David Cragg 1824 

1824

Things were going very badly for all the farmers and David was in a very bad way as he owed money and yet could not collect money owed to him.

On the 27th of the 1st month, David went to see his brother-in-law Lawrence Pye of Tarnbrook who had let his farm at Top of the Emmets to Joseph Pye and who had paid no rent for two years. Joseph was in bad circumstances and trying to borrow money. “When Timothy took in his weaving Joseph got pay for three pieces, about 8s, and kept it and sent Timothy home without his money.

On the 28th David went to John Clarkson on the Nook house in Ellel to pay a part of the money he owed. Clarkson has also lent Bartholomew Pye 15 pounds which Thomas Lambert had given security. To help Barthol David planned to pay the money himself and had managed to pay the interest but now Clarkson threatened to go to Lambert as Bartol had failed. Clarkson said Joseph Pye also owed him 30 pounds for looms not paid for.

Every day, it seemed someone came to collect money and David had none. He sent Timothy to collect 17s from John Albright but he only got 1s. The next day, the 8th of February, Timothy went again “on the dun horse” to John Arkwright but got nothing. Henry Slinger also put him off. So all David had hopes of were the farm produce and Timothy’s weaving.

There are several pages of accounts which show money owed to David for milk, potatoes, wood, weaving, rent and work. Also the money he owed for interest, carpenter, shoes, wages, taxes, his house keeper, Alice Winder and one of the largest to Doctor Taylor.

The crops had been bad and they scarce had enough milk and potatoes and meat for their own use. Even the “weaving trade goes on but heavily at present.”

There are several pages of inventory and possible ways to raise money.

2nd month 20th - "I am thinking if there was a fair chance for it, of the prospect of engaging the office of overseer of the poor of Over Wyresdale for the sake of the salary not the pleasure of the job.  The salary this year is 15 pounds. If I could get that or something more it would be earning something without causing me to lose much by neglecting my work at home and it would, I think, help me over some hobbles the which I don’t know how to get over but it is a troublesome concern.”

On the 21st Timothy met Dr. Taylor in Lancaster. He asked for a small payment on account he was in dire need. Also Matthew Butler called again for the poor rate, but David could not oblige either of them as he had no money.

On the 22nd David and his daughters were at Wyresdale meeting. He was offered the position of clerk and he said he was quite willing to serve the society but “if my outward concerns come to crisis and my credit fails and come ashore, a bankrupt in payment, I shall be in a hobble and under dealing of the monthly meeting and shall be like to desert my clerkship” … So he declined the office.

On the 23rd, Ann Dodding of Hathornethwaite came to see them to talk about David’s boys going to Yorkshire to be wool combers. She had not heard from her lads for some time. “We had some conversation about old Thomas Lambert and Joseph Pye and Agnes. They living together quite upon sixes and sevens so we may expect a revolt very soon amongst them.”

March 7th, 1824 - "Poem - To Beggars Bush.”

The is a continual account of trying to collect money and receiving demands for money and so poor David was in a terrible “hobble” and in “Beggar’s Bush”.

On the 28th of March David was trying to collect up enough money to pay the most pressing bills and to give Timothy some money as he was going to Yorkshire to try to get jobs for himself and Isaac as wool combers and he would need some money to get started, so he sold his cheese and managed it.

On the 29th, he says he has had a hard time sleeping for worrying. The only remedy was to get working really hard at his farm work.

On the 11th of April the town meeting at Wyresdale was held at Abbeystead school and it was found that the overseer Matthew Butler was a deal short in his account. David had thought he would try for the job but with his circumstances sh bad he didn’t want the temptation of so much money going through his hands and everyone was in the same fix and collecting would be almost an impossible thing to do.

April 18th the overseer came for assessment again. He paid him a little but he had sent all the money he could spare with Timothy.

On April 19th, his “brother Titus came about half past seven this evening and brought a present from my father of the sum of 10 pounds.” He was very thankful for this relief and he was able to pay some on the most pressing bills, such as Dr. Taylor and Alice Winder. Also he received some money for Timothy and Ann’s weaving which helped also.

On the 21st he was happy that he could pay the overseer.

The 28th he was paid for making maps of Moorhead estate and also Thomas Kelsall’s estate. So for the time being David was more easy in his circumstances.

A letter “Timothy Cragg near Bradford in Yorkshire, Wool comber, to the care of Thomas Dodding, Loinside near Lingdale.

May 5, 1824:

Dear son,

I thought it was upward of a month since thou left our house and thou would be desirous to hear something from us. I may then inform thee that we are all well in health and have been son since thou left us. I have been very throng in my husbandry work and expected Isaac home at May Day but his uncle would not part with him till Whitsuntide the 6th of next month. So I am very much hurried with my work at present in setting potatoes and getting up turf..But peeling, I think, I shall get none done this season there being som many other jobs at the same time. Old Scot got fast in a bog in the brownfall wood the 3rd of this month and he had a throng job getting it out again but it was not much worse the day after.
Thomas Waterhouse at Lentworth was broken into by some housebreakers the 13th at night and money stolen to the amount of 200 pounds with which booty they got clear off and have not since been heard of. Perhaps he will be as rich as ever. We had Isaac call to see us on the 16th in the evening and he was very well.
Grandfather is very well. He made me a present of five pounds which was very useful as I was very bare of money at that time. They are all well at Damasgillside and Langthwaite. We had the company of Thomas Lambert and Jamie Pye at the Top of the Emmets the 9th who was very well.
Alice has got the pieces all wove out and the loom now at a stand still.
At Lancaster they have raised the combers wages and are much better to please than any time this long, so says Geo. Wolfindale. There is some folks going to Bradford tomorrow from Starbank. Let us know how thou comes on with this new trade and as many particulars as thou can give.”

There are two letters to Thomas Willson about a wall across a road and a long letter to the preparative meeting about this road being changed causing people to go a long way round to the meeting house.

On May 26th, he discusses the change of roads in Wyresdale and how much inconvenience it caused. He also decided that none of his family would attend meeting if they had to walk so much farther to get there. Since they would not even discuss the matter David showed a very stubborn streak and refused to go one step further than before,

On the 20th, he received a letter from son Timothy in Bradford which he felt did not give enough detailed information and he was more or less disappointed with it. He therefore, wrote the following letter to Timothy:

“Dear son,

I received they letter in due time and was glad to hear that thou was well in health and pretty good spirits. I wish to be informed more particularly concerning thy leaving thy first master and also upon what terms thou has engaged with another and where you are situated or where going to what distance far from Bradford or so far from Loinside as it my be guessed at. Also give me some account of thy being at meeting at Bradford as thou will have had time to have been many times there. Whether there appear many or only a few friends belonging thereto. And they mode or manner of living and many particulars of this sort. As thou gives an account of a fever being prevalent in that part I wish thee to be cautious not to come in the houses where they are in it for fear of taking it thyself as it would be a trying circumstance to thee to be afflicted with it in a strange country and so far from home and to me too if I had to come to see after thee in such a place.”

There are some letters about highway duty for which David was doing the surveying and some very poor poetry about the road to the meeting.

June 6th - "Today my son Isaac has been over from Langthwaite where he is hired again for a year.” There was some dispute over time and wages with one of David’s brother, either Titus or Richard but I think Titus because it is mentioned elsewhere that Isaac was working for Titus. “Isaac thought he had not used him well in not letting him know sooner else he could have hired somewhere else for more money as he thought his uncle was in a very crust humour and unless he mentioned soon he would not stay with him.”

David was still short of money. He sold cheese in order to buy meal for his family. If he was not so “throng” in all the jobs around home he might have peeled bark and thus earned some money. His work on the highway was bringing in some but it took much of his time.

There is more discussion on closing the paths to the meeting house and a map showing the difference in distance.

Next is a very long letter to Timothy Cragg in Yorkshire:

“Dear son,

I am sorry to be informed by thee in part and by John Rickles more fully, he having a son that is combing in your neighbourhood, how ill thou has been used by they first master and the advantage he has taken of thee. I may well say thou has indeed begun at the rough end of fighting the world.”

He goes on to give Timothy advice on conduct and business affairs and to ask if he is attending meetings in Bradford.

“I may inform thee that myself and my family are all in good health at present. We have got up our turf.”

“Isaac we had him home at Whitsunday as he is hired for another year with his uncle Richard to be head man - wages seven pounds. William Cragg of Langthwaite hired Thomas Addisons of Top of Langthwaite and Thomas Cragg of Damasgillside hired at Whitsun to one Park near Bulk. Margaret of Damasgillside hired to Granddad at Greenbank for haytime.”

“We received a letter from thy uncle Timothy Cragg of the state of Ohio in North America dated the 29th of the 2nd month 1824 which gives account that they was all well at that time. He had got accounts of the deaths of thy mother and Grandmother by Uncle Titus.”

“The weir at Dolphinholme factory has been put in this last month in complete stile. The waters very low, most remarkably so.”

“I have not peeled much this summer, I was so throng with other matters and attending to the affaires of the highways, I being one of the surveyors this year for Over Wyresdale.

John Winder of Hathornthwaite has been drinking at Marshaw since the 10th of the 4th month, only at home about a week in all that time since then.

We are bringing up two calves this summer and the mare has a filly foal, a dark bay with no white only half a star in the forehead. The cows milk well and we are making cheese pretty briskly at present. Our crop of hay is likely to be very thin and little this year and I have turned the holme to pasture.

Ann Birket has been very poorly for about a week by a violent pain in the side so as to be quite laid by, but she is now getting much better.

Thou may send account how thou art for shirts and stocking and they clogs are hung up in the shop beside the looms, all out of use, and a new wool hat wants a wearer, thou may have it when opportunity suits to send it as thee may be ill fit to get such things as these at present.

The 24th John Clarkson of Nook house in Ellel and myself took an out and went to look at the new road from the Salt Oak to the Hollings and the new canal from Lodge Hill to Glassen Dock, we went over the Little Crag to the Bay Horse and to Potterbrook and then on the new road to Salt Oak and vast numbers of men and horses at work and making sad havoc of a dearth of good land but the proprietors are paid a good price for it. From Salt Oak we went down at Grange Gates to Lancaster canal and on the bank of the canal where the new canal joins it at Lodge Hill. Then on line of the canal we went to Glassen Dock. There is seven locks which are now all in building.

We came back by Lower Green to Golgate and so home. Away 12 or 13 hours.

I understand by Thomas Dodding pretty well how thou has engaged with another master which he thinks are pretty good terms full better than what they have, in respect of house and shop room and cooking, etc.”

He goes on to tell of consulting James Crossfield about apprentices in Lancaster but the seven years indenture demanded he thought unsuitable.

“Thomas Dodding thinks that to learn to be a worsted weaver is not hopeful anyway because of the weaving machinery will hurt the trade so be to stick to wool combing altogether.”

David sent this letter with Thomas Dodding along with three half-crowns for Timothy. He added a P.S. exhorting Timothy to attend meetings.

There followed a long entry about his finances and trying to devise means to pay off his creditors which ends, “so I am in plenty hobble about money so how I shall fight my way on but I will give account as I go along. But whether it would be better to give up altogether or not I can’t say, or try to fight my way for some time longer is a question I cannot decide at present and I have no friend I can safely consult about the matter but myself.”

On the 16th of June he was at Lancaster month meeting where there was a long discussion about Free Masons.

During the rest of the month he managed to pay some of his bills and sent Timothy some more money.

7th month 17th - "I have been at the highways this two says I being the surveyor for this year. A tedious business and farmers come very dilatory on the road. It will take me above three times as much time as working my statute duty.”

July 20th - "I have attended the highways four days on end this week and am quite weary of the business and have not yet done.
Richard Clapham, farmer at old Robbins (the farm where I lost all my property) is reported hard beset and it is supposed he cannot make it answer.”

July 24th - "I had yesterday the company of Thomas Lambert of Top of the Emmets, an old miser for whom I keep accounts of his money and write for him. He proposes to make some alteration in his will. He having before time left most of his property equally among five of his displeasure he proposes to leaves them only a shilling each and their shares to go to two of the other three making them double what they was before and I must write him a will to that effect before he comes again and then he will sign it.”

looks like part of this diary is out of order

July 16th - :At seven in the morning - I have been poorly for a week by past having caught a great cold and am in bad order at present. I have not been at work for a few days. I seemed so very tired and weary. I could not think of working. I seem to labour under some depression of mind. I am in the cellar, in lead spirits and cannot tell which way to contrive to fight the world to the best advantage.” On the evening of the 6th, he had sold a balk at Golgate and so was in better spirits.

18th - "I am not in good health at present. I have a great cough and oppression in the breast and noise and ringing in my head. I am in hopes I am going into consumption for I really think I have lived long enough in this world. However, at any rate I have been very weary of it this many a long day. I have done all the good in it I well could do and as for evil I have done plenty so what’s the use of being bothered any more amongst it I cannot say. It will be no advantage to me I deliver or my children nor my creditors that I do tarry longer in this vale of misery.”

There is a page of poetry about being 55 years of age, in trouble, ill and fed up with the whole thing.

20th - "Yesterday, I begun to mow in the meadow. I having done bits and bats before. I mowed 82 falls and it was little, poor grass and bad to cut. I do not like the job but I must have it and all myself, too, having nobody to assist me in that operation. Today I have mowed 90 falls and helped a little at the hay.

23rd - "For five days I have been throng mowing and part working at the hay. I have wrought very hard and made long days work and weather very hot. Today I am knocked up and am unwell and could not work hard. I would rather have let it along, but I had nobody else to take the job. I gave over at six at night. I have a cough and a pain in the right side, something of indigestion, and ringing in my ears and like as if my head run on wheels and such like that as if I was half drunk or thereabouts.”

On the 31st, he went to collect from Thomas Lambert but his wife, Ann gave him a “proper blacking” and also her son but David said nothing knowing she was a spit-fire.

August 1st, his father gave him a present of two pounds which David said would help him pay off Dr. Taylor. David’s cold was improving.

August 3rd - "A very fine day. Some flying showers and some said thunder but I did not hear it. I was walling the pig cotefold wall it being very bad. I got the east side done. I was in good health again and wrought most of the day.”

He tells of an accident he had on the 30th of July. He went to a sale at Borderside and it was dark when he was coming home by Ortner “the mare took fright and jumped sideways and the stirrup on the right side broke and I was cast awry that I could not recover my seat and the mare galloped forward and I fell off down upon my back in the road.” He was shaken up pretty well and bruised. He caught up with the mare and rode home with one stirrup.

August 4th - "Myself, Margaret, Mary and Jennet was at Wyresdale meeting. I was scrabbling stone for the pig sty. The pain in my side continues but in other respects I seem to be mending but look very badly.”

“I have been the first day of this month an hour or two looking over some of my papers to see what of them I may leave behind me or maybe destroy some of them or revise and correct them or something of that sort, is on my mind at present. Some to put by in a different box for further deliberation”.

5th - "I have looked over a great mass of loose papers and have put them in a box by themselves.”

On the 6th Susy Birket was to see them. David worked on the pigsty wall and went to John Clarkson’s of Nook House “and reckoned with him.”

15th - "The 13th of this month I was at the burial of Dorothy Kelsall of Hareapple tree in Quernmore, widow of Thomas Kelsall of Rowton Brook, aged 80 years. A great number of persons attended.”

He also bought oats at the sale from his brother Richard.

On the 28th he began to shear. “I received a letter from my son Timothy at Bradford in Yorkshire dated 15th of the 8th month. Gives an account that he is well and likes his situation and trade well.”

A letter to Timothy in reply:

“Dear son,

Received thy letter dated 15th of the 8th month in due time and was glad to hear that thou was well as we are all at present, we have been throng in harvest for near three weeks and got done on the 18th. It seems to be a good crop in these parts. This week housing and shearing at Grandfather’s and I am engaged in mapping and surveying land - having done the estate of Ellen Pye at Tarnbrook, the estate of John Calvet, ditto and am at present employed in John Dickenson’s estate and several more.
My housekeeper, Alice Winder had given me notice that she will quit my service. That will be about the 3rd of the month. I have not yet hired any other in her stead. She is going to Catshaw Factory to be a reeler. I suppose a good berth for getting good wages. Their folks removing from Hathornthwaite to Catshaw houses and my daughter, Margaret is hired to Catshaw for two years at 4s per week. She is to pay board with James Winder.”
He goes on that he would like to go see Timothy and would if he can get a housekeeper but would not leave the lasses alone so long. Otherwise he would like Timothy to come home for a few days and he would pay the expenses.
“Isaac is well and in good spirits and continues with his uncle at Langthwaite. Granddad is well and hearty and 88 years old. Uncle Titus well. Uncle Thomas well and his family. I had uncle Joseph Pye to shear a week. Aunt Agnes has a bad word for wool combing. It is no better than cotton weaving. Uncle Lawrence assists me in leading the survey chain.”
“So no more a present from thy loving father,"

"David Cragg.”