TABLE A—POPULATION.
| 1801. | 1811. | 1821. | 1831. | 1841. | 1851. | |
| County of Worcester | 139,333 | 160,546 | 184,424 | 211,365 | 233,484 | 276,926a |
| City of Worcester | 11,131 | 13,551 | 16,207 | b18,442 | 27,023 | 27,528 |
| Dudley | 10,307 | 13,925 | 18,611 | 23,443 | 31,232 | 37,954 |
| Stourbridge (including the Lye and Upper Swinford) | 8,297 | 9,755 | 11,227 | 13,571 | 17,483 | 19,246 |
| Kidderminster Bor. & For. | 8,036 | 10,025 | 12,752 | 17,913 | 17,500 | 20,852 |
| Bromsgrove | 5,898 | 6,932 | 7,511 | 8,612 | 9,676 | 10,310 |
| Redditch | 1,000 | — | — | — | 3,314 | 4,774 |
| Stourport | 1,603 | 2,352 | 2,544 | 2,952 | 2,952 | 2,993 |
| Evesham | 2,837 | 3,068 | 3,472 | 3,976 | 4,245 | 4,605 |
| Pershore | 1,910 | 2,179 | 2,328 | 2,536 | — | 2,717 |
| Droitwich | 1,840 | 1,977 | 2,176 | 2,487 | 2,779 | 3,125 |
| Upton | 1,858 | 2,167 | 2,319 | 2,343 | 2,599 | 2,698 |
| Tenbury | 1,541 | 1,562 | 1,668 | 1,768 | 1,776 | 1,784 |
| Great Malvern | — | — | — | — | 2,768 | 3,763 |
a By the Act 7 and 8 Victoria, c. 61, part of Halesowen parish, containing 18,827 persons in 1851, and parts of other parishes, locally situated in Worcestershire, but belonging to other counties previously, became parts of Worcestershire. Taking the same limits, the population of Worcestershire in 1841 was 248,460.
b The population of Worcester, even at this time, was estimated at 25,000; but the figures given above, up to this census, only indicate the population included within the old city boundary.
WORCESTERSHIRE.—CENSUS OF 1851.
| HOUSES. | POPULATION. | ||||
| Inhabited. | Uninhabited. | Building. | Males. | Females. | Total. |
Eastern Division | 32,136 | 1,387 | 236 | 81,441 | 81,067 | 162,508 |
Western Division | 23,503 | 1,336 | 101 | 55,515 | 58,903 | 114,418 |
Entire County | 55,639 | 2,723 | 337 | 136,956 | 139,970 | 276,926 |
TABLE No. 2.—CRIMINAL STATISTICS.
The following statistics only relate to the county of Worcester. Prior to 1821 there are no records of convictions, &c., in existence; the Table, therefore, commences with that year.
Year. | In what Court Tried. | Number of Prisoner Tried. | Number Capitally Convicted. | Number Sentenced to Transportation. | No. Sentenced various terms of Imprisonment. | Number Acquitted or Discharged. | Summary Convictions. | Total Number of Persons Convicted. | Proportion of Convicted to Population. |
1821 | Assizes | 80 | 25* | 15 | 18 | 22 |
| ||
| Sessions | 167 | — | 26 | 92 | 49 | 292 | 468 | 1 in 359 |
1822 | Assizes | 58 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 26 |
| ||
| Sessions | 132 | — | 22 | 57 | 53 | 324 | 437 | 1 in 390 |
1823 | Assizes | 69 | 15* | 8 | 20 | 26 |
| ||
| Sessions | 68 | — | 12 | 35 | 21 | 348 | 438 | 1 in 397 |
1824 | Assizes | 49 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 16 |
| ||
| Sessions | 86 | — | 8 | 37 | 41 | 352 | 430 | 1 in 408 |
1825 | Assizes | 54 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 12 |
| ||
| Sessions | 103 | — | 14 | 51 | 38 | 363 | 469 | 1 in 379 |
1826 | Assizes | 90 | 27* | 10 | 30 | 23 |
| ||
| Sessions | 70 | — | 8 | 36 | 26 | 304 | 405 | 1 in 446 |
1827 | Assizes | 110 | 34 | 25 | 29 | 22 |
| ||
| Sessions | 124 | — | 17 | 79 | 28 | 332 | 516 | 1 in 354 |
1828 | Assizes | 42 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 13 |
| ||
| Sessions | 156 | — | 27 | 88 | 41 | 304 | 448 | 1 in 414 |
a1829 | Assizes | 83 | 39 | 5 | 13 | 26 |
| ||
| Sessions | 154 | — | 34 | 75 | 45 | 287 | 453 | 1 in 412 |
1830 | Assizes | 80 | 32* | 3 | 12 | 33 |
| ||
| Sessions | 142 | — | 25 | 81 | 36 | 319 | 470 | 1 in 405 |
1831 | Assizes | 90 | 43* | 7 | 23 | 17 |
| ||
| Sessions | 220 | — | 41 | 112 | 67 | 402 | 628 | 1 in 307 |
1832 | Assizes | 74 | 28* | 9 | 16 | 21 |
| ||
| Sessions | 164 | — | 36 | 83 | 45 | 373 | 545 | 1 in 345 |
1833 | Assizes | 73 | 22 | 13 | 19 | 19 |
| ||
| Sessions | 258 | — | 53 | 137 | 68 | 448 | 692 | 1 in 285 |
1834 | Assizes | 69 | 3* | 20 | 23 | 23 |
| ||
| Sessions | 260 | — | 63 | 124 | 73 | 526 | 759 | 1 in 262 |
1835 | Assizes | 51 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 18 |
| ||
| Sessions | 139 | — | 24 | 82 | 33 | 373 | 512 | 1 in 393 |
b1836 | Assizes | 47 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 17 |
| ||
| Sessions | 212 | — | 32 | 125 | 55 | 357 | 544 | 1 in 363 |
a1837 | Assizes | 66 | 14* | 10 | 24 | 18 |
| ||
| Sessions | 278 | — | 47 | 141 | 90 | 328 | 564 | 1 in 354 |
Assizes | 64 | 3 | 23 | 21 | 17 |
| |||
| Sessions | 303 | — | 36 | 179 | 88 | 425 | 687 | 1 in 292 |
1839 | Assizes | 70 | 1 | 16 | 31 | 22 |
| ||
| Sessions | 323 | — | 44 | 190 | 89 | 411 | 693 | 1 in 292 |
c1840 | Assizes | 76 | — | 10 | 36 | 30 |
| ||
| Sessions | 474 | — | 68 | 278 | 128 | 566 | 958 | 1 in 202 |
1841 | Assizes | 99 | 1 | 9 | 60 | 29 |
| ||
| Sessions | 383 | — | 43 | 231 | 109 | 461 | 805 | 1 in 256 |
1842 | Assizes | 101 | 1 | 16 | 59 | 25 |
| ||
| Sessions | 440 | — | 57 | 252 | 131 | 439 | 824 | 1 in 253 |
1843 | Assizes | 120 | 2 | 14 | 44 | 60 |
| ||
| Sessions | 418 | — | 39 | 245 | 142 | 535 | 879 | 1 in 242 |
1844 | Assizes | 141 | 1 | 17 | 78 | 45 |
| ||
| Sessions | 390 | — | 31 | 239 | 120 | 535 | 901 | 1 in 237 |
1845 | Assizes | 135 | 1 | 20 | 66 | 48 |
| ||
| Sessions | 368 | — | 28 | 220 | 120 | 460 | 785 | 1 in 298 |
1846 | Assizes | 154 | — | 17 | 79 | 58 |
| ||
| Sessions | 329 | — | 7 | 220 | 102 | 377 | 700 | 1 in 337 |
a1847 | Assizes | 88 | — | 7 | 52 | 29 |
| ||
| Sessions | 458 | — | 30 | 302 | 126 | 458 | 849 | 1 in 281 |
1848 | Assizes | 109 | — | 12 | 70 | 27 |
| ||
| Sessions | 515 | — | 21 | 354 | 140 | 599 | 1056 | 1 in 228 |
1849 | Assizes | 99 | 3* | 10 | 33 | 53 |
| ||
| Sessions | 452 | — | 50 | 289 | 113 | 614 | 999 | 1 in 244 |
1850 | Assizes | 115 | 3 | 15 | 62 | 35 |
| ||
| Sessions | 427 | — | 38 | 280 | 109 | 605 | 1003 | 1 in 246 |
* Executions in all these years—vide pp. 146, 148.
a a Criminal code greatly mitigated. Various offences hitherto only triable at Assizes, transferred to the jurisdiction of Quarter Sessions.
b Prisoners’ Counsel Bill passed.
c County Police established.
d Sir John Pakington’s Juvenile Offenders’ Act passed.
*** In 1836 the jurisdiction of the City Quarter Sessions was extended to the new city boundary, and the deduction of population from the county raises the proportion of convicted persons from that year forwards. In 1845 the outlying parts of the county were included in the jurisdiction of the County Quarter Sessions, and the ratio of convicted persons is proportionably diminished.
TABLE No. 3.—PROVISION FOR RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
It is not pretended that the following statistics are absolutely accurate—the amount of accommodation afforded being altogether matter of computation. Neither do they afford reliable data for comparing the relative increase of different religious denominations, because a considerable proportion of the old churches have been enlarged in the present century; while, on the other hand, many of the new chapels built by Dissenters, especially the Wesleyans, were erected in the place of preaching rooms used before the year 1800.
| Built before A.D. 1800. | Accommodation. | Built after A.D. 1800. | Accommodation. | |
| Places of Worship in the County connected with the Established Church | 210 | 63,680 | 24* | 14,590 |
| Wesleyans | 6 | 3,240 | 34 | 6,760 |
| Baptists | 13 | 3,654 | 17 | 3,498 |
| Independents | 4 | 2,283 | 10 | 3,176 |
| Primitive Methodists | — | — | 13 | 1,906 |
| Wesleyan New Connexion | — | — | 8 | 2,526 |
| Wesleyan Association | — | — | 4 | 950 |
| Countess of Huntingdon | 1 | 1,400 | 9 | 2,790 |
| Catholics | 2 | 630 | 10 | 2,089 |
| Unitarian | 8 | 2,300 | — | — |
| The Friends | 7 | 1,500 | — | — |
| Other Sects | — | — | 4 | 500 |
* The Churches built in the county since 1800 are—Redditch (chapel of ease); St. George’s Chapel, Kidderminster; St. Andrew’s, Netherton; St. George’s Chapel, Claines; St. Peter’s, Malvern Wells; Christchurch Chapel, Broadheath; Christchurch Chapel, Catshill; Bartley Green Chapel, Northfield; Christchurch Chapel, Lye; St. James’s, Dudley; St. John’s Chapel, Kate Hill, Dudley; St. Michael’s Chapel, Broadway; Christchurch Chapel, Trimpley, Kidderminster; Yardley Wood, Yardley; St. John’s Chapel, Kidderminster; Aston Magna, Blockley; St. Matthias, Malvern Link; St. Paul’s, Worcester; St. Peter’s, Cookley; North Hill District Church, Mathon; The Quinton, Halesowen; Langley Green, Halesowen; St. Peter’s, Worcester; Amblecote, Oldswinford; Trinity Church, Malvern.
TABLE No. 4.—OBSERVATIONS AS TO FALL OF RAIN.
| Year. | Worcester. * | Cleobury. † | Orleton. ‡ |
| 1835 | — | 29.16 | 27.265 |
| 1836 | — | 32.93 | 28.155 |
| 1837 | 24.465 | 31.18 | 28.545 |
| 1838 | 23.850 | 28.73 | 26.355 |
| 1839 | 34.595 | 37.70 | 34.145 |
| 1840 | 20.715 | 26.94 | 25.800 |
| 1841 | 29.649 | 34.82 | 32.770 |
| 1842 | — | 25.09 | 25.480 |
| 1843 | — | 30.42 | 29.935 |
| 1844 | — | 23.56 | 21.730 |
| 1845 | — | 27.91 | 27.405 |
| 1846 | — | 29.24 | 27.015 |
| 1847 | — | 28.60 | 27.985 |
| 1848 | — | 36.69 | 39.015 |
| 1849 | 23.88 | 30.79 | 26.945 |
| 1850 | 18.66 | 22.84 | 24.615 |
| 1851 | 18.93 | 21.33 | 28.276 |
* The first series of these observations at Worcester were taken by Mr. T. R. Hill, at the Literary and Scientific Institution, and those for 1849–51 by Dr. Turley, St. John’s. It would seem as though less rain fell in this neighbourhood than in other parts of the county; but the years given happen to be amongst the drier ones, and in general it will be found that more rain falls at Worcester than in most other parts of England. The mean height of the thermometer in the midland districts of England is about 50°, at Worcester the mean will be found slightly to exceed that figure.
† From observations taken by Mr. Hunter of Mawley Gardens.
‡ From observations taken by Mr. T. H. Davis of Orleton, who possesses an accurate register of the rain which has fallen in each month for the last twenty years. The result shows May to be the driest, and November the wettest, month, and gives 2.19 as the average of January; February, 2.21; March, 1.91; April, 2.05; May, 1.82; June, 2.41; July, 2.39; August, 2.70; September, 2.41; October, 2.80; November, 3.16; December, 2.17; and of the whole year, 28.276 inches.
ELECTIONS OF 1852.
Worcestershire East—J. H. H. Foley, Esq., and Captain Rushout reëlected without opposition.
Worcestershire West—Hon. General H. B. Lygon and F. W. Knight, Esq., reëlected without opposition.
Worcester—May—(Election on Mr. Rufford’s accepting the Chiltern Hundreds)—William Laslett, Esq., of Abberton Hall, had some time previously announced himself as a candidate for the representation whenever a vacancy should occur, professing Radical opinions. The Conservatives brought forward Mr. Charles M‘Garel, who declared himself a supporter of Lord Derby’s Government; but as he was not explicit on the subject of “Protection,” he found so little favour with the voters, that after four days’ canvass he left the city. Mr. Laslett was then returned unopposed. July—Mr. Ricardo and Mr. Laslett united the suffrages of the Whig and Radical parties, and the candidate supported by the Conservatives was J. W. Huddleston, Esq., the well known barrister on the Oxford Circuit. He avowed himself a Free Trader, but would support Lord Derby’s Government in other matters. The Sheriff’s return showed 1,212 votes given for Mr. Laslett, 1,164 for Mr. Ricardo, and 661 for Mr. Huddleston.
Kidderminster—Mr. John Best, the former member, was opposed by Robert Lowe, Esq., a member of the Australian Council from 1843 to 1850, and member for Sydney in 1848. He professed to be ready to support Lord Derby’s Government according to their measures, though a thorough Free Trader. He thus obtained the support of the Whig and Radical parties in the borough, and also of a section of the moderate Conservatives. He was returned on the poll by a majority of 94: the numbers being—Lowe, 246; Best, 152.
Bewdley—Sir Thomas E. Winnington, Bart., Liberal, and Joseph Sandars, Esq., Conservative, were the candidates—Viscount Mandeville having been previously elected for Huntingdonshire. The votes were—for Winnington, 169; Sandars, 151.
Evesham—Lord Marcus Hill retired from the representation, and the candidates were Charles Lennox Grenville Berkeley, Esq., formerly member for Cheltenham, Liberal; Sir Henry Willoughby, Bart., Conservative; and Sergeant Wilkins, Radical. The votes given were—for Willoughby, 189; Berkeley, 170; Wilkins, 87.
Dudley—John Benbow, Esq., the former member, Conservative, and James Baldwin, Esq., an alderman of Birmingham, Radical, were the candidates. The votes given were—for Benbow, 400; Baldwin, 231.
WORCESTER RACES.
The following are the winners of the “Gold Cup,” value 100 guineas, the surplus in specie—4 miles—which used to be the principal race at the Worcester Summer Meeting, and which was first run for in the year 1812.
1812—August 12—Mr. Shawe’s b. h. Offa’s Dyke.
1813—August 11—Mr. Munsey’s b. m. Meteorina.
1814—August 10—Sir W. Wynn’s b. c. Bravo.
1815—August 8—Hon. W. B. Lygon’s b. c. Tozer.
1816—August 14—Mr. Charlton’s b. c. Tozer.
1817—August 13—Sir W. Wynn’s b. c. Piscator.
1818—August 12—Mr. Charlton’s ch. c. Indus.
1819—August 11—Mr. West’s br. h. Fitz Orville (w. o.)
1820—August 9—Lord Stamford’s ch. c. Comet.
1821—August 15—Mr. L. Charlton’s Master Henry.
1822—August 14—Lord Stamford’s Peter Lely.
1823—August 15—Mr. Mytton’s ch. g. Euphrates. The Grand Stand was first used at these races.
1824—August 11—Mr. Mytton’s br. c. Comte d’Artois (w. o.)
1825—August 4—Mr. Mytton’s ch. g. Euphrates.
1826—August 2—Mr. Mytton’s b. h. Longwaist.
1827—August 22—Sir W. Wynn’s ch. c. May Fly.
1828—July 30—Mr. Mytton’s ch. g. Euphrates.
1829—August 19—Sir T. Stanley’s ch. g. May Fly.
1830—August 11—Mr. Davies’s ch. g. Villager.
1831—August 10—Mr. Beardsworth’s br. g. Independence.
1832—August 16—Mr. Griffith’s Thorngrove.
1833—August 7—Mr. Phillips’s b. c. Tom Brown.
1834—August 6—Mr. L. Day’s b. m. Diana.
1835—August 5—Sir T. Stanley’s b. c. Intriguer.
1836—August 3—Mr. Haywood’s br. g. Lentulus.
1837—August 2—Mr. Speed’s gr. g. Darling.
1838—August 8—Mr. Speed’s gr. g. Isaac.
1839—August 8—Mr. Tomes’s gr. g. Isaac. The “Gold Cup” was discontinued after this year.
Winners of the Worcestershire Stakes, 20 sovs. each, 2 mile heats, from 1840.
1840—August 4—Mr. Collins’s gr. g. Isaac.
1841—July 8—Mr. J. Taylor nas. Earnest.
1842—July 7—Major Hay’s ch. g. Retriever.
1843—July 6—Lord Palmerston’s b. m. Ilione.
1844—July 11—Lord Warwick’s b. c. Yardley.
At the Worcester Autumn Meeting this year was run, the celebrated match between Mr. Timms’s Cora and Mr. T. Smith’s Lady Harkaway, both ridden by the owners: Cora winning by a length only. Time, 9 minutes; 52 seconds; 4 miles; 6 flights of hurdles.
1845—July 8—Mr. Collett’s b. h. Coranna.
1846—July 7—Captain Harcourt’s br. c. The Druid.
1847—July 6—Mr. Bristow’s ch. f. Marietta.
1848—July 4—Mr. J. Day’s b. m. Milliner (w. o.)
1849—August 7—Mr. Mynors’s br. f. Miss Bunney (w. o.)
1850—August 6—Mr. Sharratt’s b. f. Egret.