Dalston was described by Francis Jollie in 1811 as follows:

An extensive and well-built village on the banks of the Caldew; at the east end of the town is a cross raised on several steps, the pillar sculpted with the coat of arms of Bishop Kyte and others. This thriving village dates its rise from the late enterprising George Hodson, a gentleman who came from Manchester about 26 years ago, well skilled in every branch of the cotton business. He erected extensive cotton works here upon the Caldew for manufacturing calicoes, fustians, corduroys, velverets, &c dyeing and finishing the same; and also for spinning. The works are now carried on under the firm of Messrs. Hebson, Lamb, Foster and Waldie. Mr Watson, on the west side of the Caldew, has also a cotton-twist mill, and an iron-plating forge, where excellent articles are made; and a few years ago, Mr Hebson erected a cotton twist mill, on an extensive scale. This place is the residence of Mr Dugdale, a very ingenious mechanic.

Pigot’s 1829-29 directory states:

‘A village and parish is rather more than 4 miles from Carlisle and 17 from Penrith, pleasantly situated on the river Caldew, the stream of which is applied to working the machinery of three cotton mills, a flax mill and a flour mill: at a forge in this parish are made a great number of spades and other instruments of husbandry. There is a small market on Friday, for the sale of butcher’s meat, vegetables, &c. The population of the whole parish in 1821 was 2716, and of Dalston township about 1000 of that number.’

The population of Dalston was 2,120 in 1801. By 1831 it had increased  to 3,023. First cotton mill in the town was opened in 1782.

The parish workhouse was built in 1827.

Sources

Francis Jollie, Cumberland Guide and Directory containing a descriptive tour through the county (Carlisle: F. Jollie and Sons, 1811)

Pigot and Co., National Commercial Directory [Part 1: Cheshire – Northumberland] for 1828–29 (London and Manchester: J. Pigot and Co., 1828)

cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/dalston

Writing in 1776, Thomas Pennant thought Whitehaven

is as populous as it is elegant, containing twelve thousand inhabitants, and has a hundred and ninety great ships belonging to it, mostly in the coal trade.

The tobacco trade is much declined: formerly about twenty thousand hogsheads were imported from Virginia, now scarce a fourth of that number; Glasgow having stolen that branch: but to make amends, another is carried on the West Indies, hats, printed lines, hams &c are sent. Last week was a melancholy and pernicious exportation of a hundred and fifty natives of Great Britain, forced from their natal soil, the low lands of Scotland, by the raise of rents, to seek an asylum on the other side of the Atlantic.

The workhouse is thinly inhabited; for few of the poor choose to enter. Those whom     necessity compels, are most usefully employed: with pleasure I observed old age, idiocy, and even infants of three years of age, contributing to their own support, by the pulling of oakum.

 

Sources

Thomas Pennant, A tour in Scotland, and voyage to the Hebrides; Part I (London: 1776)

Pigot’s 1828-29 directory records:

The village of Papcastle is about two miles from Cockermouth, in Bridekirk parish, very pleasantly situated on the banks of the Derwent, and has been much noticed by antiquarians on account of the great number of Roman vessels, coins &c which have been dug up in its vicinity. In 1821 about 400 persons composed its population.

Jollie noted that a large and commodious workhouse was built in 1743.

Sources

Francis Jollie, Cumberland Guide and Directory containing a descriptive tour through the county (Carlisle: F. Jollie and Sons, 1811)

Pigot and Co., National Commercial Directory [Part 1: Cheshire – Northumberland] for 1828–29 (London and Manchester: J. Pigot and Co., 1828)

The road [from Carlisle to Wigton] pretty good and the surface level; but nothing very much interesting occurs. The country, though not disagreeable, soon becomes wild and barren, but not without some fertile spots and pieces of woodland. This road affords us a tolerable extensive view. On the right is Moorhouse, the seat of Major Hodson, where Joseph Liddel, Esq. and several other gentlemen, had planted several extensive tracts of Scotch fir, which thrive well and enliven the face of the country … The intervening country, though not remarkable for its fertility, is well-cultivated, and shows some spaces of rich ground.

Wigton is seated on a most beautiful and healthy part of Cumberland, on a gravelly soils and southern aspect … and surrounded with rich cultivated lands, and valuable commons capable of great improvements. There are several handsome buildings in the town, and the streets are tolerably wide, and kept pretty neat around the market place. In 1788 a new and elegant church was built. Here is an hospital, founded in 1725, for six indigent widows of episcopal clergymen, well endowed. In 1788 was also built a meeting place for dissenters, of which there are several respectable families. The town also possesses an endowed school … and a parochial library belonging to the church. The former manufactures here were tow-cloth, osnaburghs, and coarse linens, striped checks and calicoes, and of late years fustians, muslins, ginghams &c have been introduced. But what has most contributed of late years to the population of the place is a manufactory of printed calicoes at Spittal, about a quarter of a mile from the town, established in 1790, by Messrs Brumell and Irving and now the property of Messrs Ferguson and Irving. There are also breweries belonging to Messrs Hodgson and Mr Skelton. This place is supplied with coal and lime from Bolton, about four miles distant.

Sources

Francis Jollie, Cumberland Guide and Directory containing a descriptive tour through the county (Carlisle: F. Jollie and Sons, 1811)

The following description of Whitehaven is taken from Pigot and Co.’s trade directory of 1829-29.

Whitehaven, the principal sea port in Cumberland … The town is situated in a remarkable creek, overlooked by high ground on three sides. From the south the town makes the best appearance, commanding a view of the interior of the streets, the harbour, and the castle belonging to the Earl of Lonsdale, which form fine objects in the landscape. Descending by an excellent road from the north, between two small eminences, the traveller approaches the town by a fine arch of freestone … In the year 1556 the town is said to have had only six houses, subsequently, being supported by the fostering hand of the Lowthers, it has risen to wealth and consequence; being at present the most eminent port in the coal except Newcastle … Whitehaven is a regular and well-built town, for the most part, the streets being broad and spacious, crossing each other at right angles, and the houses built with some degree of taste … Here are three chapels of ease … St Nicholas, … Holy Trinity … and St James’. The other places of worship are Scotch independent, Methodist, Anabaptist, Roman Catholic and Society of Friends’ meeting houses. The other public edifices and institutions are the dispensary, the house of industry, the marine school, national and Sunday schools, the theatre, the public office, Lowther Street, customs house, baths, subscription library, philosophical society’s room, harmonic society’s concert room, a saving’s bank and a mechanics institute … The principal manufactories of this town are linen, sails cloths, checks, ginghams, sheeting, threads, twine, cables, tobacco &c. Here are also some chemical works, anchor foundries and two breweries. The coal mines at Whitehaven are perhaps the most extraordinary in the known world … A fine new pier is erecting on the south of the harbour, at considerable expense … There are three weekly markets … In 1821 the population of Whitehaven … was 12,438 exclusive of 8000 sailors, which were not classed with the actual inhabitants by [the] census.

Sources

Pigot and Co., National Commercial Directory [Part 1: Cheshire – Northumberland] for 1828–29 (London and Manchester: J. Pigot and Co., 1828)

Abstracts from the Returns made by the Overseers of the Poor reveal that the following places had workhouses in 1777. The returns also stated how many people each workhouse could accommodate. This figure is given after the name of each place. It is not a complete list as it does not include Keswick workhouse. Neither does it include Wigton or Dalston although both had workhouses by the late-eighteenth century. Many of those in receipt of poor relief were provided for outside of workhouses.

Whitehaven, 135

Caldbeck, 80

Carlisle

Botcherby, Botchergate and Carleton, 12

Briscoe, Harraby and Upperby, 7

Kirkbride Parish

Caldewgate Quarter, 20

Richergate Quarter, 10

Castletown Quarter, 8

Churchtown Quarter, 8

Wetheral, 2

Eskdale Ward

Arthuret, 50

Bewcastle, 25

Brampton, 20

Castle Carwicke, 9

Cumwhitton, 7

Denton Nether, 21

Farlam, 30

Hayton, 7

Kirkandrew Parish

Middle Quarter, 50

Mote Quarter, 50

Nether Quarter, 45

Nichol Forest, 50

Kirklington Parish

Hathersgill Quarter, 20

Middle Quarter, 20

Westlinton Quarter, 20

Leonard Coast

Askerton Quarter, 20

Stanwix, 12

Stapleton Parish

Stapleton, 20

Trough, 3

Ainstable Parish, 10

Aldston, 40

Greystoke Parish

Heskett, 20

Penrith, 36

Cockermouth, 70

Source

House of Commons, Abstracts of the returns made by the overseers of the poor, in pursuance of an act passed in the sixteenth year of His Present Majesty’s reign … (London: 1777), 26.

with the assistance of Beth Banks

The Sad Tale of Ann, Wife of William Graham, Blacksmith

A dreadful occurrence took place at Wigton on Sunday 20 April 1817.

Transcribed and Edited from -Carlisle Patriot April 1817 + The Times 29 April 1817

Anne Graham, the wife of William Graham, blacksmith, murdered two of her children by strangulation, left another for dead, and afterwards cut her own throat!

The following particulars have reached us, from which it will clearly appear that the wretched woman laboured under strong mental derangement. On the preceding day she dressed herself, and took her children for a walk, a circumstance with her very unusual on such a day. She went with them to a small stream of water, and looking into it, remarked that “it was not deep enough, and they would come another time.”

On Sunday morning, she strongly persuaded her husband to go to church; and when she laid out his Sunday clothes, she gave him a black silk handkerchief, instead of a white one. He inquired the reason and asked for a white one. His wife immediately said to him in a singular tone – “What, would you not wear it if we all lay dead? Graham took no particular notice of this wildness and went to church. As soon as he was gone, she called the children into the house and locked the door. After washing them, she gave the oldest “a boy of about nine years of age” [this must have been James] an infant to hold, which was sucking at the breast, [this will have been Catherine] and took one of the other children into an adjoining room, put it to death by strangling it with her hands, and then laid it into a bed. She returned for another, which she strangled in the same manner. When she came for the third, the boy before-mentioned inquired what she was doing, and observed, he thought she was killing the children. She replied, that she would let him soon see what she was doing with them, and went into the room with the third, which she also strangled. The boy being alarmed, laid the infant on the floor, and got into the blacksmith’s shop by means of a door which communicates with the dwelling-house, where he concealed himself under the large bellows.  His mother followed him into the shop, and searched, but could not find him. After she returned into the dwelling-house, the boy escaped from the shop by drawing the bolts which secured the great doors. He met his father as he was returning from church and told him the dreadful tale; assistance was immediately procured, and on entering the house, the unhappy woman was found with her throat dreadfully cut, without any signs of life; the infant was lying on the floor unhurt. The other three children were found in bed, two of them quite dead [William and Thomas]; the other [Mary] showed symptoms of life, and by proper care has been much recovered, but still remains in a doubtful state.

What a scene for the unfortunate husband and father! No cause but insanity can be assigned for these dreadful acts. William Graham has always proved himself a kind an affectionate husband. His wife was naturally of a gloomy disposition; and, latterly, she had formed an idea that her children would come to poverty.

 

From Parish Registers, further details of this family can be discovered:

SKELTON PARISH

• William Graham, blacksmith, married Ann Walton 14 Aug 1806
• Their first child, James, was baptised 23 October 1806. [James was the eldest son who ran away to get help]

WIGTON PARISH – St.Mary’s

• Their second child William was baptised 26 October 1808; he died aged 22 months and was buried 3 August 1810.
• Their third child also named William was baptised 25 November 1810 [William died]
• Their fourth child Thomas was baptised 27 November 1812 [Thomas died]
• Their fifth child Mary was baptised 17 December 1815 [Mary left for dead but survived]
• Their sixth child Catherine was baptised 20 April 1817 [Catherine was baptised on the same day as the tragedy.]
• Ann Graham and her two sons William and Thomas were buried on 21 April 1817

At the inquest the Coroner’s Jury returned a verdict of Insanity.

So, William was left with three small children but from the records we find that in the following year William married again.

Marriage bond/licence of 15 August 1818 states that William Graham, widower, blacksmith made application to marry Ann Mallinson, spinster.  The couple were married at St. Mary’s, Wigton on the 16 August 1818.

WIGTON PARISH – St. Mary’s

Baptisms recorded for the children of William and Ann [Mallinson]

• William baptised on 25 December 1818
• John baptised on 21 February 1821
• Thomas baptised on 18 June 1824

From Pigots Directory of Cumberland 1828-29 on page 99 is listed:

Graham Wm. Blacksmith, Water Street, Wigton.

No more has been found on this family.

Sources

Skelton parish registers PR 10                                          Cumbria Archives Carlisle

Wigton parish registers PR 36                                           Cumbria Archives Carlisle

Carlisle Diocese marriage bonds/licences                       Cumbria Archives Carlisle

 

Recent research at Carlisle has revealed that, in addition to our first group of three target parishes, the Small Bills project will also be able to use overseers’ vouchers from additional places including Dalston.  This means that, on a trip to Lady Gillford House earlier this month, I was drawn to the published volumes of the Dalston parish registers.  The preface to the second volume of the registers includes a transcription of a document concerning the Dalston workhouse and its management by local man Thomas Martin.   The workhouse contract was devised in 1822, but Martin had probably been managing aspects of parish business for some years by that time.  He was the signatory to parish legal bills by 1816, and a full reading of the vouchers will probably reveal additional references to him.

In the contract Martin offered (for a flat fee) to maintain all of the poor of the parish including illegitimate children, medical bills, apprenticeship costs, legal expenses and other forms of outlay for poor-relief.  This was relatively unusual; parish contracts of this kind might relate exclusively to the workhouse poor, but less often encompassed the really pricey aspects of relief, like mending broken bones.  But the quirky features of the Dalston contract keep coming.  Martin also specified that he was emphatically not willing to collect the poor rates, or have anything to do with other parish responsibilities (associated with the Church, highways, valuations, vestry meetings – all of which he specified).  The final and I suspect unprecedented aspect of the contract is that he undercut himself: the first agreement was signed on 13 June 1822 and netted Martin an income of £924 for twelve months of service, but by 20 June 1822 he was offering to do the work for £880!  He had allowed the parish to revise the contract downwards, when they apparently asked to exclude two components: they were no longer paying up front for legal bills, and they were  not prepared to pay him anything in addition to the contractual fee as a basic salary, hence the reduction by £44. If we assume the document of 13 June was legally valid, then the parish were depending on Martin’s good will in reducing his total fee.

 

Sources: J. Wilson (ed.) Dalston Parish Registers volume 2 (1679-1812), xvii; Carlisle archives, SPC 44/2/49, Dalston parish legal bill for 6 February 1816 to 17 March 1817.

In an earlier blog ‘Thomas Wilson JP Ove-Rules Overseer Isaac Lightfoot of Wigton, Re: Joseph Blackburn, 1773’ (28 Aug 2018) it was suggested that the over-ruling by Wilson of decisions taken in the parish of Wigton might not be an isolated incident. Another hand-written order has come to light, this time concerning Jane McCall and her two children. The following is a transcription of the document.

Cumberland to wit

Whereas Jane McCall in Wigton in the Parish of Wigton in the said county of Cumberland hath made Oath before me Tho^s Wilson DD and of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, in and for the said County that she the said Jane McCall is very poor and impotent and not able to provide for herself and family and that she the said Jane McCall did on the 26^th of November last apply for relief to the parishioners of the said parish of Wigton, and was by them refused to be relieved And Whereas, William Faulder one of the overseers of the Poor of the said Parish hath appeared before me to show cause why relief should not be given to the said Jane McCall and hath not showed any

I do therefore hereby order that the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish, or some of them to pay unto the said Jane McCall the sum of Three shillings and six pence weekly and every week for and towards the support and maintenance of herself and two children untill such time as it shall be otherwise ordered according to Law, to forbear the said allowance.

Given under my hand and seal at Carlisle in the said County the seventh Day of December in the year of Our Lord 1776.

Although the wording of this statement is very similar to that relating to Joseph Blackburn, it does not have the same pro-forma feel. There is no indication that McCall’s name and the dates have been slotted in to a pre-prepared document and there is no variation in ink colour. On this occasion a specific overseer is not mentioned but Wilson refers to ‘the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor’ of Wigton. Volunteers searching the Vestry Minutes for Wigton show John Henderson, William Faulder, Isaac Robinson and Thomas Pattinson to have been Overseers in 1776.

Sources

Cumbria Archives, Carlisle

PR/36/119, Wigton Vestry Minute Book, 1735-1885

PR36/V/6/83, Wigton Quarter, Overseers’ Vouchers, Jane McCall’s Order

This is a work in progress, subject to change as new research is conducted.