EBENEZER ELLIOTT
(1781 - 1849)

In this selection of short but informative pieces, we come across an amazing petition to Parliament which Elliott himself made in 1841, followed by an unpublished letter to the North Midland Railway after Elliott was arrested for trespass! The third item is a short speech made at a Chartist meeting in Sheffield. While all these were from 1841, the bard's bankruptcy of 1816 is our next concern with details of his possessions being touted for auction. Again, information which is being revealed for the first time. The editor is grateful for the help of Diane Gascoyne who unearthed all the information presented here.

The document is very interesting since it displays Elliott's determination to bring about free trade: the conventional channels have failed the Poet of the Poor & in his desperation he goes right to the top.  Did he really think this would work? Probably not!  The style is hectoring which would irritate the House & would surely prompt the petition to be dismissed without consideration. You can't help admiring the Rhymer's cheek, though.  His petition was forwarded "to our representative, Mr Ward, for presentation in the House of Commons, on Friday night."

The letter is purely of local interest really, but it reveals that Elliott was still capable of walking several miles which was very good for a man of his years (60 years being a good age at the time).  It is amusing to see the elderly poet collared & getting his name taken.  As a local celebrity, the "arrest" would have been a notable event for both parties. No doubt, the case was much discussed, too, in Darfield & vicinity over the next few weeks! The tone of the letter is quite mischievous which would have helped the Poet of the Poor make his point to the railway directors.  The word "Bashaw," which Elliott used in the letter, refers to a  courtesy title used in the Turkish forces - here it probably is mischieviously used to signify unreliable foreigners.

Elliott moved from Sheffield to Great Houghton in January 1841, a couple of months before he wrote the letter.  He points out that the fateful walk was a favourite one which he had not walked for a few years; thus revealing that the Rhymer was familiar with the area before purchasing his new house.  This makes his move to the wastes of Great Houghton more understandable - hitherto, it seemed the house was bought only because it was a great bargain. 

Note also that the letter was written in Sheffield, not from the Hargate Hill address.  Other letters of this period have this oddity:  the  Rhymer was staying with family in Sheffield; something which he often did. Note the initials after the signature - a rare occurrence of the poet reminding people that he was the famous Corn Law Rhymer!

This item is from a report of a Whit Monday meeting in Sheffield's Paradise Square.  The report appeared in the Sheffield Independent newspaper for June 5th 1841. Please bear in mind that the summary below is a journalist's report on Elliott's speech and not the actual speech.  After the Rhymer's speech, the chair read both motion & amendment; the following show of hands was unanimous according to the chair, though the journalist was not at all sure that he agreed!

Mr. ELLIOTT said, - (cheers) - I cannot understand why any honest Chartist should refuse to discuss the wrongs which shew that the Charter is wanted: I am a Chartist, and I prove it by my readiness to discuss any of the wrongs of the people.  I make a religion of the Charter; - (disturbance) - but, to use the words of O'Connell, I should deserve to break my neck, if I would enter my political church no way, but over-the-weathercock. 

    The business of the long-winded stranger who has addressed you, is to persuade you that the great question of Free Trade is a party question; but I say it is a question of life or death, a national question, if ever there was one.  (Cheers)  They have talked to you about the faults of Mr. Gregg, and the manufacturers; but they are silent on the virtues of the landowners; I, therefore, will try to supply the deficiency. 

    Millowners, mills, and machinery, the landowners tell us, are bad things; but suppose them all missing tomorrow, where would two-thirds of you be before the end of the year?  In the grave, or in the bellies of famished dogs.  But the landowners are all good fellows, they tell you.  How do they prove it?  By first robbing you of eightpence in the shilling, then passing their New Poor Law, and bidding you live on your own resources; or by giving away a flannel waistcoat at Christmas to some servile rascal, bribed to deceive you or coerce you, and expecting you, who pay for it a hundred times over, to doff your hats for a present you don't receive.

    How did these kind-hearted landowners treat their great captive, Napoleon?  They starved him; they refused him a pair of whole shoes to die in; they would not let him totter to his grave dry-shod; and he now lies buried in a pair of shoes, through the ends of which his lifeless toes penetrate; so much for the mercy and humanity of British landowners! 

    Not their Corn Laws, they tell you, but machinery competing with machinery here, is the cause of your distress; as if it were not plain that if we were allowed to swap for food the produce of our competing machinery, we could not have too much of such produce, or plenty of food must be a curse; and that it is, I think, you are not silly enough to believe.  (Cheers)

The speech displays some typically colourful language for Elliott, who had a reputation as an orator. The Corn Law Rymer had played a major role in introducing the Charter to Sheffield, so it is hardly surprising to see him on the platform at this meeting.  In fact, the bard had been at the front of the movement nationally in the early days of the Charter something which most commentators have missed or ignored.  For more information on Elliott's work with the Charter, see the book "People, Poems and Politics of Ebenezer Elliott, Corn Law Rhymer" by Keith Morris (pub in 2005); namely the sections "Elliott & the Westminster Chartist Meeting" and "Early Days of Chartism in Sheffield."

ELLIOTT'S POSSESSIONS IN 1816 WHEN HE WAS DECLARED BANKRUPT

Although Elliott went bankrupt in Rotherham, details of his personal possessions appeared in a Sheffield newspaper.  A notification appeared in the Sheffield Mercury on 14th December 1816 that a sale was to take place of the bankrupt's possessions on December 18th and 19th.  The poet was 35 years old in 1816, was married with a family of six children, so the loss of so many possessions would have been a severe blow; remember,too, they family had lost its home as well. Presumably, Ebenezer's father offered accommodation in his home - though this is speculation.  Note that the list below omits several items which were illegible. 

BANKRUPT'S  EFFECTS

FREE FROM DUTY

Valuable Household Furniture, Books, and other Effects

To be Sold by Auction

By Mr. Graves,

Upon the Premises of the Foundry of Mr Ebenezer Elliott, jun, a Bankrupt, at Masbrough, near Rotherham, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 18th and 19th days of December, 1816.

ALL THE
HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, &c
CONSISTING OF

• Mahogany framed four-post
• Camp & other bedsteads
• Straw mattresses
• A number of featherbeds, with bolsters & pillows, sheets, blankets, counterpanes, and quilts
• Mahogany chairs
• Tables
• Chests of drawers
• Wash stands
• Three decanters
• Wine, ale, jelly and custard glasses
• Set of blue & white tea service
• Mahogany framed sofa & printed cover
• Time piece
• Mangle
• A bathing machine
• Copper & metal kettles and saucepans
• A general assortment of kitchen requisites
• Brewing tubs and barrels
• About fifty volumes of books
• A one horse Cart and Gearing

*    The Sale will begin each morning at ten o'clock

-----------------------

ALSO WILL BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
THE LATTER END OF JANUARY NEXT,
THE  FOUNDRY

Of the above Mr. EBENEZER ELLIOTT,

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