1801. | 1811. | 1821. | |||
Inhabit. | Houses. | Inhabit. | Houses. | Inhabit. | Houses. |
13,479. | 2,861. | 15,542. | 3,024. | 18,242. | 3,463. |
From these statements it appears that an increase of 2063 persons took place in the first 10 years, and 2700 in the second, but it should be observed that as each parish extends more or less into the surrounding country, it is probable that the town does not contain more than 16,000 inhabitants.
Although much remains to be done in order to put Shrewsbury on an equality, with respect to elegance and convenience, with many other places not its superiors in size, wealth, or situation, numerous praise-worthy improvements have taken place during the last 60 years. Previous to that period there was but one Inn (the Raven) of any extent for the accommodation of strangers, no stage coach; neither cart nor waggon was employed for the conveyance of goods, packhorses being only in use; and such persons as had occasion to travel were obliged to perform their journies on horseback, postchaises being unknown.—At length about 1761 the first stage coach made its appearance in Shrewsbury, and since that period by the indefatigable perseverance of the late Mr. Robert Lawrence, of the Lion Inn, in completing the communications and bettering the roads: a noble and substantial Guildhall, two beautiful stone bridges over the river Severn, together with two new and elegant churches, and a great number of charitable and benevolent erections have given additional beauty to this interesting and venerable town. Its suburbs have been materially enlarged and improved, many obstructions in the principal streets removed, and the facilities for travelling have been astonishingly increased.
The government and police of Shrewsbury have the next claim on our attention. It is a corporation by prescription, and charters have been granted to it by almost every king of England since William the Norman. The first regular charter was granted by Henry I.; this was confirmed by John, who in addition empowered the burgesses to chuse two prœpositi of bailiffs removeable only on bad behaviour; but it was not until Edward III. that the bailiffs were constituted magistrates and authorised to hold a session for the trial of causes. The institution of aldermen is supposed have taken place in the 12th of Richard II. for “about the year 1390, the earl of Arundel being commissioned by the king to end certain disputes among the Burgesses, awarded that for the good government of the town for the future, the commonalty should elect out of themselves twelve of the most sufficient persons who should continue in their office for two years from the feast of St. Giles.”
By the charter of Charles I. granted in 1638, the corporation was new modelled changing the offices of bailiffs into that of a mayor, recorder, steward, town clerk, 24 aldermen, 48 assistants or common councilmen, two chamberlains, a sword bearer, serjeants at mace, &c. &c.; and that the mayor, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, recorder, steward, 3 senior aldermen, and the alderman who last served the office of mayor, should act as Justices within the town and liberties of Shrewsbury. In this form it now exists. The right of electing the corporate officers is vested in the common council by whom the mayor is chosen annually on the Friday after St. Bartholomew. The general session is held quarterly by the justices of the peace for the borough; and the mayor or some of the aldermen and justices attend the Exchequer every Tuesday to transact public business. A court of requests, for the recovery of debts under the value of forty shillings, is held in the town hall every other Wednesday. The number of its commissioners is about 30, the eligibility for election to which office consists in residence in the town and the possession of freehold property of the value of £30 per annum, or a personal estate of £600 value clear of all deductions.
Notwithstanding the corporation is empowered to enact laws for the most effectual administration of the police of the town, this branch of internal government is in a very disorganized state; yet the many useful regulations which have been established, and the strict and impartial manner in which they are enforced, reflect the greatest credit on the magistrates and conduce to the peaceable demeanour of the inhabitants and the order and respectability of the town. But the most impartial observer will see that much remains to be done for the prevention of immorality; and though it is impossible that the most enlightened, active and persevering magistracy, aided by the continued exertions of the inhabitants can prevent individual delinquency, something may yet be achieved for the preservation of public morals, some plan devised which may foster the sparks of pure and proper feeling as an antidote to that national dereliction of manners in which Shrewsbury in common with most other large towns participates too much.
In addition to the Corporation here are sixteen chartered companies, consisting of various trades, to exercise any of which, within the liberties, no person is admitted who has not either served a legal apprenticeship or paid a sum of money, entitled, “a foreigner’s fine”, which is of various amount in the several fraternities.—An ancient ceremony, called the Show, used by these, deserves to be recorded, as perhaps, (with the exception of Coventry) it is the only one of the kind now existing in the kingdom. On the second Monday after Trinity Sunday the various companies assemble in front of the castle, with their wardens, flags, devices, &c. &c., each having at their head some person gaudily dressed; some in representation perhaps of the monarchs who granted their respective charters, whilst others display devices and insignia emblematical of the trades which they practise. The procession being arranged, moves over the Welsh bridge to a piece of ground, on the west side the river, and adjoining the town, called Kingsland, where each company has its arbour, in which is a cold dinner provided for the entertainment of the mayor and corporation, who visit the various arbours with their attendants, decorated in all “the pomp and circumstance” of office. After spending the evening in festivity and mirth, the several companies retire from Kingsland, much invigorated with the essence of barley corn, and return into town over the English bridge.
This ancient pageant is now fast approaching its dissolution. During the few last years, the master tradesmen have entirely ceased to walk in procession to the ancient spot, and the ceremony is now continued only by the apprentices of the chartered companies most numerous in the town. The custom originated in the celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi, one of the most splendid feasts of the Romish Church. After the reformation, the religious part of the ceremony was discontinued, but one day was still set apart for the express purpose of idleness, jollity and merriment.
The first return of Members of Parliament to represent the town of Shrewsbury appears to have been in the 26th of Edward the first. The right of election is vested in the resident burgesses, paying scot and lot, and not receiving alms: the mayor being the returning officer. The burgesses who polled at the contested election, in 1819, were 688 in number.—The freedom of Shrewsbury (with respect to voting) is acquired by serving seven years apprenticeship to a burgess residing within the liberties, or by birth within the liberties on paying the sum of £7 4s. 0d.; every male child of a burgess, who may be born after his father has been sworn in, can claim his burgesship on the payment of £1 6s., whether born in the town or not. Honorary freedoms may be also given by the body corporate. The members who represent the town of Shrewsbury in the British Parliament, are two in number.
Considered as a place of residence, Shrewsbury has the advantage of a salubrious air and mild temperature. At a short distance from the town in a N.E. aspect, a very accurate observer found the mercury in the thermometer down at 8° in January 1814.—By observations on the variations of the thermometer for one year, the same gentleman found that the mean temperature of the same year was 46°, and that the variations, during the course of the year amounted to 77°, varying from 8° to 83°. In South Carolina, the annual variation has extended to 83°. The winter of this year, it may be recollected, was much colder and the summer hotter than is common at Shrewsbury, and yet the highest degree to which the mercury rose was 85°. In the East Indies, the mercury is frequently at 104°. From accurate observation it appeared, that the medium of the daily variations was nearly regular in its increase till June, and from the close of that month till the end of December was again almost uniformly diminishing. The medium of the daily variations was no more than 6°, whereas in some places they reach 30°. From these statements it appears that we are free from those sudden changes of the atmosphere which generally very much affect, and often prove fatal to, the human frame.