Diary of Joseph Ballard Part II
- westmohney
- Mar 15
- 11 min read
Updated: Mar 25
Generally speaking there is not that ignorance of the American nation among the people of Liverpool that there is in other places in England. ~ Joseph Ballard
In this post we continue the story of our cousin Joseph Ballard's (4C6X) travels through England as told from his journal.
Leeds
May 16th ~ I left London for the country. . .The country was beautiful, as the trees were in bloom, and the pure air was grateful to me who had breathed nothing but coal smoke for so long a time. We passed many residences of the nobility. . .After going with almost incredible swiftness, we arrived at Leeds, at 6 o'clock in the morning, being at the rate of eight miles and one-third each hour (including stoppages for refreshments, changing horses, etc.) — a velocity with which I desire never to travel again.
At Leeds in the evening I saw the Indian Jugglers, three natives of India. Their performances were wonderful. They were so out of the common sphere of exhibitions of this kind that I was perfectly astonished. The last feat was the swallowing of a sword, the blade of it twenty inches in length. . .The amazing power of mechanism compared to manual labor is demonstrated at Leeds in a variety of ways. At a warehouse I saw a packing press having thirty-two tons power, arising from the pressure of a pail of water. . .It is so easy in its operation that a lad of eight years has sufficient strength for the purpose.
Here also were imprisoned about fifty wretched boys and girls, the eldest not over ten years of age. They were all besmeared with dirt and grease arising from the wool. The proprietor observed in reply to my asking him if they never went to play, that they were there at six in the morning and never left off work, except for dinner, until seven at night. Thus these poor little wretches are confined in these hells — for I cannot find a more appropriate name — deprived of education and buried in these dark, noisy and unwholesome dens. They either pass a quick but miserable existence or furnish turbulent, ignorant and vicious members of society.
Manchester
May 22 ~ Departed this morning in the coach for Manchester. The passengers were three agreeable ladies and a clever loquacious Scotsman. The last person was a great admirer of Doctor Franklin (Benjamin), whose works he had by heart and most liberally quoted from . . . At a small village before we entered Rochdale it was their market day. The streets were crowded with women, men and children, the ugliest, dirtiest wretches I ever beheld! The women in particular were the most shocking. Old and young had on large caps with two flaps at each side which hung down to their shoulders. On our appearance in the coach a mob of children were immediately let loose to chase after us to beg a penny.
Liverpool again
May 24 ~ Left Manchester for Liverpool. The country looked very fine. The fields of wheat in particular gave fair promise of a fine crop. When I passed through the country upon my first arrival there was written upon every fence "no corn bill" — Government having passed a bill for the encouragement of the farmers, prohibiting the introduction of flour or corn into the kingdom for sale, excepting the price was above 80 shillings per quartern. The manufacturing interest was violently opposed to the bill, upon the ground that if this restriction was off, foreign grain would be afforded much cheaper than the home-raised.
. . .Besides the fare in the coach you have to pay the coachman one shilling per stage of about thirty miles, and the same to the guard whose business it is to take care of the luggage, &c. &c. Should the passenger refuse to pay the accustomed tribute he would inevitably be insulted. You must pay also, at the inns, the chambermaid sixpence a night, the "boots" (the person who cleans them) two-pence a day, and the head waiter one shilling a day. The porter who takes your portmanteau up stairs moves his hat with "pray remember the porter, Sir." In fact, it is necessary in travelling through England to have your pocket well lined with pounds, shillings and sixpences, otherwise you never can satisfy the innumerable demands made upon a traveller by landlord, waiters, chambermaids, and coachmen, &c. &c. My bill at Manchester for one supper, a dinner, a breakfast, and two nights lodging was five dollars.
May 25th ~ Dined this day with Mr. B. . .Among them was a venerable clergyman. . .Here again I was astonished at the amazing ignorance of a gentleman respecting the United States. He possessed such a knowledge of his own country that he led me to suppose that he was joking when speaking of ours. He first remarked that we could not live as cheaply in America as in England. I pointed out the mistake to him, when he again observed " True, you may live as cheaply but you are obliged to eat salted meat in winter!" He was very much astonished when I informed him that even in that frozen and inclement season we had as good fresh provisions as were to be had in England. These errors respecting the United States have arisen from the misrepresentations of the English tourists and from its being the interest of the Government to keep up these impressions to prevent emigration. I was asked the other day in the stage-coach if the Americans all spoke English, and a genteel young lady at London was quite shocked to think I should prefer the "almost impenetrable woods of America" to England!
May 27th ~ This morning went to Heraculaneum Pottery. . .many women were also engaged in laborious work, much more suitable for men, such as beating heavy lumps of clay, &c. &c. It is however quite the custom in Great Britain to make the fair sex bear at least one-half the burden of life, but I have frequently thought, when I have seen them ploughing, digging and reaping, that they have had the greatest part.
May 28 ~ After dinner my friend and myself set out for a farm house of his in a neighboring village, but being overtaken by a shower of rain we were compelled to seek shelter in a miserable hovel, which was occupied by a man who said he had been in the service of the Duke of Bedford for fourteen years. He was mixing some oatmeal cakes for his supper, the materials for which were on his bed as he had neither stool nor table in the apartment, it being so small as to forbid the introduction of either. His fuel he kept under his bed, which of course was extremely dirty. On our jocosely asking him for his tap he told us that he had not tasted a drop of ale for six weeks. Amidst all this misery and wretchedness the poor fellow seemed to be cheerful and happy!
The rain ceasing we were enabled to reach our distination. Here was a contrast to the last scene. Each apartment of the house was in the most perfect and neat order. Attached to it was a charming garden, filled with a variety of flowers in full bloom. Some strawberry vines were planted in a different manner from any I ever before noticed. Bricks were placed in the manner of steps upon the side of a terrace, between the interstices of which the roots were placed, and the tops lay upon the bricks. The reflection of the sun upon them serves to ripen the fruit, while they serve to prevent the berries from hanging into the dirt. I question however whether this manner of planting them would answer in America, as the bricks heated by our powerful sun would burn and destroy the vines. This way of cultivating them adds very much to the beauty of a garden.
Northwick mines
May 30 ~ Being a fine day we went to Northwick to view the salt mines. . .After partaking of a glass of home-brewed ale, we proceeded to the salt pit, where four persons, including myself, were lowered in a tub down a shaft of three hundred and fifty-five feet in depth. I must confess that before I got one half of the way down I heartily repented of my journey, but upon my arrival at the bottom I was amply repaid for all my fears. The first thing that saluted my sight was a stable of five horses employed in removing the salt to the mouth of the shaft. The mine is excavated in length threequarters of a mile, and width one-half.
One of the workmen blasted the rock which is so hard as to resist everything but gunpowder. The noise of the explosion reverberating through the chasms was awfully loud and rolled along the mine like thunder. The whole place made a most brilliant appearance when illuminated by our candles! About a year since, Mr. Canning visited this mine when it was lighted up with 1600 candles. I was not less alarmed in going up than in descending. The amazing depth of the shaft rendered apparently the light at the top like to a small star, but we arrived safely in the upper world after an absence of two hours.
Excise men are always upon duty at the works to prevent any persons taking even the smallest quantity without the duty having been paid. So vigilant are they, and so heavy is the penalty for transgressing the law that should a piece of the rock be dropped by chance on the highway no one dares pick it up with an intent of using it!
Chester
I returned the same night to Warrington and the next day went to the city of Chester. At a short distance from the city we observed a gibbet whereon hung the bodies of two men who were long ago executed for the robbery and murder of the post-boy.
Chester Castle is a most noble building which stands upon an eminence and overlooks the city.. . .The principal building is appropriated as a house for the governor of the castle and as a court house and prison. The prison is conducted something similar to the State prison at Charlestown. . .In the bar is also an iron affixed for the purpose of confining the hands of those who are sentenced to be burnt in the hand, which punishment is put into execution in presence of the court. A short time ago a fellow thus sentenced bore the iron without flinching and then tore out with his teeth the disgraceful mark and spit it on the floor.
adventures in the countryside
June 2 ~ . . .in company with Mr. Bangs walked thirty two miles to view the peak of Derbyshire. . .At 5. in the evening we reached Chapel in the Forth, a tolerably neat village, and afterward ascended a very high mountain, from the top of which was a very extensive view. We took the wrong road and were progressing toward Chesterfield when we stopped at an alehouse, the master of which informed us of our mistake and directed us into a foot path whereby we might regain the right road ; but we soon again missed the path and we were induced to think, as it grew dusky that we must be upon the "barren mountain starved," as there was no probability of our meeting any person to direct us. We continued on for sometime in this uncertainty, until at last we espied at some distance a cottage, and after making up to it were directed on our way. . .
After supper we retired to bed much fatigued from our long walk, and in the morning after having engaged a guide, we visited the Cavern, or Peak's Hole. There is a small rivulet which takes its rise in or beyond the Cavern, over which we crossed by a little stone bridge to gain the entrance of the cave. . .in the mouth of the cavern are two small cottages inhabited by persons whose occupation is spinning of twine. . .At a door beyond, candles are given you to light you into the interior, into which we proceeded until the roof became so very low that it almost seemed to touch a piece of water which reached athwart the cavern. We then entered a little boat and lay upon our backs while our guide waded into the water and shoved us along until we arrived at a cavern of great dimensions. Following our conductor we soon came to another cavern called Roger Rain's house, from its continual dropping water from the roof. Here we were surprised at the beautiful appearance of candles which some boys held in a gallery at a vast height above us. They appeared at an immense distance and resembled brilliant stars. We next descended into the Devil's Cellar the walls of which are inscribed with the initials of the visitors' names. The guide invited us to follow this example, but having no disposition to be in the Devil's books we did not accept the proposition. We proceeded until we came to the extremity of this wonderful cavern, which is 2250 feet from the entrance. The guide waded through the water under a low arch twenty five feet farther than the visitors generally go. We were here saluted with a blast of gunpowder, the noise of which was tremendously loud and gave us a shock which electrified us. The water flows through a part of these caves in a beautiful streamlet, the bottom of it composed of white pebbles. It loses itself under ground, in one of them, and makes its appearance again at the mouth of the cavern. When we returned the daylight at the entrance of the cave was indescribably beautiful.
. . .Castleton is romantically situated in a fertile valley, well watered by the stream proceeding out of the cavern. The inhabitants are remarkably healthy. Their occupation consists of mining and husbandry. ..We were not a little surprised at our landlord's informing us that the way we came into Castleton was extremely dangerous, abounding in pits and precipices, where one false footstep would have hurled us to destruction!
Having seen all the curiosities at Castleton, at five in the evening we took a post chaise for Buxton. Buxton is very charmingly situated, entirely surrounded with hills. The Crescent is a fine row of buildings built by the Duke of Devonshire for the accommodation of those persons who resort hither for the benefit of the waters. ,. .I think Buxton superior in beauty to any place I have seen in England, yet Bath is said to be much superior.
In the afternoon of the next day, left in the coach for Manchester, where I arrived the same evening and found it the same dull, smoky, rainy hole as ever!
back to Liverpool
I left Manchester without any regret at the possibility of my never seeing it again, and arrived at Liverpool. In the coffee-room of the Inn a traveller was giving a lively description of a pugilist's battle between two scientific fighters. The bare recital of it I should suppose would make a person of humanity shudder. One of the combatants was carried off the field with his jaws broken, vomiting blood. This is called amusement for a refined people! An Englishman will say it serves to stimulate the courage of the common people! I am sure it brutalizes them and augments their ferocity, for no sooner does a little dispute chance to arise than an appeal to blows is resorted to, to settle it. So much are they in love with boxing that if two boys get to quarrelling, men, women and children will endeavour to add fuel to their resentment, just for the pleasure of seeing a little fun!
June 11 ~ Generally speaking there is not that ignorance of the American nation among the people of Liverpool that there is in other places in England. It obviousjy arises from the great intercourse that is carried on between this port and the United States. I have scarcely passed a day without meeting some one whom I have seen in America. There is a degree of liberality shown here to our countrymen which is not shown in other places. This evening " God save the King " was called for at the theatre, when an American sailor loudly exclaimed from the gallery " God d — n the king and all the rest of 'em ! " Yet the only notice taken of this was by a general laugh at Jack's republicanism. Had he been in London the mob would have torn him to atoms.
Joseph's travels will continue in our next post.
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