William Goodwin of Street Farm, Earl Soham.
Diaries dated from 1785-1810. Vol. 3.. HD 365/3.
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 1801
The Imperial Parliament met for ye lst time (since the Union with Ireland) the 24th of January. -
1801 Feb’y 1st Mr Pitt. After being Prime Minister 17 years and Messrs. Dundas and L’d Grenville secretaries of State, L’d Spencer 1st L’d of the Admiralty, and other principal directors of the State resign’d, in consequence of a dispute relative to the union, respecting emancipating ye Catholics.
1801 Norwich contains 37.889 souls/decreas’d 3000 and upwards/ Cambridge 9000. Lynn 10.000.
March War began with Denmark, Russia and Sweden on Acct. of their leaguing against our insulting her neutral ships at sea. -
Government’s Annual expences 40 million, poors rate 10.000 Rents of all lands 25 Mill’s The Bank has issued 16 mil’ns and held 20.000 of Exchequer Bills -
Mar. 30th Fifty one ships and bombs passed ye sound under a heavy fire of red hot shot and now lie before Copenhagen.
Apl. 2nd Admiral Nelson led the van and fought the Danes and after a hard battle took seven of ye line and ll large gun boats - we had 1000 kill’s and wounded. -
Egypt. The English landed under Gen. Abercromby about 15.000 men - hard fighting the 13thof Mar. and again ye 21st lost in kill’d and wounded about 4000 men and Gen. Abercromby kill’d by a wound in his thigh and many other officers They gain’d about 4 miles of Country.
Coin imported in 1799 and 1800 cost 14 Mill’s Ster’g - 7 Mills. Of waste land in England.
1801 American States contain 6.000.000 souls 1000.000 tons of shipping yearly; exports 70 mill’s of dollars. public Revenue 15 Mill’s of dollars
Hair Powder tax produced 1000.000£ Armorial tax 30.000£
June Portugal invaded and conquer’d by Spain and France, our last ally excludes us from her ports
Barley. Five Mills. Quarters grown annually, 300.000 Do. Us’d by distillers, Do. Who feed 60.000 Hogs at 40 Stone each (of 8 lb) with the offal - Duty paid by distillers 400.000£ a year.
Mrs Billington Had 3000 Guineas to sing a season in Ireland and 50 Do (? pr) night at oratorios, she made that year 10.000 Gs
Soham Fair. Unusually full and gay - more lambs than common and sold from 10/6 to 16/6
A Gamekeeper shot 43 brace of grouse in a day and a gentleman 52 Do. In the same time single shots.
Jos’h Dixon died aged 103 had drank 2,000 gallons of brandy etc.
1801 A witch Elm was cut down in Staffordshire two men were 5 days felling it, was 40 yds in length, and the stool was 15 yards over, 14 loads were broken in the fall, and 41 Do. In the top. - it contain’d 80 pair of naves, 8666 of boards and cost 10£ the sawing.
A Grape Vine At Hampton court grew this year one ton six Hundred and fifty lbs of grapes - Another at Valentines in Essex produced one ton two hundred and twenty lbs and one crop was sold for 400 Guineas.
Oct. 1st Preliminaries of Peace sign’d between England and France after an unnecessary, bloody and expensive war of nearly 9 years, in which none of its objects were obtain’d, but on the contrary France was increas’d and aggrandized - Rejoicings and illuminations universal for the peace.