafalgar, filled all men’s hearts and mouths towards the close of the year. The war was fast becoming popular; for though the taxes were enormous, our taxable income, which in 1792 appears not to have exceeded £130,000,000, had increased to £220,000,000. A great proportion of the vast war outlay was, in fact, but a circulation amongst ourselves. Consols averaged 59; wheat averaged 89s. 9d.

JANUARY 4—The Vice Chancellor and Mayor of Oxford issuing a notice, forbidding all stage carriages to pass through that city between nine a.m. and four p.m. on Sundays, the times of the carriers leaving Worcester on the Friday were obliged to be altered. They afterwards set out for London at five p.m. on Friday, reaching London on Tuesday morning.