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Samuel Roberts


Guest TheBotanical

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Guest TheBotanical

I am currently in the middle of my dissertation on the 'Pauper's advocate' Samuel Roberts. I know that he was nicknamed 'the would--be drill sergeant of Park Grange', finding it in J. Knott's Popular Opposition to the 1834 Poor Law.

The problem is Knott gives no reference to where this quote comes from. I am wondering if anyone can help me find it. I am thinking that it may have come from a quote in one of the newspapers. I am down at the archives next week looking at other primary evidence on him and would greatly appreciate a nod in the right direction. Many thanks.

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I am currently in the middle of my dissertation on the 'Pauper's advocate' Samuel Roberts. I know that he was nicknamed 'the would--be drill sergeant of Park Grange', finding it in J. Knott's Popular Opposition to the 1834 Poor Law.

The problem is Knott gives no reference to where this quote comes from. I am wondering if anyone can help me find it. I am thinking that it may have come from a quote in one of the newspapers. I am down at the archives next week looking at other primary evidence on him and would greatly appreciate a nod in the right direction. Many thanks.

Note sure if this is what you're after, but it looks promising. I don't understand a word of it. See the last sentence or so for the quote.

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Guest TheBotanical

It does look promising! I'll provide a bit of background context here but I'm sure you already know most (if not all) of what I post. Roberts was an Overseer of the Old Poor Law from 1804 until the Poor Law Amendment Act was rolled in. He criticised it heavily writing pamphlet after pamphlet attacking anyone connected to the New Poor Law from Chadwick to one of the Overseers and his family, namely the Overseer's father who Roberts labelled him as being 'a chip off the old block'.

Roberts had commanded improvements towards the Old Work House at West Bar and his work in his early days earned him the title 'paupers advocate'. When criticising the New Poor Law Roberts would go from one paragraph slagging somebody off and in the next quoting scripture page after page. Like Oastler he used lots of biblical language. The workers wanted to support Chartism but Roberts did not agree with this. He was all on for helping the poor but God forbid they should be given the vote! Anyway he was labelled as the most prolific pamphleteer but also the most incoherent one. This is the main quest of my dissertation, to see if that statement was true by examining his work and also comparing him to Oastler and Cobbett. It pretty much sounds like the workers were getting quite sick of Roberts bossing them around and this was their way of telling him to go forth and multiply!

Anyway, I hope I have not been as incoherent as Roberts. A big thank you from myself and if you find anything else out that would be great! I'll see if I can find out who Mr Lomas was.

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Guest TheBotanical

Cheers SteveHB. Lomas is ringing alarm bells for another reason that I cannot think of. I'll check around some of my other material but so far all that has been posted has been valuable. Many thanks to all.

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Guest TheBotanical

Cheers RichardB. Yep, he doesn't make easy reading does he? I think my conclusion that he was incoherent may be easier to prove than I originally thought!

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Gentlemen of a certain standing, did I believe like to wax lyrical on all sorts of subjects. Note the large numbers of letters written by <Insert Made up name here>. I suspect he had an enormous amount of spare time on his hands and really liked peddling his ideas to others. Some of it well-intentioned, some just piles and piles of words.

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Guest TheBotanical

I covered Chartism last year. When it went down the path of teetotal Chartism I lost interest pretty quickly.

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Guest TheBotanical

I have yet to find the original paper from Mr Roberts that Mr Lomas is referring to. Would I be best heading down to the library and looking through the pamphlets of Roberts? If anybody can find it online that would be a tremendous help!

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Guest TheBotanical

I had thought that the meeting to Roberts was referring to was the meeting at the Town Hall, yet, as I have just realised, the meeting in Mr Lomas' letter talks about a meeting at the Music Hall. Stumped.

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Guest TheBotanical

Finally from my dissertation this year;

On 3rd May 1837 a protest meeting was held in Paradise Square ‘crowded with people opposing the [Poor Law Amendment] Act.’[1] The editor of the Sheffield Iris received a letter, on 12th September stating, ‘During the last week there have been two instances of starvation to death so declared by a coroner’s jury which have not been brought to public attention.’[2] It asked, ‘How many more cases are there? No one can tell and very few care.’[3] The letter was signed S. R. Samuel Rogers would later be elected master of the Sheffield Workhouse but this was not until June 1844, (Rogers had previously been connected with the Chard Union workhouse and the ‘master at Redruth in Cornwall’ before that.)[4] A Samuel Richardson had also opposed the New Poor Law but regarding the condemning tone of Roberts’s letters, one may arrive to the conclusion that it was he who sent the letter to the editor of the Sheffield Iris. Sheffield Guardians were finally elected 30th June 1837 after a letter from the Poor Law Commissioners stated that any failure to appoint Guardians would be met with fines and that ‘no amount of relief could ‘be sanctioned and will therefore be considered illegal.’’[5]

By the end of July Roberts had posted ‘an inflammatory paper’ condemning a meeting that had taken place 24th July at the Music Hall.[6] The meeting was a discussion of ‘the merits or demerits’ of the New Poor Law.[7] William Lomas had been present at the meeting and wrote in the Sheffield Independent Roberts had ‘heaped a tirade of abuse’ onto him and others who had attended.[8] New evidence, in the form of a bill, enlightens us that Roberts had planned to attend the meeting, stating he felt ‘impelled by a regard to the glory of God and the welfare of the poor.’[9] On finding the planned meeting had been changed to a different time Roberts proclaimed that there was ‘treachery in the camp’ and accuses Lomas and others of having ‘treacherously bought and sold the poor.’[10] On his response to missing the meeting Roberts announced he was thankful as ‘I was permitted to join and enjoy the happiness of ninety poor lads… at my own home.’[11] He concluded by stating ‘I wish that Lord Fitzwilliam… Earl Spencer, Lord John Russell, and Lord John Parker could have seen and heard them. They would surely then have ceased to delight in oppressing the poor!’[12]

Lomas’ reaction was equally scathing. Responding in the Sheffield Independent, Lomas states that ‘the paper to which I have referred, is full of falsehood and basic insinuation, intending to rob us of our character, and hold us up to odium before our townsmen.’[13] Roberts had been too controlling for the workmen whose very reputation was that of a radical nature. In his response, Lomas asks Roberts; ‘Is this the way you treat men who do their utmost to effect an object, which you pretend to be so dear to your heart? Is it because we will not be driven backward and forward by the would-be drill-serjeant [sic] of Park Grange?’[14] He concludes, recommending Roberts, ‘to study that divine maxim,- “do unto others as ye would do they should do unto you”.’[15] The workers broke with Roberts having grown tired of his ‘domineering style’.[16]


[1] Drinkall, op.cit., p.35-36.

[2] Ibid., p.35.

[3] Ibid., p.35-36.

[4] Ibid., p.88.

[5] Ibid., p.47.

[6] The Sheffield Independent, and Yorkshire, and Derbyshire Advertiser (Sheffield, England), Saturday, July 29, 1837; pg. [4]; Issue 842. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] S. Roberts, ‘To the Inhabitants of Sheffield: Questions to Messrs. Parker and Ward’, 1837 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: (MP20 L)).

[10] The Sheffield Independent, and Yorkshire, and Derbyshire Advertiser (Sheffield, England), Saturday, July 29, 1837; pg. [4]; Issue 842. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

[11] S. Roberts, ‘To the Inhabitants of Sheffield: Questions to Messrs. Parker and Ward’, 1837 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: (MP20 L)).

[12] Ibid.

[13] The Sheffield Independent, and Yorkshire, and Derbyshire Advertiser (Sheffield, England), Saturday, July 29, 1837; pg. [4]; Issue 842. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II..

[14] Ibid.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Knott, op.cit., p.98.

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On 04/02/2014 at 23:05, History dude said:

Internet archive has a book on him.

https://archive.org/details/autobiographysel00robe

I've been reading Roberts' autobiography and though most of it is fairly impenetrable, there are some interesting paragraphs written in nearly straightforward English.  Some extracts below:

Extracts from AUTOBIOGRAPHY and SELECT REMAINS OF THE LATE SAMUEL ROBERTS. Published in 1849

I was born on the 18th of April, 1763, at Sheffield, in the county of York. My father, after whom I was named
Samuel, was a respectable manufacturer, and afterwards a merchant. My mother, whose maiden name was Mary
Sykes, was the daughter of a neighbour in the file trade, then declining business. I was the second son, but my elder
brother died an infant. Two brothers and three sisters lived to years of maturity.


In the kitchen of my grandfather's house, which adjoined to ours, there was a deep grate-hole, such as was then common,
to contain the ashes when sifted from the cinders. Into this hole it was occasionally customary to put very large
quantities of red-hot files, in order to soften them for cutting : their gradually cooling produced that effect. It
was usual, on these occasions, to place an iron safeguard to prevent any person from going too near it. The grate-hole
was so charged, when I, being only just able to walk, toddled into the kitchen. One only of my aunts was at home, and
she had just stepped into the garden, inadvertently leaving the dreadful place unguarded. Into this I fell. My shrieks
soon brought my aunt. My clothes were in flames, the flesh beneath them burnt even to the bone ; the vital parts,
however, were not injured. One moment's longer delay, and the effect must have been fatal.


Nothing delighted me more than to sit, a silent listener, to stories of past occurrences. Frequently, when about eight years
old, I thought, with mortification, that, as times were then (peaceable), when I became a man I should have no strange
events to relate to those who should then be children. This was five-and-twenty years after the famous " runaway Saturday",
the day on which the Scotch rebel army, under the Pretender, was expected to reach Sheffield on its march to the South.
It, however, took another route. Hearing or reading of the progress and ravages of armies in other countries excite but
little interest compared with the narratives of those who have themselves experienced the alarms of an approaching army.
Then every individual was agitated with fearful forebodings : all the town was in commotion ; all hands busy secreting
their most valuable moveables; women and children hastening to places of greater secresy and security. Amidst the clamour
of the strong, the lamentations of the feeble, every heart was agitated, every tongue employed in giving out or obtaining
hourly arriving reports.


Among the now obsolete practices then continued, was that of hiring at the Statutes, or Statice, as it was called.
I do not mean the hiring of servants at that time, then in a great measure discontinued here ; but what I think was
peculiar to this town, the hiring of dogs, which was effected by flogging the poor animals through the street with whips
on the occasion. The origin or meaning of the custom I never heard stated. During more than a week previous to
the day, the loud cracking of whips was heard throughout the town continually, to the great annoyance of both
bipeds and quadrupeds; the sagacious dogs, by such warnings, seeming to be made well aware of the kind of
treat which was preparing for them. On the morning of the great day—rain or fair—long before daylight, crowds
of lads were assembled in many different parts of the town, shouting and cracking their whips. Whenever a dog was
discovered, the cry of, "a dog ! a dog ! a dog !" was loudly vociferated by every one of them. If the dog fled, a general
pursuit ensued; and if surrounded, he suffered severely. Many, however, would stand at bay, and were sent out by
their owners for the purpose. If the beast got his back to the wall, few of the lads dare go near enough to lash them,
and those who did would sometimes suffer deservedly for it. Some dogs, indeed, had been taught to fly at the lads, and
seize their whips without hurting them, taking the whips to their master. These afforded the best sport. The game
continued till noon, and then, by common consent, ceased.

May-eve was called Mischief Night. It was a kind of
Saturnalia, every one understanding that he might, without fear of punishment, play what mischevious pranks he chose.
There were, however, certain limits understood, which were rarely passed. The jokes were generally very harmless ; I
believe stealing was never practised. When the rogues could get to the top of the chimney of a low house, they,
having previously either fastened the door, or reared a tall log of wood against it, would, putting a flat stone on the
top, drop a dead cat, or a quantity of water, down it. The inmates, on going to the door, either found it fast, or were,
on opening it, saluted by the falling log. The way in which many doors were then fastened and opened was by a wooden
latch, with a thong of leather fastened to it put through a hole in the door. On going to bed the inmates pulled the
string inside, and all was secure. The cutting of these sneck-bands, as they were called, was a common piece of
mischief. The removal and concealment of doors and window shutters was frequent : indeed every one, on rising on
May-day morning, expected to find that some trick or other had been played against them.
On May-morning, by day-light or soon after, the whole town had assumed somewhat of the appearance of rural verdure.
Almost every house was decorated with what was technically called " May' that is, branches of hawthorn,
larger or smaller. Sometimes whole trees were fastened against a sign or a lamp-post, while garlands were elsewhere
suspended across the street. Land-owners, it may be supposed, in those days were not very tenacious of their trees
and hedges. On the 29th of May I have known trees of considerable size brought away from their standing, and
planted in the town.


The Christmas Wassails have been long discontinued. Six or eight families, of which my father's formed one, used
each in turn to hold such a festivity ; but they had even then lost much of their peculiarities, though continued as supper
festivities. At one of the last of them I was nearly deprived of the little wit I possessed, by one of the foolish
practical jokes then common. I might be about nine years of age, and was seated, after supper, in the circle with my
back to the door, when I heard it open, and saw a strange sort of commotion among the guests. On turning my head
I beheld an enormous hobgoblin, with glaring saucer eyes, and an enormous wide flaming mouth, as if ready to devour
me. I could neither move nor cry out, and it was soon perceived by the party that they had been thoughtlessly imprudent.
Many persons were alarmed at it in the street, till the hobgoblin itself became at last the sufferer. It consisted of
the skull of a horse, covered with black frieze, the eyes convex glass, the under jaw made to open, the mouth
painted red. A black rug hung down from the head, inside of which was a man with a light.


The horribly cruel practice of throwing at cocks on Shrove Tuesday was not quite abolished; but I never
witnessed much of it. Shuttlecock was so universal on that day, if fine, that almost every street had parties of lads
and lasses playing at it ; but Spittal Hill was the grand mart for holiday folk. On the evening, many of the more
orderly public-houses appropriated their best room to the accommodation of a youthful party, spending the penny
being the term applied to the entertainment. Perhaps fifty children of both sexes, from five to ten years of age, would
assemble at each house. They had the room entirely to themselves. Each paid a penny; for which they had
plumb-cake and warm sweetened wine. They played from eight o'clock at such games as they chose.


There was a supply of water brought for about a mile to the town, but the quantity was small, pipes being laid in
only a few of the principal streets. A receptacle was made for this in Townhead Street, from which it was the business
of a number of men to take it in casks, fixed on the body of a wheelbarrow, holding about fifty gallons, to all parts of
the town to sell. The facetious Water Isaac was one of these water-barrel men. Isaac was made very much in the
shape of his barrel set on end. He was once slowly wending his way home on a pitchy dark night, along the
Bull Stake, when his stout waterproof hat came in contact with the end of a bunch of iron which a man was carrying
the contrary way on his shoulder. Isaac, being a little top heavy, was thereby laid sprawling on his back. The man
called out aloud, "heigh, fellow there, take care!" "Why, what man, thou'rt not coming again, art thou?" was Isaac's
calm inquiry. These watermen were generally rather dry fellows.


The number of remarkable characters, who were known, by their nicknames, to almost any child in the town, was
then great. I know of no such characters now here, as common make-sports. Not only were there among the
resident natives singular characters, but many such were continually visiting the town. The Wandering Shepherdess
I remember more than once, attracting (not by youth and beauty) much of juvenile public admiration. She was
attended by a little flock of sheep with which she lived and slept, wherever she could meet with accommodation. What
her real character was I never knew, but I never heard any harm of her. The Wandering Jew was another ; he had
(according to report) been wandering more than seventeen hundred years, and was doomed to wander to the end of
time.
Toms of Bedlam, too, were frequently seen begging; some few of them being really what they appeared to be,
namely, poor, harmless, insane men, discharged from Bedlam as being incurable, and furnished with a kind of
license to beg. By far the greatest part of them were, of course, impostors, assuming the most hideous appearance of
human wretchedness and idiocy. Women of the same description, under the name of Cousin Betties, were equally common,
and at least equally disgusting and wretched.


On leaving school, at fourteen, I was put immediately to business. I had a turn for mechanics and design, with a naturally
good taste. My father was then a partner in an extensive manufacture of silver and plated goods ; wherein, intending to
qualify me to embark in the same business, he put me, in succession, to almost every department. This suited me : I was
in turn a hammerer, a mounter, a chaser, an engraver, &c. &c.; so that being a Jack-of-all-trades I was really good at
none. But I understood them all.


I had, so far, after leaving school, been employed in the house in the silver plated line, in which my father was a
partner ; but when I became of age, the partners not being quite on good terms together, my father wished me to
begin a new concern. The attempt was hazardous,—I was young and inexperienced. My father's property out of business
was not large. The trade required a considerable capital, and its success was doubtful. My father reposed great
confidence in me, and my mother more. I believe that we all prayed for divine direction, and, I trust, obtained it. My
father raised what money lie could for me, and built me a new manufactory.


The manufacture of silver plated goods originated in Sheffield a century back from the present time. It was, I believe,
in 1743 that the first attempt was made, by a manufacturer in knives, named Thomas Bolsover, who was joined by Mr.
Wilson, (afterwards in the snuff trade). They did not long continue the business, but in the meantime Mr. Joseph
Hancock took it up on a more extended scale. He succeeded in making many articles in what is called the braziery
line, such as tankards, cups, coffee pots, &c. &c, to a considerable extent, and eventually established a mill worked
by water, for rolling the metal when plated, which, after himself giving up the manufacturing part, he employed in
rolling the metal for such other manufacturers as had taken it up. The metal was at first rolled by hand, till Messrs.
Tudor and Leader, and afterwards Mr. Winter, applied horse power. I can remember the little active old gentleman
attending the candle-light suppers, as they were called, which were in those days commonly given annually by each
house to their workmen.
About 1765, Mr. Winter and my father joined Mr.Morton and four others in the manufacture of all kinds of plated goods,
except candlesticks, the making of which Mr. W. was to retain to himself. The plated trade had then become considerable ;
there were about six houses engaged in it, and almost all kinds of goods had then become made of plated metal which had
been made of silver. As the trade was completely new in Sheffield, where no similar goods, of any metal, had been made,
workmen at all qualified to manufacture them had to be sought for from London, York, Newcastle, Birmingham, &c. Those
who chose to come were, of course, generally indifferent characters,—many of them very bad ones ; therefore, during the
first forty years, the journeymen platers were, as a body, the most unsteady depraved, and idle of all other workmen.
They were not only depraved themselves, hut a source of depravity in others,—in fact, in many respects, a pest to the
town. The masters could neither do without them, nor obtain better; they were, therefore, forced to give them high
wages, and to wink at all their irregularities. From this cause the masters were continually enticing the workmen from
each other's houses, giving them money to hire with them, and letting them get into their debt as a kind of security.
There were, in consequence, frequent disputes between masters and workmen, and between masters and masters about them,
so that they almost occupied all the time of the patient Mr. Wilkinson, and the impatient Mr. Athorpe, during one day
in the week, in the little old justice-room, at the Cutlers' Hall.


About 1806, [Roberts] was called on by a Quaker lady of the name of Fairbanks who was thus the means of first directing
his attention to the sufferings of climbing boys. In conjunction with his friends, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Bennett, and another
neighbouring gentleman (Mr. T. A. Ward), he then formed an association for the abolition of the use of climbing boys in
sweeping chimneys, which gave the first impulse to the friends of humanity in this new cause, round which they
speedily rallied, as the gathering cry passed from town to town through the United Kingdom : the result being, that
the use of climbing boys in sweeping chimneys was recently declared illegal by act of Parliament—a triumph most joyfully
hailed, but which, in common with every earthly triumph, had its drawback. It yet remains for the champions
of the same cause to enforce the penalty of the law on its infringers, without which it will be but a dead letter.

 

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