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.