Diary of Joseph Ballard Part IV
- westmohney
- Apr 2
- 10 min read
leaving London
August 6 ~ Parted with Mr. M.'s family at Camberwell Grove. During my stay in England they had paid every attention to me, endeavoring to make my absence from home as pleasant as possible. It was with real regret that I took a last farewell of this family. . .We continued on through the neat village of Hammersley, and Slough. A little before we came to the latter place we had a charming view of Windsor Castle which lay at about a mile distant on our left. It is situated upon an eminence from which is an extensive view. Its exterior appearance is much more elegant than any other palace I have seen. It is at present the residence of King George. . .
August 7 ~ We changed horses at Stratford-upon-Avon, immortalized as the birthplace of Shakespere. While this was doing, curiosity impelled me to visit the house, which is one of the most wretched hovels I ever beheld, and is now used as a butcher's shop. An old woman (who, as she informed me, was a descendant of the poet) was my conductor. Many things which belonged to the bard were shewn me, such as his chair, which is cut almost up for relics, a bench, sword, iron box, picture, linstock, table, candlesticks, some coins, &c. &c.
Note: Shakespeare's "wretched hovel" no long exists. Below is a painting of Stratford-upon-Avon, artist unknown.
final stay in Liverpool
The next morning set out for Liverpool upon the outside of the coach. The early part of the day was remarkably fine, but at noon it began to rain, and I arrived early in the evening at Liverpool completely drenched by the torrents which poured down, the latter part of my journey. Finding that the ship in which I have taken my passage did not sail for a fortnight, I took lodgings instead of being at an inn. . .Wishing to bathe I went as directed a small distance from town where a number of bathing machines is kept. These are drawn into the sea by a horse. These machines are quite comfortable and the charge for using them moderate, being only sixpence. At a short distance from where I was there were some women bathing. They seemed not at all disturbed at a number of us being so near them. Although this is quite customary here, I think the indelicacy of it is not commendable.
One mile from here is the village of Runcorn. This place is much resorted to by the people of Manchester and Liverpool as a place of amusement. Here I saw for the first time an English steamboat. Compared with our boats of the same description they are as far behind in point of improvement as our stagecoaches are to those of this country; nor are those boats which are upon the River Clyde in Scotland and which are much praised here to be (as I am informed) compared to those in America. The deficiency of improvement in both cases may be accounted for in their superiority of roads and number of population and the natural advantages of our rivers over theirs.
Monday, went to a fair or wake in the village of Winwick; among the sports of this place was a bear bait. Bruin after being muzzled was tied to a stake and the dogs were set upon him. I was at first shocked at the inhumanity of depriving the poor animal of resistance and then thus tormenting him, but I soon discovered that the bear was fully equal to his adversaries. The first dog set upon him was a large bull-dog, to whom he gave the " hug a la franQois " and sent him off howling. So well was he satisfied of his reception that all the coaxings and threatenings of his master could not induce him to repeat it. Many others were served in a similar manner without the bear's being in the least injured, as his hair was grown to such an immoderate length as to entirely prevent the least laceration of the flesh from the dogs' teeth. The baiting had continued for some time until the bear grew angry, when he broke his rope and after laying his keeper sprawling set off in full chase after the mob of men, women and children who fled over hedges and ditches in all directions. The ludicrous scene that then was presented would require (to give an adequate idea of it) the pencil of Morland.
At Warrington is a manufactory of files. . .The proprietor complained sadly of the drunkenness of his workmen. It was now Tuesday, and many of them had not yet made their appearance. He presumed they had not spent all their last week's wages, as they seldom came from the alehouse until it was entirely expended. Being some time with the proprietor and conductor of an extensive manufactory, I had a fair opportunity of observing the habits of the workmen, and can without any hesitation declare that with very few exceptions they are of the worst kind ; their only care and ambition seems to be to earn a daily pittance which they invariably spend the most part of at the alehouse. This arises from their ignorance; not knowing the common rudiments of learning, their only enjoyment is beastly indulgence and insensibility.
Wales
On Wednesday, with Mr. A. took a short tour into Wales. We stopped with our gig at Chester and proceeded on foot along the banks of the River Dee to Eaton House, the seat of Earl Grosvenor. I cannot do justice to the description of this fairy structure.
Shortly after leaving that place we came into Wales. . . As we continued our way the road became more mountainous, and afforded many fine views of the sea-coast. At the foot of the hills we overtook an interesting little Welsh girl who with her brother had been upon an errand to a neighboring village. We asked some information respecting the road. This she gave us and in return requested permission to run behind the gig. During the run, which lasted a mile or more, we had much conversation with her, highly amused at the quickness and propriety of her replies to our numerous inquiries. She as well as her brother spoke Welsh as well as English. I asked her if she would go home with me. She said she would if I would stop and "let her see her father and mother a bit first." Her name was Martha Owings. She was quite handsome and had a peculiar sharp, although innocent and artless manner which interested us very much. A short distance from the road side was a cluster of cottages, into one of which she entered after dropping us a curtsey and bidding us goodbye!
We soon arrived at Holywell, and as soon as we alighted, as our time was limited, found our way to St. Winifred's Well. This is called one of the wonders of the world. It throws out one hundred tons of water every minute. The stream proceeding from it is sufficient to supply a number of mills and manufactories erected close by. The water is used for bathing in rheumatic complaints. It is so remarkably clear that the minutest object is distinctly seen at the bottom of a very deep basin. There is a gothic building over the well upon the roof of which are hung the crutches of those who have been so relieved of their complaint by the application of the water as to enable them to offer them as a testimony of its virtues. We descended into the body of the bath by a flight of stone steps and found one of the baths occupied by a young lady who was not in the least disturbed at our entrance, but continued her employment. One of the nymphs of the fountain who was as ugly as sin and almost as old, presented us with a glass of water direct from the spring. I could observe nothing extraordinary in the taste of it. There is a legendary tale respecting this well which requires no small share of faith to believe. It is said that St. Winifred, having made a vow of chastity, was afterwards addressed by a heathen prince who, finding his passion unrewarded, in a rage cut off her head which rolled down the hill and stopped at the very place where the spring now is and which then sprang up! One of the saints of the church took the head up and placed it on her body. It immediately re-united and she lived many years afterwards.
. . .If I were to form an opinion from the small specimen this jaunt afforded me of the Welsh inns, I should without the slightest hesitation say they were quite inferior to the inns of England. The waiter at the best inn in Holywell was one of the most polite, palavering dogs I ever saw. Upon our requesting to be called in the morning he assured us (to use his own expressions) "that we might rely upon it that everything should be done according to our wishes," at the same time bountifully pledging his honor that the hostler should have our horse in readiness at 4 o'clock, the hour appointed. When I awoke in the morning it was past 4, and no waiter had made his appearance. I descended into the stable yard and could not find the hostler, but the noise I made disturbed his understrapper who slept in the hayloft. Feeling a little angry at thus being neglected I addressed myself to him as being the cause of it, and after scolding away for some time discovered from the vacancy of the fellow's countenance that he did not understand a word of English. Finding we could do no better we tackled the horse in ourselves and proceeded back by the same road we came, to Warrington. The next day, left that place and arrived at my quarters at Liverpool.
journey home
At the close of my journal it may not be improper to make a few remarks respecting the people of Great Britain. I found them hospitable in the extreme, zealous in paying every attention to a stranger, and this so delicately expressed as not to leave an impression that they had conferred an obligation. . .Respecting England there is much to admire and much to dislike, yet the former predominates so far that I have no hesitancy in saying that if I were not an American I should wish to be an Englishman.
I am satisfied by my intercourse with Englishmen and from many conversations I have had with them respecting the late unhappy contest, that they were opposed to it, and that had their government been purely elective like ours they would have thrown the same obstacles in the way of their ministry in prosecuting it as the opposition of the United States did towards Mr. Madison and his party. I have never seen one who did not deprecate a quarrel with us. I wish that the same sentiments respecting England more generally prevailed in the United States than they do, and that we were not so accustomed to hear such intemperate language towards the people of England.
. . .on the 8th of September went on board the Liverpool Packet, which dropped down the river, but owing to the lightness of the wind was obliged to anchor opposite the rock.
September 9 ~ Continued at anchor.
September 10 ~ In the same situation. In the afternoon a party of us went on shore and bathed.
September 11 ~ No prospect of a fair wind, nor any encouragement from the pilot that we shall have one very soon. I cannot conceive a more irksome situation than to be thus detained.
September 12 ~ Tried this morning to pass the rock, but were unsuccessful. I was awakened by the pilot's exclaiming "Let go the anchor!" It sounded harsher in my ears than thunder. After breakfast we all went on shore and amused ourselves with rambling about until dinner time, soon after which we weighed anchor and bade farewell to the little Island. At 6 o'clock Mr. Ford, the custom house officer, with two or three gallows-looking fellows having lanterns with them came on board to search our baggage and examine our crew. One of them came into my stateroom and told me it was a pity that I should trouble myself to open my trunk and hoped that I would give him a shilling to enable him to drink my health and a pleasant passage. This I did, when he at once told Ford that all was correct in my baggage. After getting their fees they all departed in good humour, having, as they expressed it "done their duty."
September 27 ~ The wind tolerably fair, but the small progress we have made in our voyage is truly discouraging. Were it not for the pleasant society aboard the time would indeed hang heavy on my hands. It is singular that all of us passengers, eight in number, are Bostonians.
From this time until the 18th of October the wind continued dead ahead. On that day it came partly fair and enabled us to lay almost on our course.
October 21~ At 12. o'clock we were all electrified by the man at the masthead crying out "a boat ahead!" Sail was instantly taken in and preparations to lower the boat made when we discovered it to be the wreck of a vessel of about 80 or 90 tons burden, which had apparently been stripped of everything that was valuable. The hatch was off and the only article upon deck was an old water cask. Her cabin windows were washed out and an old sail hung over them, apparently for the purpose of keeping the water out. She appeared to be quite light, and her bottom was much covered with barnacles.
October 22 ~ Wind still fair. About twelve discovered a sail under our lee bow. She fired a gun and made us bear down upon them. She proved to be the English Gun Brig " Cora," five weeks out from New Providence. Supplied them with Steel's Army & Navy list and some newspapers, also some vegetables for their sick. They sent us in return a fine green turtle and six bottles of spirit.
October 23 ~ Calm in the morning, but at ten o'clock a fine breeze sprang up which wafted us along at 8 knots. We observed several flocks of birds and some shoals of fish, which gave us notice of the approach to land. Among the fish were some of the flying species, which resembled a swallow in skimming the surface of the water. Toward night the wind increased into a violent gale, and blew tremendously. At the same time it was so dark that it was impossible to see from one side the ship to the other. The appearance of the sea was truly beautiful. Our vessel seemed to be making her way through a mass of liquid fire.
25th. This day it blew a violent gale of wind, at times increased by heavy squalls. One took the foreyard short off, another took the staysail overboard. It abated at twelve o'clock, when all hands were employed in repairing damages. By night a new yard was got up and everything looked a little more ship-shape. The captain had suffered exceedingly with his fatigue and our ill luck.
From this time until our arrival at Cape Ann on the 9th November, nothing remarkable happened. I got into Boston at 8 at night, and found all friends in good health, although almost despairing of ever seeing me again.
Below is the drawing of Boston that ended Joseph's diary.
Joseph's diary, entitled England in 1815 as seen by a young Boston merchant; being the reflections and comments of Joseph Ballard on a trip through Great Britain in the year of Waterloo, was published in 1913.
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