The Country and Church of the Cheeryble Brothers

Preface

. CINCE it was publicly announced, a few weeks ago, that this volume was in the press, communications have reached me from one and another, at a distance, interested in its subject ; and one venerable and singularly vigorous octogenarian, from a neighbouring Lancashire town, honoured me with a visit on a point of much interest to him, relative to the actual prototypes of the " Brothers Cheeryble." He had known the Grants — had business transactions with them, cherished a generous estimate of their character and worth, but entertained the idea that, in portraying the Cheerybles in ' Nicholas Nickleby,' the novelist had his eye on two amiable bachelors who lived next door to himself in Devonshire Terrace and had an office in the city of London. Having met the present Mr Charles Dickens on one occasion, he received from him an answer to a question which, while not so intended, yet, not unreasonably, appeared to him to bear favourably on this view. After further investigation, he stated his case

PREFACE.

. VIII fully in a letter to Mr Dickens, who courteously replied ; but the reply, dated ioth April 1893, contains the following sentences : — " It is merely waste of time to argue about the prototypes of the Cheeryble Brothers. My father may be supposed to have known what he meant himself, and as he always distinctly said that the Cheerybles were taken from the Grants, the matter admits of no further discussion. Mr , who was my father's neighbour in Devonshire Terrace, had no more to do with the Cheerybles than you have. Indeed, the Brothers had appeared in ' Nickleby ' months before my father went to live in Devonshire Terrace at all." Still the honourable enthusiasm of my venerable visitor to claim the Cheerybles as natives of the good town of Rochdale was not extinguished, and he had journeyed hither to ask whether I possessed any documentary evidence bearing directly on the point.

I put before him the words of the illustrious novelist himself (see footnote, p. 275 of this volume) — " The Cheeryble Brothers, with whom I never interchanged any communication in my life." He was satisfied, and with his sanction I give the above interest ing quotation from the letter of Mr Charles Dickens fils. A communication has just reached me as the last pages of this volume are leaving my hands. It comes from a gentleman at the head of a mercantile firm in Birmingham, and contains the following interesting and admirably characteristic incidents. He says : —

PREFACE.

. IX "At the Queen's coronation (1838) I was one of the children (my age four) in a long procession which proceeded to Nuttall Hall to partake of a treat given by the Grants — cake, wine, and fun. Being so young, I was one of the first to arrive, as we tapered off from the shortest to the tallest. One of the brothers — William or Daniel — gave a silver coin to each of the children, I believe. At all events, he came up to me and said, ' Here, take this, child, and show it to me again some day, and I'll put another on it,' giving me a new small silver coin. I looked well at him, and fastened the silver well in my little hand, the first probably that I ever had there. Some twelve years after this, being out of employment, I rambled to Manchester, and found myself one day looking in at Grant Brothers' warehouse in Cannon Street.

An old gentleman came up behind me, and getting a good grip of my left ear, said, ' Youngster, what does thee want here? That's not a cookshop.' 'No more it is; and that's not your lug you're pulling. I'd rather be inside than outside a cookshop just now,' I retorted. ' Well, well, has ti no change to buy a dinner ? ' said he, still holding my ear. ' Well, I've got the Queen's coronation money Mr Grant gave me when I was a little un — but I cannot part with that.' ' So, so — well, I never ! ' said he, letting go my ear ; ' let 's see it, lad — let 's see it ! ' So I pulled it out from the centre of a piece of calico, black as ink. ' Ah ! yes, yes, so it is ! And what did Mr Grant say to thee when he gave it thee ? ' ' Why, he said he'd put another on t' top of it if I'd show it him again; and you are summat like that Mr Grant.' ' Well, did he now ?

Well, well, I'll just do it for him,' — and putting a gold coin on the top of the small silver one, and adding a shilling for my dinner, he entered Grant Brothers' warehouse." X

PREFACE.

. This was, no doubt, Daniel, the younger Cheeryble. William was gone eight years before this time. The gentleman proceeds : — " I recollect the circumstance of a visit of Lord Derby — grandfather, I think, of the present earl — or father. [It would be the latter.] However, I was about ten years old, and worked in the ' hanging-room,' where prints were dried at the old Square. Lord Derby was coming round to see the works, was the information conveyed to me by one, Ned Hamer, a well-known character at the Square, and manager of the steaming-rooms. Ned was leader of the Primitive Methodist choir, and a great prayer-meeting enthusiast. He liked to show off, and told me, on the occasion referred to, to keep a sharp look-out for Mr Grant, and call out when I saw him coming. He then sat down on his stool, and, as usual, fell fast asleep in a twinkling.

I soon followed suit, tired out as I might well be, a child of my age, working from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. I was woke up with a smart slap on my cheek, when I immediately sprang up and shouted out, ' Ned ! the Lord's arrived ! ' ' Glory to God ! Allelujer ! Turn off steam ! ' shouted Ned, in an ecstasy, at the top of his voice. The exclamation was so sudden, and within a yard or two of Lord Derby and Mr John Grant, that these gentlemen went immediately into fits of merriment, which, I was told, continued all through their round of the works. Young William Grant who followed, seeing me rubbing my ear after the slap, gave me a coin, — as he said, ' to buy an eye-opener ! ' " I also recollect, at one dinner-hour at the old Square, some more lads and myself had taken possession of some

PREFACE.

. XI floating planks, and were rowing about on one of the lodges, when who should suddenly turn up but Mr John Grant ! He came running towards us holding up a stick and calling out, ' Come off there, you young rascals ! ' I immediately made for the nearest bank, and the sudden run of the plank against it sent me backwards into the dam, which at the time, fortunately for me, was only half full. Mr Grant immediately slid down the bank up to his neck in water, and pulled me out, dragging me after him to the bank side. ' Now,' he said, ' I shall make thee remember giving me this wetting,' and thereupon he used his cane to some purpose on my back. Having finished, he said, ' Now, how do ti feel ? ' ' Very wet,' I said, 'and sore.' 'And has ti nothing to say for saving thy life ? ' ' Yes, you've made a hole in my coat by dragging me up there.' At this he burst out laughing, and handed me a coin to buy a new coat."

" These," the correspondent adds, " are but small in stances of the thorough good-heartedness of the Cheerybles and their brother, Mr John Grant — ' The three gentlemen of Lancashire,' as they were popularly called." I have very cordially to acknowledge the courteous readiness with which J. Grant Lawson, Esq., M.P., gave me access to the art treasures in his possession, and thus enabled me to place likenesses of the venerable parents of the " Brothers Cheeryble," as well as that of Mr John Grant of Nuttall Hall, and " Ramsbottom in the beginning of the century," among the illustrations of this volume. I was fortunate enough to possess a fine engraving of

PREFACE.

. each of the Cheerybles themselves. The original painting of the elder of the two, William, is in the possession of Mr Grant Lawson; but that of the younger, Daniel, so far as I have been able to ascertain, has unfortunately been lost sight of. It is probably somewhere in Manchester or its neighbourhood, and it will be a happy circumstance if this reference to it should result in bringing it to light. To Major Grant I am indebted for much kindness, and especially for preparing the plan of the "Old Ground" buildings of the Peels and the Grants. The cordial co-operation of Mr George Haworth, photo grapher, Ramsbottom, during many months, in procuring satisfactory pictures for the engraver, entitles him to my warmest acknowledgments. But for him, some of the likenesses would not have been discovered ; while more than half of the entire number of illustrations in the volume have passed through his hands.

To all the other friends who have kindly furnished me with necessary pictures, or otherwise aided me in my task, I tender very cordial thanks. I am also beholden to my friends, William Carruthers, Esq., F.R.S., of the British Museum, and the Rev. A. H. Drysdale, M.A., of Morpeth, author of the ' History of the Presbyterians in England,' for valuable counsel in connection with the second book of the volume. To the Rev. Robert Hunter, M.A. , LL.D., F.G.S., of the ' Encyclopaedic

PREFACE.

. XIII Dictionary' — whose Resident Tutorship in the Theological Hall in student days, and warm friendship ever since, have been among the highest privileges of my life — I am indebted for reading several chapters, and verifying some points of historic interest. And a very tender and grateful recollection will always remain with me of the characteristic kindness of the distinguished man to whom the MS. was first submitted just two years ago, and who, with other grateful words, wrote, " I am so much interested in the whole tale, that I would like to preach to your people." Alas ! before the generous and revered wish could be gratified, the eloquent voice was suddenly hushed in its last silence : it was the late gifted and chivalrous minister of Marylebone, London — Dr Donald Fraser. One thought specially impresses me in completing the volume — it is, that almost all the old friends, from whose lips it was my privilege to gather what perhaps may lend interest to some of its pages, have passed away.

The age, in the aggregate, of six of these amounted to 522 years, an average of 87 for each. It would not be possible, starting now, satisfactorily to accomplish the task. Wm. HUME ELLIOT. Woodhill, Ramsbottom December 15, 1893. CONTENTS.

Book I. Chapter

I —TOPOGRAPHY PAGE The landscape now and in prehistoric times — The Irwell Valley — Neighbouring towns — The Peel Monument — The view from the summit — The home of the De Notoghs — Park — Grant's Tower — Walmersley House — Springside, the Home of the Cheerybles — Chamber Hall — Tottington — Claremont — Watling Street — Ancient pillar marking middle point between London and Edinburgh — Turton Chapel — Edgeworth Homes — Entwistle Moor — Holcombe Range — The Pilgrim's Cross — Bull Hill — " Ellen Strange " — Robin Hood's Well — Stake Lane Bar — Ewood Hall — Windy Arbour — Horncliff — Cliff Towers — Edenfield — Dearden Moor — Fo' Edge and Waugh's Well— Whittle Pike — Scout— Facit — Fletcher Bank — Top o' th' Hoof — Horse-shoe formation of hills — Ramsbottom i

Chapter II

— PLACE NAMES. Nomenclature of hills and dales interesting and instructive — Alderbottom, Barwood, Bass Lane, Buckden, Buckhurst, Carr, Crimble Wood, Dearden, Deeply, Dundee, Harden, Hartlee, Hawkshaw, Helmshore, Hey, Holcombe, Th' Hoof, Irwell, Kibboth Crew, Nuttall, Pikelaw, Quarleton, Radisher, Rake, Ramsbottom, Ravenshore, Rowlands, Shuttleworth, Stubbins, Tittleshow, Tor, Whittle Pike, . I5 b CONTENTS.

Chapter III

— HISTORICAL. The Romans in Lancashire — The Segantii — Britons — Roman stations and roads — A tumulus — Watling Street — An interesting "find" — Carausius — First elements of civilisation — The dawn of Christianity — Ad Veteres — The Anglo-Saxon conquest — The Frisian and Celtic elements in the Lancashire vernacular — Progress of civilisation — Forest laws — Their penalties — Grant of Holcombe Forest in 13th century — Disforesting — General Monk rewarded — The Buccleuch family, ... 28

Chapter IV

— NUTTALL VILLAGE. The old home of the De Notoghs — Prehistoric lake — New owners of Nuttall estate — Purchase by Messrs Grant of Nuttall estate and Mr Alsop's mill — The Wilds — Mr William Grant — Clothing and entertaining of the workers — His views of the relations between employers and employed — Nuttall Memories — Owd Nutta-ites — The palmy days of Nuttall — Recollections of the village and the Grants, by old residents, in the native dialect — " Mr John wur a good maisther " — Jane Storey singing "The Prodigal Son" — Her reward — Courtings, marriages, births, christenings, funerals, school, Crowlum boggart, accidents, and marlocks — Kitty Hamer, Tom W., Jim B., and Nellie D. — Scene changed, • 40

Chapter V

— HOLCOMBE VILLAGE. Its situation— The coom— The Church — The Original Chapel- Tithes for it and Edenfield — The Bishop's arrangement — Edenfield Church tower— The Minister's Pathway— The incumbents of Holcombe— Cock-fighting suppressed— John o' Matty's and his loved bass — "Sing smo', sing smo' !" — Rush-bearing or wakes — Origin and history— The rush-cart — Its adornments and journey— Adam and Eve— The custom explained— The sports— Donkey and other races, greasy-pole, Grinning match — Ralph Fish — His unique victory — Holcombe churchyard CONTENTS. XVII Quaint inscriptions — The Ramsbottom Cromptons in America — The Crompton Loom — Tower and clock — Dr Bates — Dr Woodcock — The very Rev. Jas. Wood, D.D. — Roger Worthing ton — The Howcum Weaver chap, &c, 51

Chapter VI

— CHEERYBLE BROTHERS. The advent of the Grants to the valley — How their father was impressed — William Grant, the Cheeryble's reminiscences — Description of district at the time — Founding of the cotton industry at Ramsbottom — Apprenticeship of the Grants — Their industry and progress — Purchase of Sir Robert Peel's works — Top o' th' Brow— Grant Arms — George Goodrick — The parents of the Grants — M'Kenzies of Tumbrech — Recollections of Mrs Grant's maid — Mrs Grant's aphorisms — A genial pair — Topwood saved — Extent of foreign commercial connections — The Corn Laws — Relieving the poor — Reminiscences of the late John Slagg, M.P. — William reads Riot Act at Chatterton — Henshaw's Blind Asylum — The Cheerybles and Steam-hammer Nay smith — £500 " and no security!" — "A most-knowing wink " — Its explanation— Naysmith's gratitude — •' Always be civil " — Unfailing courtesy tested — Daniel Grant, the younger Cheeryble — His characteristics — Illustrative incidents — "First to come first to go" — His severest rebuke — Springside — Egypt !

Pharaoh ! mummies ! — Mosley Street, Manchester — Alfred Boot, Dickens's "apoplectic butler" — Tiffin at 2 — "Alfred! Ruby! Lightning!" — Impulsive oration in St Andrew's Church on Daniel in the den of lions — The preacher appeased — John Roe and John Wardle's boy — Aversion to signing documents — Generosity — "A thing of honour" — The Grants' affection for their parents — Characteristic speech in 'Nicholas Nickleby' — "The memory of our mother!" — Franklin Haworth's recollections — Mr William Grant's death — Funeral Sermon by Dr MacLean — Inscription on tombstone — Mr William Grant's account of their coming to Lancashire, and their subsequent career — Death of Daniel Grant and the other members of the family — Pulpit references, . CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII ,— RAMSBOTTOM (Industrial)

Local Board — Its Chairmen — The cotton industry — Its origin — Inventive genius — Arkwright, Wyatt, Kay, Hargreaves, Crompton, Cartwright — Calico Printing — The Peels and Grants — "The old ground" works — Plan — Water Street — Crowtrees Farm — Boundaries — Wardrobe and Coffin — St Paul's Church— The Vicars— Rev.W. H. Corbould- Old Toll House — Peel Bridge — Patmos Chapel — Callender Yard — Water-wheel — "Pin-roller Nook " — Topwood — Barwoodlee — Crofters' wages — Festivities — Earliest Sunday-schools — Old ground buildings — Dungeon Row — Ailsa Thorrocks — Her dressed cats — Cricket-ground — Cawdaw Mill — The name — Orchard Mill — Houses in "old ground" times — Chapel Field — Carr Bank — Foot o' th' Rake Pane — Old Dun Horse — Grant Lodge flower-garden — Wesleyan Chapel — New Jerusalem — Rev. S. Pilkington — The only well — Bridge Street Brook — John Gray's Lodge — Baptist Chapel — Rev. R. Maden — An old track — Catholic Chapel — Rev. B. G. De Mullewie — New Primitive Methodist Chapel — The Square — Its form and dimensions — The genesis of the Square in 'Nicholas Nickleby' — Charles Grant and his horse "Wellington" — The architect of the Square — A memorable demonstration — Four Grants at the head — Grand banquet in a field — Bullock and sheep roasted — A storm — Alarming mishap — Charles Grant digs through the debris — Rescue — Charles in another character— John appears on the scene— An exciting chase — Death of Charles — A drastic chastisement— A melting march to justice— The equipment of the Square works— Testimony of Samuel Parkes — The Grants' managers — Messrs Hepburn — The Chatterton riot — The elder Cheeryble reads the Riot Act — Three riotous periods — Chartists — Great demonstration— Cap of liberty— Noah's dove Pikes — Sam Bamford— Snatches in the vernacular— Owd Bassett the bellman — Robert Peel and Nellie Yates— A new industry —Stubbins Vale and Church — Industrial leaders and employers in Ramsbottom to present time— Cotton, Woollen, Engineering, Engraving, Chemical, Stone, Co-operation, &c— Brooks- CONTENTS.

XIX bottom Mills — Shuttleworth— Works— The Vicar— Volunteers — Major Grant— His successor— Mrs Wilson — A peaceful sun set, ............ 103

Book II. Chapter

I. — General Historical Introduction. Reformation forces — Puritanism — The Scottish Covenant — The Westminster Assembly — Presbyterianism — Lancashire Presbyteries — Rev. Henry Pendlebury at Holcombe, Bass Lane, &c, 1651-1695 — Rev. Edward Rothwell, 1699-1731, embracing building and opening of Dundee Chapel— Bank Street Chapel, Bury, and its history, &c. — Old Baptismal Records of Dundee and Bank Street, 163

CHAPTER II.

— 1731-1811. Fifteen ministers, from Rev. Edward Rothwell to Rev. Peter Ramsay — The building and history of Park Chapel — The advent to Dundee Chapel of the Grant family — Rebuilding Dundee— The puzzle of the premises — An old leaf and its story — The forcible extrusion of Mr Ramsay in 181 1 — Reasons — Deardengate, Haslingden — Characteristic stories, . . . 215

CHAPTER III.

— 1811-1891. Section I. (1811-1830). — Rev. Thomas Nelson — Auchtergaven, Lord Nairne, and the Young Pretender — Peace thanksgiving sermon, 1814 — Waterloo, Napoleon, and St Helena — Rev. Dr George Brown — His call, ordination, induction, &c, with interesting documents —Tim Linkinwater — List of Members, Elders, Deacons — Extracts from Session records, &c. — The Associate Synod — Presbytery of London — Elaborate title — CONTENTS. XX Interesting explanation — Unique relation of Dundee Church to the Presbytery of Lancashire — Relation of the Cheeryble, William Grant, to the Congregation and Sabbath-schools — The vine and the palm— Rev. Grant Brown — The family record — The maid of the manse — Interesting duties — Birth of Princess Victoria — Dr Thomas Chalmers at Dundee Chapel — His visit to the Cheeryble Brothers — A Miniature of Daniel Grant by Dr Chalmers — Stocks House, Cheetham — J. Crossley, F.S.A., Harrison Ainsworth, and Charles Dickens — Did Dickens and the Cheerybles ever meet ? — Dr Chalmers and the Cheerybles at Stockport — Great service for Sunday-schools — The Orchestra — Humour and electric eloquence of the great divine — Robert Dalglish, the future M.P. for Glasgow — Letter of Dr Chalmers.

Section II. (1830-1869) — Ministry of the Rev. Dr MacLean — Elders, William Grant and others— Sacred wish of the Grants' parents — Honoured by building St Andrew's Church — Picturesque Situation — Hymn sung at the laying of the foundation stone — Procession— The Cheerybles — Free-Masons, &c. — 'Manchester Guardian' Report — Opening of St Andrew's Church — Minute of thanks by the Presbytery — The government of the church— Office-bearers— Forcible seizure of St Andrew's Church— Scene at the church — " Blunt wedges rive hard knots " —Meeting at Old Dundee Chapel— Resolutions— Death of Dr MacLean — Funeral sermon— The Bishop of Manchester — Re ception of the church — Death of William Grant, the younger — "Consecration" of the church— Correspondence— interview with the bishop— His offer declined— Claim for restitution, 246

CHAPTER IV.

— 1869-1891. Section III.— Dundee property and the Grants' estate- Building of new St Andrew's Church— Cost— Debt removed- Forcible seizure of Old Dundee property— Protracted litigation—Remarkable discovery of deeds— Another tell-tale leaf —Congregational Union Secretary— Strange doings—Intimi dation—Assize trial before Mr Justice A. L. Smith— His Lordship's judgment — Notes — Restoration of property — CONTENTS. XXI Counterfeit Minute-book — Detection — Ejectments — St And rew's (Dundee) congregation— Choir — Personal reminiscences — Joseph Strong — Medallist of Highland Society — Mrs Gray — Rescues of drowning children 326

CHAPTER V

— Conclusion. Presbytery and Parliament 378

Appendix

. Appendix A. — New Testament Episcopacy 385 Appendix B. — Group of Deeds 395 Appendix C. — A Spurious Deed, ....... 402 Appendix D. — " Going Home ! " ..:... LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. " The Cheeryble Brothers," ..... Frontispiece Mr John Grant of Nuttall Hall, . . To face page ioo Ramsbottom in 1893 (the Square in the foreground), ,, 102 St Paul's Church, Ramsbottom, ,, 108 Old Ground Plan, Ramsbottom, . ,, 112 Ramsbottom Cricket-Ground and Players, . ,, 114 Stubbins Vale, .... . ,, 148 Mrs Wilson in her 90th year, . . ,, 270 Rev. Andrew MacLean, D.D., . . . 302 St Andrew's (Dundee) Presbyterian Church, . ,, 326 St Andrew's (Dundee) Presbyterian Church Choir, . ,, 368 ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT. Nuttall Hall, Park, and Grant's Tower, ... 6 Walmersley House, ....... 7 Springside, .... 8 Old Stone, ... . 9 Ewood Hall, ...... 12 Waugh's Well, ....... 14 In Buckden Ghyll, ... ■ 17 Crimble Wood, . . 41 Old Nuttall Hall Farm, .... -44 Ruins in Nuttall Village (octogenarian native in foreground), 48 Holcombe Church and The Rake, . .

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XXIV 55 Holcombe Old Church, Holcombe Church and Churchyard, Dr Woodcock, 63 67 Mr Wm. Grant of Grant Lodge (Father of the Cheeryble Brothers), Mrs Grant (Mother of the Cheeryble Brothers), 74 75 Ramsbottom in beginning of Century (showing Grant Lodge), Rev. W. H. Corbould, . io6 no n6 Foot o' th' Rake Pane, . Rev. Samuel Pilkington, Rev. Robert Maden, Rev. B. G. De Mullewie, Mrs Wilson and her Minister, n8 ii9 121 125 Scene of Chatterton Riot (Stubbins Church in the distance), Samuel Bamford, i3i 136 Bassett the Bellman, Sir Robert Peel, 140 I42 Lady Peel (nee Nellie Yates), Mr Richard Ashton, J. P., Mr William Rumney, 143 I44 r45 Mr James Porritt, J. P., Mr Lawrence Stead, Mr Henry Stead, J. P., Rev. Edwin Dyson, 147 i49 15° 153 Brooksbottom Mills (Rowlands Chapel in the distance), Major Grant, . . 155 '57 Park Chapel (built, 1798), 225 Dundee Chapel and Manse (built, 1712 ; renewed, 1809), St Andrew's Church (now Episcopal), 228 299 The Little Gate, 319 Hymn, and important heading, (1832) . A Weapon, 321 344 Mr Robert Haworth, Mr John Roe, . 358 369 Mr William Stead, 371 Mr Joseph Strong (Strang), Mrs Gray, 373

Introduction

. " TTALLO! you're quite among the hills here. I didn't 1 1 expect to find a country like this so near the great Cottonopolis. How far are you from Manchester ? " " About a dozen miles." " So near the great centre ? " " Yes — and we are ourselves a bit of a centre, but of a different kind. In Edinburgh you have the heart of Mid- Lothian ; here in Ramsbottom, and the ancient village yonder, perched higher than the Calton Hill or the grand old Castle rock of the Scottish capital, you see the heart of the ancient forest of Holcombe in the Royal Manor of Tottington." " Well, but for the chimney-stalks and the streak of smoke, one might imagine himself in some northern strath, in the neighbourhood of the grouse and the deer ! " "Oh! we can produce grouse along our hills and moor lands, as well as calico in the cloughs and valleys.

Of deer, in former ages, we had quite enough. Now we have some thing more useful. As for the chimney-stalks, we don't complain of them. They are what a facetious native, during

INTRODUCTION.

. the cotton famine, called the 'lilies of the valley.' Un fortunately, now, as then, too many of them ' toil not, neither do they spin.'" " So I understand. But you energetic Lancashire folk have had good times ; and, doubtless, they will come again. The sun eventually beats the fog. Your striking array of towers, and spires, and goodly residences on the crests and slopes of these hills, tell of prosperous times." "We lack neither energy nor hope, substantial homes nor fine churches ; and those towers, which crest the terminal hills on either side of the valley, like our staple industry, link us with the great world beyond." " What are they ? " " The one to the west, on Holcombe Hill, is Sir Robert Peel's. It stands within sight of his birthplace, a little farther down the valley, and commemorates the great service he rendered to his toiling fellow-countrymen in con nection with the repeal of the Corn Laws, which had been rendered practicable by the invincible genius of Richard Cobden and his illustrious coadjutor, John Bright.

The other, with graceful pinnacles, crowning the crest of the hill on the eastern side of the valley, is the memorial tower of the Grants — the "Brothers Cheeryble" of Charles Dickens1 — and commemorates the advent of their father and the elder of the two Cheerybles to the Valley of the Irwell, more than a century ago." It is with the picturesque and interesting region referred to in the foregoing colloquy, and especially with something 1 In ' Nicholas Nickleby.'

INTRODUCTION.

. XXVII of its history, industrial and ecclesiastical, embracing brief personal sketches of prominent and noteworthy actors on the scene, that we propose to deal in this volume. In Book I., through faint lingering vestiges, and obscure and unsuspected place-names — Saxon, Scandinavian, or Celtic — we shall briefly grope our way back to Roman and pre- Roman times, when dusky forests overspread the land, and formed a habitat of bulls and wolves and boars. We shall note the Saxon and Norman periods, to glance at the operation of barbarous and oppressive forest laws ; the changes brought about by disforesting the territory, and giving scope to pastoral and agricultural pursuits ; and the rise — in humble and ever-increasing homes, scattered along the valleys and adjacent hills — of that textile industry for which the Irwell Valley has since achieved renown.

We shall see how the first Sir Robert Peel — the father of the illustrious Premier — founded, by his calico-printing works, the modern industrial life of Ramsbottom ; how the Grants succeeded him, and found here a home, and the centre of their remarkable subsequent career ; and how they here erected the great calico-printing establishment, which was considered at the time to be the best equipped in Europe. We shall make known, for the first time, the genesis of the unwonted form of that structure, whose name — " The Square " — with the " rusty and shattered blunderbuss," and the " two swords broken and edgeless above the chimney-piece of its old office," and which there " became emblems of mercy and forbearance," with " shipping announcements," " statements of charities," &c, translated to " the heart of a busy town like London " by the pen of Charles Dickens in ' Nicholas Nickleby,' became familiar throughout, and beyond, the English-speaking world. It

INTRODUCTION.

. XXY111 will also appear how two partners in the firm who reared the Square, by their fine industrial and commercial instinct, marked individuality, and homely and genial generosity, furnished the great novelist with two of the most interest ing characters in the picture-gallery of his genius. Of these remarkable men and other members of their family many illustrative incidents are here recorded, which were obtained mainly from octogenarian and nonagenarian friends with whom they had long been closely associated. A valuable sketch is also given of their coming to Lancashire, their progress and phenomenal success, written by the venerable elder Cheeryble, Mr William Grant, himself, and not hitherto published. The ancient village of Holcombe and some of its vanished customs and characters, and the palmy days of the old village of Nuttall, under the Grants — "when it wur in it pomp" — do not escape attention, most of what relates to the latter village having been gathered in quaint vernacular from aged residenters, some of whom had lived far beyond the allotted span, and knew little outside the old village and its immediate environment.