The Diary of Edmund Harrold, Wigmaker of Manchester 1712–15

Craig Horner, Craig Horner

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781351891585
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Histoire
• Subtopic: Histoire du monde

The survival of Edmund Harrold's diary for the years 1712-1715 is a remarkable piece of luck for historians. Not only are such diaries for the 'middling sort' rare for this period, but few provide so candid an insight into the everyday concerns and troubles of early eighteenth century life. Providing a full transcription of the diary, with a substantial introduction and scholarly references, this edition (the first since a partial transcription in the nineteenth century) offers a unique insight into both a troubled individual, and the society in which he lived and worked. Born in 1678, Edmund Harrold seems to have worked his whole life in Manchester as a barber and wigmaker, with a sideline in book dealing. The period covered by his diary, although short, is rich in its insights into his life and thoughts. It lays open his struggles with alcohol, his attitudes to (and frequency of) marital sex, his reactions to the death of his three wives and 5 children, and his religious meditations upon these and other subjects. The diary also relates the ups and downs of his business, together with the day-to-day realities of a provincial barber, from cutting hair, to wig making, to unblocking the nipples of wet nurses (the only medical service he records performing). What emerges from the these pages is a fascinating snapshot into the social, professional and private life of an impoverished inhabitant of Manchester during a period of profound social and economic change. It is impossible to read the diary without developing some sense of empathy with this troubled man, but more than this, it puts flesh onto the bones of history, reminding us that the people we read about and study were all individuals.

The Diary of Edmund Harrold, Wigmaker of Manchester 1712–15

[fol. 1r; see Fig. 2]

June ye 1^st 1712 Remarkable for being ye sacrament day,¹ and for my debates betwixt good and bad thoughts.² But God be prays’d for it, the good angel got ye better, for I went to church³ and heard Dr Harper⁴ on: As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you do shew forth ye Lords death till he come,⁵ wherein he shewed that tis every mans duty to communicate frequently, and ye more a man performs his duty,⁶ ye more he would do. And yt it is comprehended in this as often it has always been ye custom of benefactors, to leave some memoriall of their deaths to future generations in al[l] ages of ye world, as he instanced. So this sacrament is our saviours badge to al[l] his followers, for ym to remember by what he did and suffered for their salvation, and yt we shew it forth till he come again as often as we can have opportunity so to do.⁷ So my scruples being solv’d and my spirits raised to ye high[e]st pitch of love and charity, I went to comemorate this suffering of my Lord, for wch I bless God for his means of grace. Yn in afternoon¹ we had Dr Ainscough.² He preached on: Set your affections on things above, not on things on ye Earth.³ As all men desire to be happy, and as hapiness consists in ye right regulation of our affections, it behoves us to look on what sort of objects we place our affections on, whether earthly or heavenly. [fol. 1v] If earthly, we shall find no lasting objects here but what leaves a sort of reluctancy behind it. But heavenly objects never fail of satisfieing us, tho our appetites be boundless. Yet their is ye ocean of pleasures yt can never be fathomed, and there we shall meet with such objects as eye hath not seen nor ear heard here, but are at Gods right hand. Rivers of pleasures for evermore, to wch fountain of bliss God bring us all, for Jesus sake, amen. I saw al[l] ye 3 friends⁴ this night and had conference wth ym, both pub:[lic] [and] private. Tis a great blessing to have a true friend to advise with.⁵

2^d This day after duty p[er]form[e]d, I went about hair but could get none, so I set to work.

3^d I worked a[ll] day, and at 6 at night I went 1 mile to see some hair. I bid 16^s6 at 1 head [of hair] but came w^thout it. Yn I saw another, but too dark to [see] so I came home.

4 Finnished 1 of Mr [John] Chadwick’s¹ wigs and begun of another. Ive been taken up with a review of my life past since 1709, in which I find things a many to humble me as well as raise me up.² I pray God it may have this affect on me to mend what I have in my power, to mend for ye time to come, amen. This day Tim Runigar³ and Mr Jones⁴ fought.⁵ I would fain had gone to Mr Jones house but my wife⁶ would not hear on’t, so I stay’d within.

5^th About 11 a clock Thomas Abram⁷ brought word yt he [Jones] was flown is overrun ye towne.⁸ So [I] went and theirs such a hurrey of people⁹ and such confused work, yt I [k]new not what to do to do well. So I cry’d ym aim,¹⁰ and only heard how ye matter was yt ye tooles was sold for 40^s, and he gone wth ye money. Now [they] are going [fol. 2r] to law about ye tools. Such a world as this of troubles [and] sorrow, losses and crosses and disapointments, and in be doing, wch I’m sorrey. Yt I was so overseen in ye man as to hurt myself by him, but it must be so and what ye event of things will be I cant tell.

6 But in ye mean time I’m glad yt my trouble did not thro[w] me into ye sin of drunkeness as it is used to do but too often.¹¹ But I thank God for this escape and yt I sticked at my work so as to finish Mr [John] Chadwick 2 wig[s] this day, and have likewise done my duty, tho but dully. Lord [ac]cept of my performance and good will and teach me to [be] wise as a serpent as well as innocent as ye dove for I find there [is] no faith on ye Earth. Indeed it is a great peice of mortification to me that [I] am thus exercised by drink, for this loss is purely ye effects of drunkeness. For this Jones could have got 15^s per week constantly if he would, but this cursed apetite yt is insatiable adding drunkeness to thirst, hindred him for either doing himself or others any good. So Im tho[ugh]t ill on for his knavery, and am allways dashed in ye teeth.¹ Yt it lost thro me whereas wee went for advise and found ye remedy worse yn ye disease. Thus he would have put it off to a shute,² and so have run it on till he had made his, and so I should had al[l] ye charges left to pay.³ As it is, if ever I hear on him in business at a corporation, Ill certainly lay him fast etc.⁴

7 I observe one can’t have a harme, but ye must have a score.⁵ One loss never comes alone, for 12 p[ec]ks [of] flo[u]r [were] taken at [the] mill, 3 rol[l]s gone a[t the] bakehouse, but those are found again, wth one for loses, 4 come in.⁶ So I desire yt as ye first loss was with an intent to abrougt in a bad man, so it may return [with] [fol. 2v] [the] reformation of Jones, and his return to his [house?] and business again, if it be God’s blessed will, amen.

8^th This being Whit Sunday, I had tho’t to had stay’d [for the] sacrament, and had but for this reason. My wife wo’ld have said yt I was over prosumtuous, and wo’d wonder how I durst receive weekly. Indeed, I know its my duty as oft as ye church provides, to come, and it was not for any irregularity in liveing this week or disorder of mind, but to fear of giving offence to my weak wife yt I absented myself. So I sinned for peace.¹ Dr Harper and Ainscough preached this day, 1^st on: And ye where all filled with ye Holy Ghost and begane to speak with toungs, as ye spirit gave ym utterance.² 2^d: I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.³ Both sermons be putt to ye day. Grant o God, yt all these instructions for my good may by ye influences of thy holy spirit be so grafted in my heart, yt they may bring forth in me ye fruits of good living, thro Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

9 Being ye fair day,⁴ I had prety good busisness, thnk God.

10 Remarkable for Peter Nedoms being drowned,⁵ and Peter Downs⁶ being married to Grace Hulme.⁷ My wife and I was very merrey there at night. [On] ye 9th at night I did wife 2 tymes, couch and bed, in an hour and ½ time.⁸

[fol. 3r]

11 This day Im to go upon ye [in]quest for Peter N:[edoms] at 2 clock. I did so, and it was brought in [by?] chance [from] Smedley⁹ [at] about 3. Yn we went buried him at [the] chapel in Salford.¹ Yn I came home at 4. Then I sold Will[iam] Wood² his things for 7^s 6^d which Peter [Nedoms] owed me, so I [at] once come even with sharp rasours.³ I find his sister is [?].⁴ Yn I spent 2^d wth ym at Esthers chamber,⁵ and gave [to] ye man that took him up⁶ 12^d. Then [they] told how Peter was fore[warned] of his death by a fortune teller,⁷ yt he must be drowned this summer on Whitsun Tuesda...