Banbury was a center for textiles and by the 17th century there were clothiers, dyers, fullers and weavers in and around the town. These were made into broadcloth, worsted and linen.
In 1701 Messrs Cobb set up a webbing and horse cloth factory in Banbury, employing mostly yeomen who owned their own land, fuelling mills, looms and dye-vats. Cobbs products were sent to Birmingham, Walsall and Bristol.
Around 1750 by far the most important manufacture was Banbury shag, or plush, a fabric similar to velvet. Production was complicated requiring over 30 processes for certain types. Plush was usually dyed after weaving and was washed in ponds and hung on racks to dry.
Plush wad made in livery, silk and worsted. Livery plush was hand woven and expensive.
Queen Victoria's servants wore royal blue livery plush. Her forresters in Windsor frest and Richmond park wore Widnsor green waistcoats, and royal footmen had scarlet knee breeches. Russia ordered blue, black and white. Italy ordered madonna blue. Spain yellow and blue.
Silk plush was produced in over 300 colours, mostly for export. The Persian court wore petunia and green and the Japanese ordered silk plush for winter kimonas.
1n 1831 around 550 were employed. The main employers were Gillett, Lees with 150 looms and T & T Baughan 120 looms, Harris 160 looms.
The weaving of plush was a good trade and exclusive with strict laws. Only the oldest son was allowed to work at the trade and serve seven year apprenticeship. The premium to put a boy apprentice would amount to a hundred pounds
Founded in 1886 as cycle manufacturers, built motorcycles from 1904 but abandoned them in favour of cars when they were seen to be a better proposition.
Starting with a light car known as the Ten and moving on to a two-litre Twelve and a six-cylinder 2.5-litre Sixteen. The Sixteen was capable of 60mph.
Around 2500 cars were made, mainly the Ten, by the time Singer acquired the company in 1926.
crime at its peak due to poverty, death penaly for crimes such as a seamstress stealing a bobbin of thread.
1694:
British Army is 90,000 strong & navy has 207 man-o-war.
1698:
Steam engine first developed.
1700:
Turnip starts to be grown instead of leaving ground fallow, therefore cattle have feed for winter, so not slaughtered, so more milk, more butter.
1701:
Tull invents seed drill, increases productivity.
1702:
Queen Anne accedes.
1704:
Duke of Marlborough winns Battle of Blenheim. Rewarded with land & built Blenheim Palace.
1707:
formation of the United Kingdom.
Scotland joins union.
1711:
South Seas Co formed with monopoly to supply Spanish colonies with goods. See 1720
1712:
steam engines used to pump water from coal mines
1713:
Spain cedes Gibralter to Britain.
England gets licence to sell slaves to Spanish colonies.
1714:
Landholders compelled to take an oat of allegiance to The Protestant Church and renounce Catholism.
Queen Anne dies, she had 17 pregnancies, none survived.
George I crowned.. lived in Hanover & could not speak English.
1715:
Jacobite rebellion.
Riot Act, if 12 or more people assemble & fail to disperse it is a felony. felons are either hung or branded on thumb.
1719:
Transportation Act, felons sent to the colonies for 7 or 14 years.
1720:
South Sea Co shares go ballistic, then collapse.. The South Seas bubble.
1727:
George II came to throne.
At war with austria and spain.
1732:
Downing Street becomes official residence of Prime Minister
1739:
John Wesley preaches the principles of Methodism at Avon St Bristol.
1743:
Britain has 40,000 troops in Europe.
1745:
Bonnie Prince Charlie lands in Britain.
1746:
Battle of Culloden.
1749:
Charles Wesley of Bristol wrote: "Love devine all loves excelling" & "Hark the herald angels sing"
1750:
Sir Henry Fielding, author, started the Bow Street Runners, the first police force, but only in London.
1751:
George III crowned Prince of Wales.
Last year of the old calender, New Years day was modern March 25.
tax on gin, the drink of the masses.
farm labourer earns 5 pounds + board & lodging.
1752:
Ben Franklin proves lightning is electricity by flying a kite.
Gregorian calender accepted. date jumped from Sept 2nd to Sept 14th.
1753:
First time that New Years Day fell on January 1st
Jews to be allowed be British citizens
decision to establish a British Museum.
1754:
Marriage Act: marriage must take place in parish of residence.
George II founded Columbia University in Manhatten.
1755:
7 year war starts in Europe.
Earthquake in Lisbon causes Tsunami 90,000 dead.
Eddystone lighthouse destroyed by fire.
A mayor earns 15 pounds yr
baker earns 5 pounds year.
1756:
First St Patricks Day parade in New York.
Seven year war with France begins.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born.
1757:
Black hole of Calcutta. Calcutta captured.
Admiral John Byng executed by firing squad aboard HMS Monarch for breach of articles of war.
Battle of Plessey when 3,000 British troops under Robert Clive defeated 50,000 Indians.
1758:
Batlles this year include: Bay of Bengal (twice) , Nova Scotia, New York, Indian coast.
Halley Comet returns.
1759:
British victories at Fort Triconderosa New York and Niagara Quebec & Battle of Quiberon Bay.
1760:
first commercial canal opens in britain.
Death of George II.
George III to throne.
1761:
British capture Pondicherry.
2 earthquaqes in London.
riots are commonplace as workers do not have the right to vote or form a union.
1762:
France surrenders Canada to britain.
Britain declares war on Spain.
Britain takes Havana Cuba.
British East India Co take Manila.
1763:
War with France and American Indians ends.
Treaty of Paris ends 7 year war.
Indian chief Pontiac challenges the British at Mackinaw City to a game of lacrosse, during game the Indians hit the ball into the fort, chased after it and locked the British out of their fort. Recaptured two months later at Battle of Bushy Run.
1764:
considered start of The Industrial Revolution.
John Wilkes expelled from House of Commons for sedicious libel.
1765:
Stamp Act intorduced, direct tax on American colonies to be paid to Britain to cover the cost of war in America.
Isle of Man incorporated into United Kingdom.
curate earns 40 pounds per year.
head gardener 38 pounds + Lodging.
1766:
1767:
Daniel Boone explores the Cumberland Gap & reaches Kentucky.
First whalers reach Antartic.
1768:
First purchase tax introduced on common products.
John Wilkes imprisoned for critism of king.
1769:
famine in Bengal kills 10 million people. British East India Co insist their production levels must not fall.
Captain Cook on HMS Endeavour arrives Tahiti.
lightning hits church in Italy causing fire which reaches 200,000 lb gunpowder store and blew up 1/6 city of Brescia, as a result the Roman Catholic Church reversed its objection to lightning rods.
1770:
Boston Massacre-5 Americans killed by British Troops, event hastened War of Independance.
14yr old Marie Antoinette married 15 yr old Louis, later Louis XIV, fireworks at wedding caused fire killing 800.
Captain Cook claims East coast of New Holland (Australia).
1771:
Spain cedes Falkland Islands to Britain.
first water-wheel powered textile mill.
labourer earns 3.5 pounds year
apprentice baker 5 new pence\week.
1772:
servant earns 6.3 pounds\year
1773:
Captain Cook first to cross the Antartic circle.
British East India Co given monopoly of tea trade with American colonies.
experiments using chlorine as a disinfectant.
1774:
The Quartering Act states that American colonists must open their homes to British soldiers.
The first year that "Liberty" appers on american flag.
1775:
Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in rebellion, govenor ordered to quell with an iron hand.
Revolutionary war starts, "the shots heard around the World", george Washington appointed commander in chief of Continental Army.
Execution in Germany for witchcraft.
1776:
American declaration of Independance on July 4th.
British troops lave Boston
1777:
44% of children in Britain died before their 5th birthday.
Washington defeats Cornwallis at Battle of Princeton.
Stars & Stripes adopted.
1778:
Captain Cook reaches Hawaii names them Sandwich Islands.
France recognises American independance and declares war on Britain.
France opens first state controlled brothel.
three day riot in London
1779:
First all Iron Bridge built over River Severn in Shropshire.
1780:
First Sunday newspaper: British Gazette & Sunday Monitor
First Epsom Derby.
1781:
Pitt the younger enters Parliament
planet Uranus discovered by Herschel.
Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown ending the armed struggle of American Rev War.
1782:
Spain takes Minorca from Britain.
preliminary peace accord reached in Paris for American Independance.
British loyalists forced to leave America, some go to Bahamas.
Treaty of Versaille ends war with France.
1784:
John Wesley charters The Methodist Church.
Ben Franklin invents bifocals
1785:
First edition of Daily Universal Register later changed to The
Times.
steam engine powered looms caused boom in textile industry.
1786:
first convict ship leaves for Botany Bay with 820 convicts
1787:
11 convict ships leave for Australia.
1788:
Colonisation of New South Wales and Australia.
1789:
Start of the French Revolution
1790:
First purpose built lifeboat launched River Tyne.
First Methodist chapel opened in Bristol.
1791:
THe "Observer" first published
1792: start of French Revolution. Louis XIV in custody.
1793:
Louis XIV executed by guillotine, followed by Marie Antoinette
War with France. 10,000 british soldiers in Flanders.
1794:
cotton gin patented.
Nelson loses an eye at Calvi Corsica.
Britain declares war on France.
1796:
carpenter/bricklayer earns 7 new pence per day.
farm labourer earns 5 new pence per day + drink
mower @ harvest-time 7.5 pence per day + drink.
women @ harvest-time 2 pence per day+ drink
1798:
hoeing earns 30 new pence per acre.
head farm hand 10 pounds\ year.second farmhand 7 pounds \yr
1800:
dairymaid earns 3-5 pounds\yr
1801:
20% popultaion live in town (see 1851)
1802:
factory act: apprentices max 12 hrs \day 6 days\week
1803:
Napolean planning to invade England.
1804:
Sargeant in volunteers 7.5 pence\day
1805:
Battle of Trafalgar won by British but Lord Nelson killed.
1806:
1807:
1808:
British troops attack French in Portugal
1809:
British troops attack french in antwerp
1810:
coachman earns 15 pounds \yr + lodgings
1811:
Riots. workers smash machines which they believe cause unemployment.
1812:
French driven out of Spain, Portugal & Germany.
War of 1812, america at war with England & Canada.
In cotton mills 8% of workforce were UNDER 11 yrs old. 30% were aged 11 to 16.
Prime Minister assassinated.
1814:
British burn Washington DC.
depression due to cost of wars in Europe and America
1815:
Napolean defeated at Waterloo and sent to St Helena.
Corn Laws introduced with very severe effect on the poor.
1817:
labourer earns 8 pounds\yr + Board & lodging
1820:
GeorgeIV crowned.
53% of children died before their 5th birthday.
Cato St Conspiracy plan to kill parliamentary cabinet. All conspirators hanged.
1822:
Over 200 offences carry death penalty.
1825:
9000 a year emigrating to America.
400 a year emigrating to Australia.
1826:
school master earns 100 pounds\yr
1828:
Catholics allowed to hold office incl MP
Stockton to Darlington railway opens.
1829:
Robert Peel starts police force. "peelers" & "bobbies"
1830:
William IV crowned
factory wages:
under 11 yrs ......2s 3p per week
11-16.................4s 1p per week
17-21.................10s 2p per week
32-36 (max)......22s 8p per week
32-36 (women)....9s 8p per week
Reform Act, until now towns like Birmingham & Manchester dont have any MPs.
cholera outbreaks due to streets not paved, overcrowding, overflowing cess pits draing into water wells.
1833:
Factory Act: defined the working day as 5.30am to 8.30pm with 9-13 yr olds max 9 hrs\day and no nights. 13-18 max 12 hrs\day less 1.5 hrs breaks. Same for females
1834:
Six Dorset farm labourers sentanced to be transported to a penal colony for trying to form a trade union.. The Tolpuddle Martyers.
Slavery abolished.
Poor Law Amendment Act passed: No able bodied British man can receive assistance unless he enters a workhouse.
British east India Company loses its monopoly to trade with China.
patent for Handsome Cab.
patent for sandpaper.
Gottlieb Daimler born.
1835:
Charles Darwin arrive in Galapogas Islands on HMS Beagle
First commercial railway in Europe opens in Belgium.
Municipal Corporation Act introduced the idea of a national police force.
1836:
Charles Darwin arrives Falmouth.
Bristol Riots, large crowds protest the defeat of the reform act, over 100 houses burnt, including the Bishops Castle, Customs House,, Mansion House and release prisoners. Dragoons quell riots and 100s die.
A bristol Police force started.
1837:
Rowland Hill heads a commission investigating the idea of puuting a bit of paper on letters to indicate postage has been paid.
death of King William IV.
Queen Victoria crowned.
1838:
Samuel Morse demonstrates electric telegraph.
Start of British- Afghan war
Start of steamship atlantic service.
1839:
First commercial electric telegraph system between West Drayton & Paddington.
British East India Company capture Aden.
mason earns 75-80 new pence\week
blacksmith/carpenter/plasterer earns 75 pence per week
1840:
Penny post introduced , teh penny black.
Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert.
RMS "Brittania" a Cunard paddlesteamer starts service from Liverpool to Nova Scocia.
Britain invades Beirut.
Third of Irish population depend on the potato for their survival.
1841:
British troops invade & annexe Hong Kong.
first British census on 7th June
1842:
patent for sewing machine.
First serious train crash in Paris, 59 dead.
min age in a mine now 10
1843:
SS Great Britain launched in Bristol.
First tunnel under The Thames.
Charles Dickens publishes Christmas Carol.
1844:
YMCA formed in London.
Fleet prison for debtors abolished.
safety match invented.
Factory Act: age 8-13 max 6.5 hrs/day. 13+ max 12hrs\day for 5 days + 9 hrs saturday.
1845:
Third of Irish potato crop destroyed by blight.
1846:
Potato blight in Ireland ruins 2/3 of crop causing famine
1847:
Factory Act. max 63 hrs\week
1848:
Factory Act.. max 58 hrs\week
5,000 miles of railway track.
Public Health Act. towns able to demand all new houses have drains & lavatories & provide refuse collection.
1849:
250,000 a year emigrating to America. 19000 a year emigrating to Australia.
cost of passage to America from 3 pounds 10 shillings to 5 pounds.
MY name is Ray Calcott and I was an Able Seaman on HMS Amethyst.On April 20, 1949, at around 8am, we weighed anchor and started to move up the Yangtze River, in China, to relieve HMS Consort on guard in Nanking.We had been under way for about 20 minutes when we came under fire from the north bank of the river by communist forces. Forewarned, and knowing what might happen, the skipper had ordered the quarterdeck to have a Union Jack painted on it so that aircraft could see our nationality. Canvas was stitched together and a very large Union Jack was painted on them, one for the port side and one for the starboard side. These were rolled up on an oar from the whaler and secured with sailmakers twine, and were then secured to the bottom of the guard rails.Immediately that we came under fire, the skipper ordered the lashings to be cut and the massive Union Jacks were unfurled so that no one could mistake what country we were from.At this time I was on the quarterdeck and dashed to my Action Station, which was ‘A’ Gun. At this point the shore battery kept on firing, hitting us at will. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Guns could not bear, and only ‘X’ Gun was able to fire, but was soon put out of action.When the wheelhouse took a direct hit, the wheel went over to port, the telegraphs were struck, and so we went aground on Rose Island.Movement was restricted on the upper deck, as snipers on the shore and their main armament continued to fire on us.As the wounded were being taken below, the First Lieutenant (who had assumed command) ordered the crew ashore, asking for about 24 able-bodied men to remain to take care of the wounded.Some men swam ashore, and some were ferried in the port whaler.A short time later the telegraphist Jack French came back on board to do the necessary signals.It was then discovered that there were many more men who had stayed on the ship than originally believed, as we were uncertain of the numbers who had swum ashore.We heard that HMS Consort was coming towards us at full speed and we prepared to be towed off the river bank.The speed at which she was travelling rocked the ship, but we were still unable to get off the mud.Consort turned, and continued to fire broadsides, but she sustained a lot of damage and casualties, and so had to continue her journey to Shanghai.That night, we jettisoned as much heavy gear as possible from the fo’c’s’le and, after several tries, we eventually managed to release the ship from the river bank.It was decided to continue towards Nanking and we found what was considered a safe anchorage.The following day we received a signal to say that the HMS London and the HMS Black Swan were coming to escort us down the river, but they suffered the same fate as Consort and had to withdraw.At around 4pm on April 21 a Sunderland Flying Boat arrived with a doctor and medical supplies, as our own doctor had been killed.The guns from the shore opened up and the aircraft was forced to take off.A Chinese doctor came aboard to help the RAF doctor and they decided that the wounded had to be taken ashore as soon as possible.The Chinese doctor said that he would arrange things.So at midnight it was decided that five wounded and one able bodied person to assist the wounded would be ferried ashore in the sampan (a small boat).I was in the first sampan ashore, the wounded were off loaded and put onto the river bank and the sampan went back to the ship for more wounded.When it returned with the wounded there was no able-bodied person aboard, and so it continued until all the wounded, with the exception of No. 1 Lt Weston, were ashore.There I was, all alone, with 19 seriously wounded and no sign of anyone else.I had noted during the daylight hours that there was a small army camp about a couple of miles from where we landed and I told the wounded that I was going to check out this camp to see if I could find some help.After a while I came back with about 40 men and 20 stretchers. We started to walk to Chinkiang and after approximately three to four miles, I spotted some white hats in the distance.We came to a halt and I went over to them and asked if there was a British naval officer there and a voice asked if I was from the Amethyst and I replied “Yes sir”. He said: “Thank god, we have been looking for you.”It was Lt Commander Kerans, and with him was Brigadier Dewar-Durie, a Canadian who was fluent in Chinese, Commander Packard, an American doctor and his assistant, and a senior Chinese naval officer with medical supplies. At this point I handed over my wounded to them.Lt Commander Kerans and I tried to signal the ship, as it was under way, but no one saw us.We rejoined the wounded and walked a further four miles over a mountain and met some lorries which had been placed at our disposal. We arrived in Chingkiang railway station to board the last train to Shanghai.I was informed that the Captain and A B Winters had not survived the journey.We arrived in Shanghai and were met by American naval staff and ambulances and taken to their hospital. The next day the wounded were taken on board the hospital ship Repose.I joined HMS London and then HMS Belfast and after a short while we set sail for Hong Kong. I rejoined HMS Amethyst when she escaped down river.
The Scruby and Coy families are being researched by Chuck White
John O'Coy
Eliza O'Coy
George O'Coy
william O'Coy
Jemima O'Coy
Isaac O'Coy
William Hutt
married
Herbert H Hutt
Jessie B Hutt
William Tom Hutt
..Will of James Calcott of Sibford Ferris ... Swalcliffe ... weaver ...
•I give my son William one Linen Loom
•I give my son James one Shag Loom
•I give my granddaughter Sarah Hutchings £5
•I give my four children William, James, Mary and Betty £20 apiece to be paid out of my stock in trade and my dwelling house
•I give my son-in-law John Scruby and Sarah his wife and the survivor of them my cottage in Sibford Ferris which I bought of William Tredwell of Banbury, and after the decease of the survivor I give it to their eldest surviving son and his heirs etc forever, he paying £10 divided equally between his brothers and sisters
•I give my son Richard Calcott my dwelling house and close, barn, stable, garden etc in Sibford Ferris, to him and his heirs forever.
•I give my daughter Betty Giles my bed, bedstead, bedding and furniture whereon I usually lie <
•I give my son Richard one loom and all my implements and working tools of my trade, also my furnace, clock, great table, wheel-barrow, hanging press, chest of drawers, four tubs, a little bed and bedding thereto, salting trough, dough kiver, still, corner cupboard, bacon rack, dresser and shelves, and I direct that he shall pay thereout £11 11s to my five other children William, James, Mary, Betty and Sarah.
•All the remainder of my household goods I give to all my children equally among them
•All my stock in trade, money in hand, monies at interest or due to me, I give to my son Richard
•All the residue of my Estate and effects I give to Richard, and I charge my stock in trade and my dwelling-house with the payment of my debts and the above money legacies
•I appoint my sons Richard and James Calcott and son-in-law George Giles Executors ... revoking all other wills
•Witnesses Jno Strong Butler John Chestin George Walford
