Rattening

[DorindaDorinda]

you are good!

Here's a sort of Rattening point. Mary Ann Holberry remarries Charles Pearson (thanks for that) and moves to Trippet Lane, just up the hill from Carver St. and Rattening letters are going out signed 'Mary Ann' - is this an old Chartist link that I've only just cottoned on to, because it felt like a eureka moment to me! Presumably, publicans of the area knew each other. I did see mention from a later Sheff. indep. of a meeting of publicans to discuss the price of beer in the town. How possible is it that Mary Ann knew Broadhead et al? It's oft said that everybody knew everybody in Sheffield ('specially back then) so i suppose I'm hoping there's a tidbit out there somewhere.

[Unitedite Returns]

How possible is it that Mary Ann knew Broadhead et al? It's oft said that everybody knew everybody in Sheffield ('specially back then) so i suppose I'm hoping there's a tidbit out there somewhere.

A very interesting conclusion and some facts, which I have detailed below, would lend some credence to this.

From The Vital Statistics of Sheffield, by G Calvert Holland, [Physician to the Sheffield General Infirmary], published by Tyas and Greaves, 1843, we learn:-

The total population of all six Sheffield Townships in 1831 was 91,692, [45,465 male + 46,047 female]

The corresponding figures for the Township of Sheffield alone are 59,011, made up of 29,483 male and 29,528 female individuals respectively.

The total number of males "employed in manufactures, or making manufacturing machinery", is 10,955 for all six Townships and 8,079 for the Township of Sheffield alone.

It therefore seems very plausible that individuals engaged in one occupation would have known most other individuals engaged in the same trade, even if, only slightly.

[DorindaDorinda]

On this subject, I wonder if anyone has read of an earlier Trades Union episode in the 1840s in which a razor grinder called John Drury, the secretary, and some of his fellow committee men from the Razor Grinders Union, were accused of being involved in some rattenings. They were initially sentenced to transportation, but this was reduced to imprisonment, and then they were all freed after an outcry.

Unlike Broadhead in the later cases (exposed in the 1860s), Drury was a genuine guy and it was widely suggested that he was set up and did not deserve what happened to him. The spell in York prison ruined Drury's health and destroyed his spirit, and it is sad that his story has never been given the attention it deserved.

Drury was described in one article in the Sheff. Ind. as having Chartist sentiments. You may say he was a genuine guy, but even dismissing out of hand the two convicts attempt to hang him out to proverbially dry, other evidence presented to magistrates suggests he may have taken just a big a part then as Broadhead did later. I rather suspect magistrates were well aware of what went on and used the whole case as an opportunity to put the Chartist sympathisers back in their box!

[Bayleaf]

you are good!

Here's a sort of Rattening point. Mary Ann Holberry remarries Charles Pearson (thanks for that) and moves to Trippet Lane, just up the hill from Carver St. and Rattening letters are going out signed 'Mary Ann' - is this an old Chartist link that I've only just cottoned on to, because it felt like a eureka moment to me! Presumably, publicans of the area knew each other. I did see mention from a later Sheff. indep. of a meeting of publicans to discuss the price of beer in the town. How possible is it that Mary Ann knew Broadhead et al? It's oft said that everybody knew everybody in Sheffield ('specially back then) so i suppose I'm hoping there's a tidbit out there somewhere.

A neat idea, but sending out threatening letters using the name of a well known person or any real local person seems unlikely?

Mary Ann would have been a common name at the time. A bit different, but when the British Army used bugle calls, the soldiers learned them by putting words to them, so one, (I think the cookhouse call) had the words "Oh you won't go to heaven when you die Mary Ann, no you won't, no you won't no you won't Mary Ann".

[RichardB]

I thought Broadheads wife was Mary and a daughter Ann ...

you are good!

Here's a sort of Rattening point. Mary Ann Holberry remarries Charles Pearson (thanks for that) and moves to Trippet Lane, just up the hill from Carver St. and Rattening letters are going out signed 'Mary Ann' - is this an old Chartist link that I've only just cottoned on to, because it felt like a eureka moment to me! Presumably, publicans of the area knew each other. I did see mention from a later Sheff. indep. of a meeting of publicans to discuss the price of beer in the town. How possible is it that Mary Ann knew Broadhead et al? It's oft said that everybody knew everybody in Sheffield ('specially back then) so i suppose I'm hoping there's a tidbit out there somewhere.

[DorindaDorinda]

Mary Ann was a common name and a common pseudonym at the time, but it would be a great connection, if proveable. Can't find much info on Mary Ann Holberry, as it goes.

[DorindaDorinda]

As highlighted in this discussion, it's possible that the name Mary Ann held many different, often useful connotations.

[DorindaDorinda]

Ay up,

Thought those who don't know already might be interested to hear that the following is available now as a kindle download for just 77p!

Reminiscences of old Sheffield, its streets and its people - Robert Leader

it wont let me copy and paste the link here for some reason but you can just search on amazon and find it relatively easily.

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Edit: Link, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reminiscences-old-Sheffield-streets-people-ebook/dp/B00K3EKORM