CHESHIRE-L Archives

Archiver > CHESHIRE > 2005-09 > 1127058241


From: "Elaine Hanson" <>
Subject: RE: [CHS] Burials St Paul's Church DaneBridge Leftwich.1865/6
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 16:44:01 +0100
In-Reply-To: <00c101c5bc5f$92e085b0$3d488351@your582a2b718a>


Subject: Re: [CHS] Burials St Paul's Church DaneBridge Leftwich.1865/6

I think it's safe to say that the Irish were leaving Ireland in their droves
c1840 and after, but why Northwich?

One possibility....

I haven't any Irish family ties(as yet)so haven't done any specific
research, but I wonder....In 1840 part of the Deakin family watermen of
Witton & Northwich had become prosperous enough to own their ownn flat(s)
and begin to invest in salt pans.

It may be that this was one of the boom periods of salt production (will
need to do some research on that too, but combined output of White Salt &
Rock Salt from mid-Cheshire was approx 150,000 tons in 1800, 500,000 tons in
1840 and 1,000,000 in 1870 *) as well as skilled workers(flatmen, agents
etc.) the salt trade also relied heavily on general labourer such as
wallers/boilers, firemen. Increase in output would have soon given rise to
additional labour being required and Irish immigrants landing a Liverpool
would more than likely be aware of word around the Docks that work was to be
had in Northwich.

Regards,
Elaine.

*Salt in Cheshire 1600-1870 W.H.Chaloner
By the early 1830’s every coal proprietor in and about St Helens owned
saltworks in Cheshire. The process which had started during the 17th century
had reached completion. Liverpool men had brought new life to the Cheshire
salt industry by intervening in the rock salt trade. They had stimulated
production by cutting out the land carriage between the wiches and Frodsham
Bridge and, when this was so successful that it caused an acute shortage of
coal, they had created a waterway up to the coal field to connect with the
weaver navigation. When the salt boilers of Cheshire set limits to their
production they went into the salt industry and when the coal proprietors
attempted to do the same thing they became coal proprietors as well. Thus
for over a period of a century and a half, relentless pressure from the men
of Liverpool had brought the coal and salt trade to a high degree of
economic organisation with Liverpool as its focal point. Only by such
constant agitation and by such ruthless rationlisation could the production
of rock and white salt have risen from a mere 15,000 tons in 1732 to 150,000
tons in 1800, 500,000 tons in 1840 and 1,000,000 tons in 1870.[Dr T.C.Barker
“Lancashire coal Cheshire salt and the rise of Liverpool]


The burning question is Why Northwich?
In 1840 there about 30 Catholics in Northwich - 10 years later over 1100. I
suspect the majority were Irsh so why in the 1840s could about 200 Irish
emigrants (& families )find jobs and
accommodation in Northwich?

Tony Barratt


This thread: