William Goodwin of Street Farm, Earl Soham.

Diaries dated from 1785-1810. Vol. 2.. HD 365/2.

Transcribed by Mrs. J. Rothery of Earl Soham, August 2001

The following Miscellany of Occurrences Persons and Curiosities was began in the Year 1785 by Wm. Goodwin of Earl Soham Surgeon and is intended as an Universal repository and Chronology.

Extract for 1795 (Jan - Jun)

Jan'y 2^nd 1795 Frosty

3^rd Freezes very hard

4^th very sharp frost. No snow frose in our cellar and by the bedside

Jan 25^th 1795 All this month has been very cold with sharp frosty winds and snow, wind chiefly NNE.

On ye 20^th Ther’m in my parlour window aspect NE stood at 9 in ye Morn at 12 deg. Below freez'g.

On ye 21^st at Do. 13 do

22^nd 14 do

23^rd 16 do

24^th 16 do

26^th or 27^th - almost all the Silver was in ye ball and this was one of the most severe nights perhaps ever known in England; by many degrees the coldest oI ever knew - A cask of Elder wine and Grape do (the latter 20 galls) froze in the Dairy as did the Beer in our warm Celler closely shut up - wind all west - Monday ye 26 wind in SE a general Thaw. - 27^th Wind SE a most rapid Thaw with some rain - Snow nearly gone - high flood 28 Wind N Snows all day and freezes 29,30,31^st. Snow Ancle deep and sharp frost.

Jan 1795 The French have now a fleet of 36 of the Line and 20 Frigates …

Our Oporto Fleet consisting of 60 ships are safe arriv’d in Ireland …

Sixty Thousand pipes of Portugal wines are annually imported into England Wh. cost the consumers about 3 millions at 50£ a pipe - Duty at 4£ pt pipe is 250-000£ Hail Luxury?

The French under Pickergren enter’d Amsterdam.on Jan’y ye 19^th 1795… (one page)

Mond’y Jan 19^th 1795 The Princess of Orange. The hereditary Princess and her Infant Son with Count Byland (?)… (one page)

222.685 Land Forces voted for 1795 - 73-000 more than last year - Their pay etc upwards of six millions - These are exclusive of the meriads of German Hirelings engag’d and to be engag’d.

Money voted for…

Jan’y 1795 150 Thousand seamen are voted for 1795 including marines

Total receipt of last year from Customs and Excise and Stamps Incidents and Duties 14 (m) 776-891£

Jan’y 1795 It appears the Allies in the Campaign of 1794 lost upwards of 350 thousand men - fifty thousand of wh. were English.. The war in less than two years has cost England more than 50 millions, by which it seems that a Thousand human beings are sacrific’d…

England employs of her own Troops by Sea abd Land this year near 400-000 besides very numerous bodies of Hanoverians - Hessiano, Prussians and Imperialists…

Jan’y 1795 Mr Foxe’s Birthday was celebrated at ye Crown and Anchor in London; when twelve Hundred Noblemen and Gentlemen met on the occasion - They went from every part of the Kingdom.

Fine Wheat is now sold at 32£ pr Comb - Firkin butter at 10d pr lb. Flet Cheese 2 ½ pr Do. Veal 6d do - Mutton 5d ½ Beef 5/3 pr stone.

Mond’y 9^th Feb A very hasty Thaw, with Rain - The waters higher than have been known for many years. The Arch at ye new Bridge was completely full - Snow all gone - The severe frost continu’d six weeks, with trifling intermission and impeded all work abroad and many Trades - Wind South and very war.

Many Bridges blowen up and immense damage down - 7 Horses drown’d in a Wag’n at Diss.

Taken by the French in the Campaign of 1794…

Expence of Different Wars…

King Williams…

Queen Ann’s…

George 1^st… etc etc

Jan 1795 Bergen Opzoome taken with its Garrison of 4000 men…

The British Army was 13-000 Strong when it left Holland for Germany…

A new Plan to man ye Navy and increase the Army.

An Embargo is laid on all ships and vessels till each send a certain nu er of men in the proportion of one Seaman or Two Landmen for every 50 Tons . Vessels under 35 tons exempted. Aldbourough to find 19 sea men - Colchester 84 - Malden 94 - Harwich 166 - Woodbridge 18 Ipswich 58. Every Parish to send a man or men in proportion to its size, or pay in lieu of each man 35£

Suffolk to find 249 for the Navy

Norfolk 264

Etc etc

The above is in proportion of one man for every 68 Houses paying to poor’s rate or Windows.

(Margin Note: 68 Houses paying window light to find one man and so in proportion - 7 or 8 small parishes were join’d to find one.

The Magistrates are to be impower’d to send the Idle and Dissolute

March 1795 Mark Lane

Beef Veal and Mutton scarce and very Dear - Riots are perpetually taking place all over the Kingdom in consequence of the above. Sometimes they are quell’d and sometimes join’d by the Soldiers.

12^th A Grand Engagement took place in the Mediterranean off Genoa…

Feb 1895 Wind NE blows hard and very cold.

The 19^th do - intensely cold - sharp frost

Ye 20^th do do snows and freezes

Ye 21^st Do not quite so cold

Ye 22^nd West and general thaw

Lord Howe is sail’d with the grand Fleet to protect 1000 Sail of Merchant-men suppos’d worth 15-000-000 Sterling and the largest fleet that ever sail’d at one time.

The French Grand Fleet are return’d to Brest after being in the Channel near six weeks…

Feb 23^rd 1795 The Budget

Mr Pitt after boasting of the great resources of this Country its trade and ability, adverted to the necessity of the times for burdening the People…

Ways and Means for 1795 - New Duties

On Port Wines at 20£ a ton or about 10£ a Pipe - £5000-000

Brandy at 10d a gal )

Rum 8d do ) 250-000

British Spirits 1d do)

On Tea (contrary to promise) 180-000

Coffee and Cocoa 40-000

Insurance for about 120 millions annually on Ships Cargoes and Lives 160-000

Limitation of Trading 40-000

Raisins, Lemons and Oranges Deals Fir Timber etc 188-000

Probates etc 68-000

Licences at one guinea each for using Hair Powder 210-000

Total Amount of new taxes 1-645-000

Revolution in Holland - Deputies from the different Towns met on the 28 Jan 1795. Pierre Paulus chosen President…

Mar 2^nd 1795 Snow Ancle deep Sharp frost. Ther. 8 Deg. Below frez.

3^rd Milder - Snow wasted

Official accounts state the British Infantry in Holland in Sept’r last at 2l-000 and now there remains only 5000…

13^th Wind NE. Ground cover’d with snow almost ancle deep. The Lands continue so very wet neither plowing or planting Beans has yet begun.

Mar 1795 Ireland is in violent fermentation, occasion’d by the hasty and abrupt recall of Ld. Fitzwilliam; who was sent over expressly to relieve the grievances of the Irist, particularly those of the Catholics….

April 3^rd 1795 The Princess Caroline of Brunswick arriv’d off Harwich - proceeded to Greenwich where she landed and arriv’d in London on Sunday ye 5^th and was married to Her Cousin the prince of Wales, in great pomp and state on Wed’y the 8^th at 9 in the evening - She is of the middle stature, pale straw Colour’d Hair very fair complection and small but pretty features - Her husband has another wife (Mrs Fitzherbert) now living and is in Debt to his Country near a million of Money which he is unable to pay -

The money funded this year by Government amounts to 76-986 £ a day 3207 an hour 53 a minute

Waste Lands…in England, Wales and Scotland (in acres)

Mar 1795 The Sporting Curiosities of Col. Thornton’s sold at Tatersal’s at most enormous prices. - His favourite fox hound Bitch Merkin(?) for 230 gns Other single hounds for 50 60 and 70 G. each.

Five Maiden Sisters now living near London make together the age of 450 years. Their virgin Serv’t is 70 Do.

Col. Doyly’s Regiment was 1500 Strong in Mar. 1794 and is now reduc’d to ll privates by fighting in France and Holland…

The Lottery for 1795 was taken at 13.11.3. a ticket. N (=note) Profit to Govt about 178-000£ and just so much loss to the people.

April 12^th 1795 We have been favour’d with a very fine Season for getting in our Beans, oats and Barly. They are chiefly got in.

28^th May Spring unfavourable for Corns and Grass having alternately great heat or severe cold winds and frosty nights and not one good shower since sowing Barly.

Mr Hastings late Governor and Salvator of India, after undergoing a Trial of 7 years…

June 10^th A charming rain fell that has enliven’d the Corns and Grass etc

Three Campaigns have cost Germany in its feeble attempts to ruin France and Her Liberties… (1 page)

The Hertfordshire Method of refining Cyder - If it ferments draw it off and to make it fine mix the following ingred’ts in a pail of Cyder and add to the Barrell - one ow of salt petre - on oz of Spirit of Vitriol two Do. Of Isinglass or the white of 12 eggs - If it ferments at any time draw it off.

June 1795 Prussia and several of the German powers have made Peace with France…

June 1795 The West India Islands are in a deplorable state, the slaves having risen and join’d the French burning and destroying Plantations , houses etc, particularly at Grenada…

Mark Lane

Complaints for Bread (now 2d ½ per lb) are universal and risings amongst the People are very general - at Bury and Ipswich they took away Butter and old ad 8d a pint and meat at 4d pr. Lb. The military were call’d in.

The National Debt is now upwards of 3 Hundr. Millions… The Ten thousand Parishes in Eng. Are saddled each with 30-000£…

George ye 3^rd (a Pious Prince) has sacrificed 500-000 of His Subjects sunk 200 millions or money and lost the American Colonies by injudicious and unnecessary wars… (Margin note: National Debt in 1745 was about 48 millions)

The Prince of Wales again a Bankrupt. His Debts in less than 7 years amount to nearly 700. Thos. Pounds were paid off by the nation…

31^st another blessed Rain, which has gone to ye roots of Grain Grass etc and makes a prospect for Turnips.

A fire in Copenhagen…

A violent Riot took place at Birmingham in consequence of the high price of provisions.

Lord Bridport commander of our grand fleet, fell in with that of the French and took three men of war (The Alexander one we lately lost).

The French have lost in this war, in ships taken, burnt or destroy’d by the English chiefly - 34 of the Line…

THE END OF DIARY VOLUME 2.