amounted to 2,300,000, not more than the number of inhabitants of the counties of York and Lancaster alone, about twenty years ago. This number was lower than what would have been the natural increase, owing to the wars, and plague, and famine which had occurred in that and the previous reigns. If we now pass on to the reign of King Richard III., circa A.D. 1450, we find that. owing to a pestilence, the population sunk down to fewer than two million souls. Advancing to the reign of King William and Mary, we find from returns made under what was called the Hearth Tax, (i.e., a tax collected from every family having a hearth on which to burn a fire,) that the number of houses in England was not quite 140,000, which makes it probable that the then population was about 7,000,000. At the close of King George Third's reign the number of houses and people was nearly double. In 1811 the whole number of families in Great Britain was 2,544,215, and the number employed in trade and manufactures was 1,129,549 families. But to proceed to the more immediate subject of this paper, namely, the rise and growth of Bradford, considered in reference to its population, manufactures, buildings, &c. POPULATION. This locality was in the kingdom of the Brigantes, or belonged to that tribe. It has been conjectured that the name Brigantes is derived from the British word "Brigantwys," meaning the inhabitants of hilly regions. It is not improbable that the present town of Bradford may be on the site of an ancient Brigantian one, which town would consist merely of "an irregular collection of huts in the midst of a forest, defended with a barrier formed of trees felled around, or circumscribed with a ditch." That the immediate neighbourhood was woody, may be gathered from the names of many old places and houses, as, for instance, Miryshay, Boldshay, Birkshall, &c., &c., the word shay meaning a woody toft, and the word birk meaning birch. Whether there be any satisfactory proof of British remains in this parish or no I leave others to determine? but certain it is that a British trackway or roadway must have run not far from the present town, as we know of such a British way having passed through Lightcliffe, and probably over Low Moor, and gone in the direction of Isurium, the ancient capital of the Britons, now called Aldborough. What would be the amount of population at this period, it is perhaps impossible to form any conjecture. The same uncertainty prevails as to the period of the Romans. During the Saxon rule, Bradford was within the kingdom of Deira, and afterwards in that of Northumbria, one of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy. (1) Here again, we are equally at a loss to form any idea of the population of this town. When, however, we come to the period of the Norman sway, having written record to assist us, conjecture gives way to something more satisfactory and defined. From an inquisition taken at Pontefract, March 3, 1311. upon the death of the Earl of Lincoln, of all his lands and other territorial possessions, so far as relates to the town of Bradford, we find that the whole township consisted of about 1,600 acres of land, and that about 1,000 of these were in a state of cultivation. Now, allowing ten acres of land for every family in the town, the number would be one hundred. There were also 29 burgage houses, and, reckoning one family for each house, there would be 29 families, which, at five persons to a family, would give a population of 645 persons. If we advance to the period when Bradford had passed from the Lacies to the Crown, we find that in the year 1600 or thereabouts, Bradford would probably consist of about 2,500 persons. In 1781 the population is said to have consisted of 4,200 persons; and the window duty being paid upon 400 houses, would indicate that half the population was above the condition of cottagers. Leland, in his" Itinerary," writing of the state of this county in the reign of King Henry III., gives the following curious account of the town of Bradford :-" Bradforde, a praty quick market towne, dimideo aut eo amplius, minus Wackfelda. It hath one paroche churche, and a chapel of Saint Sitha. It standeth much by clothing, and is distant vi miles from Halifax, and four from Christeal Abbay." The same authority says, "Ledis two miles lower than Christeal Abbay, on Aire Ryver, is a praty market, having one paroche chirche, reasonably well builded (that is the towne), and as large as Bradforde, but not so quick." It is a curious fact that, whilst towards the close of the sixteenth century, Bradford, and Leeds contained about the same number of inhabitants, yet, in a few years later, viz., early in the seventeenth century, Leeds had so rapidly increased in size as to double the population of Bradford. Clarendon, in his History of the Civil Wars," vol. 2, part 1, speaking of the strength the parliament had in the North, says, "Leeds, Halifax, and Bradford, three very populous towns, &c." It may be interesting to cite instances of the increase of the population in other places of a somewhat similar character. The county of Lancaster in 1700 contained a population of 166.000; at the last census it was 2,063,913. Liverpool in 1555 had but 28 houses, with a population of 138; in 1851 its population was 258,236. In the reign of King Richard III. the population of London was 35,000; in 1851 it was 2,361,640. In 1700 Birmingham had a population of only 4,000, whereas now it reaches nearly 240,000, being more than the entire population of Warwickshire in 1801, the population of the county being then 206,798. We have much nearer and in more modern days perhaps a more remarkable instance than any of these -viz., in the case of Middlesborough, in the north of this county. In 1801 its population was 25; in 1815, 35; in 1821, 40; in 1831, 154; in 1841, 5.463; in 1851, 7,000 The following figures show the rate of increase in the township of Bradford since 1801:-In 1801, 6,393; 1811, 7,767; 1821, 13,014; 1832, 22,223; 1841, 34,560; 1851, 52,501. In the four townships comprised within the present borough of Bradford, in 1801, 13,264; 1811, 16,012, or 27.48, or 20 per cent; 1821, 26,209, or 10,297, or 64 per cent; 1831, 43,527, or 17,218, or 65 per cent.; 1841, 66,718, or 23,191, or 54 per cent.;_1851, 103,783, or 87,066, or 55 per cent. The average rate for the last fifty years has been rather over 5 per cent. for Bradford, while for Great Britain it has been only 1.37 per cent. The whole population of the borough is calculated to be now about 130,000, and increasing at the rate of 2,000 a year. To show, however, how fluctuating the population is, and how much it depends on the state of trade, about 15 or 16 years ago, when trade was in a very flourishing condition, the population for 15 months increased, owing to immigration as well as births, at the rate of 1000 per month. If we compare the rate of increase in the four townships comprised within the borough, we find the following amounts of population: 1801 1851 Horton Whereas, in the outlying townships comprised within the parish, the rate of increase has not been, upon the average, more than 2 times. It will be well for us to compare the rate of increase in Bradford with some of its neighbouring towns, which are similarly circumstanced as places of trade and commerce, and partaking of similar advantages, as to coal, stone, water, land carriage, railways, &c.: 1841 1851 eight three times. 1801 | 1811 1821 1831 Bradford 6,393 7,767 13,064 23,223 34,560 52,501 township Halifax township times. 8,086 9,151 12,628 15,382 19,881 25,180 three 53,162 62,534 83,799 123,393 152,054 172,270 Keighley 5,743 6,864 9,223 11,309|| 13,378 18,258, BUILDINGS AND MANUFACTURES. times. three times. Having given you the rate of increase of the population, I must now present you with the rate of increase in respect of the buildings, separating the mills, &c., from the inhabited houses. This will still further serve to show the rapid increase in the size of the town. parish. Leeds borough. A In 1814 there were only three firms of worsted spinners, seven do. of spinners and manufacturers, and two stuff merchants. few remarks on the stuff trade of Bradford will not be out of place here. In the rise and growth of the trade of Bradford, we have the secret of the increase of the population, on the principle of demand creating supply. It must be borne in mind that the original trade of Bradford was in woollen and cotton and not in worsted goods. Those who wish for the most accurate information on this subject should consult an admirable work entitled "History of the Worsted Manufacture in England," by John James, F.S.A., which not only contains most valuable matter touching the trade generally, but also in its more special reference to this immediate locality. At so early a period as 1316, we find there was a fulling mill near this town, and, as Mr. James says, it may be inferred from the considerable annual rent which it brought to the Lord of the Manor, that, at it, large quantities of cloth were fulled. Yea, prior to this time, we have proof that the woollen trade was carried on in the neighbourhood; for we find in the Hundred Rolls of 1284, a record of a weaver of the name of Evans, of Gomersal, who was imprisoned in Bradford Jail. And also, we may infer the same from the name of Frizinghall, a small hamlet close to Bradford, mentioned in 1287, probably so named from friezes being there made. It would appear also from a notice by Leland, that the inhabitants of Bradford "stood much by clothing," that in the reign of King Henry VIII., that trade was flourishing here; and previous to the civil wars it was at the height of its prosperity in the manufacture of woollen cloths, as Clarendon calls it "rich and populous, and depending upon clothiers." After the civil wars, as the town declined, so the woollen manufacture of Bradford gradually decayed, and in time died away. For the space of a century, the town did not recover from the shock which the civil wars had given to its prosperity. In the early part of the last century, the worsted trade sprung up, and since then has been the staple of the town and neighbourhood. We find from history that there have been two attempts, happily unsuccessful, to put a stop to the trade of the town. In the Court Rolls of 1678, is the following order made by the Leet Jury:"That the inhabitants of Bradford shall not let any houses to persons to be clothiers, upon paine of 39s. 11d. every month; or set on work any fit to be servants, except datal men." The second attempt was to hinder Mr, Buckley from erecting a factory here, to be wrought by a steam engine. This was in the year 1793. The site of the intended mill was in the present Manchesterroad. A number of the more influential inhabitants in that part of the town signed a notice, threatening Mr. Buckley with an action at law, in case he should persist in carrying out bis proposed scheme. The notice, which is a curiosity in its way, and had its effect, ran thus: "To Mr. John Buckley, cotton manufacturer, in Bradford, in the West Riding of the county of York: Take notice, that if either you, or any other person in connexion with you, shall presume to erect or build any steam engine for the manufacture of cotton or wool, in a certain field in Horton, near Bradford aforesaid, called or known by the name of Brick-kiln Field, we whose names are hereunto subscribed shall, if the same be found a nuisance, seek such redress as the law will give. Witness our hands this 23rd January, 1793." It is a curious fact that some of the persons who signed this document were after wards themselves largely concerned in the manufacture of this town, and that they and their descendants have reaped liberally the benefits which have been derived therefrom. It is related as a piece of tradition that the first steam boiler had to be conveyed in a round-about way to its place of destination in the Holms, Bradford, the streets being so narrow as not to admit of its passage. This important work was only for a short time delayed. In the year 1800, Messrs. Ramsbotham, Swaine, and Murgatroyd, determined, notwithstanding the strong popular feeling against it, upon the erection of a mill. steam engine was to be of only limited size, viz., 15 horse power. This was soon followed by the erection of others. with what rapidity and success the facts and figures already given have shown, and the following will still further prove. The Perhaps there cannot be a better test of the relative growth of the worsted manufacture in Bradford than the drawback accounts, the said drawback accounts being very correct measures of the quantities of wool worked up in the town. The following are decennial periods:-In 1810, 1,633,920 lbs. ; in 1820, 4,629,120 lbs.; in 1830, 10,095,260 lbs.; in 1840, 12,124,400 lbs.; in 1850, 21,121,280 lbs. If this table were carried forward to the present time, it would probably show that the consumption of wool in less than 50 years had increased 16 or 17 fold. If we now compare Bradford with Halifax and Keighley in this respect, we shall find that the consumption in Halifax, in 1850, was only about two-thirds of that in Bradford, and in Keighley of less than one-fourth ; yea, that the consumption of Bradford was equal to that of both Halifax and Keighley, and exceeded one-fourth of the whole of that claimed by the West Riding: In respect of the increased number of houses, I can only give figures from the year 1851, and this I do from the Registrar General's Return for 1851. The returns of the Building and Improvement Committee of the Town Council since that date in the borough, are:-In 1851, 18,728 houses; 1852, 18,949 houses; 1853, 20,307 houses; 1854, 21,859 houses; 1855, 22,260 houses; 1856, 23,897 houses; 1857, 24,495 houses; 1858, 24,905 houses. RATEABLE VALUE OF PROPERTY. The increased rateable value of property in the borough marks the same rapid growth of the town. In the year 1841 the value was £137,778 Os. Os.,-in 1851 the value was £201.717 3s. Od,-in 1858 the value was £272,749, Os. Od. To this I may add the remarkable increase in the saleable value of property. For instance, the land upon which St. George's Hall stands was bought at a cost of £5 per square yard; and the small plot in front of the grand entrance is now valued at £10 per square yard. The amount of the Borough Rate collected therein marks the same:-In 1851 it was £21,847 38. 10., in 1858 it was £30,534 178, 2d. The number of Parliamentary Voters in the borough marks the same:-In 1835, 1,139; 1841, 1,714; 1847, 1,966; 1858, 3,599. BRADFORD SAVINGS' BANK. The following brief statement relative to the Bradford Savings' Bank, proves again the rise and progress of our town, and with it the increased thrift in the habits of the people. The Savings Bank was opened in Angust. 1818. The number of depositors in the first 9 months was 146, the amount deposited, £2,497. The sum repaid during that time was £210. From May 20, 1858, to May 20, 1859, the accounts stood thus:-Receipts, £43,084 17s. 3d.; payments, £39,847, 138. 7d.; the number of open accounts, May 20, 1859, was £7,436; and amount of deposits £168,711 178. 3d. RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS. I consider no sketch of the rise and progress of this town would be at all satisfactory which omitted to mention its Religious and Educational Buildings and Institutions. I cannot go back further than 1801 with any degree of correctness or certainty. In 1801 I find that there were 2 churches and 4 dissenting chapels for the entire population of the borough; the accommodation in these places of worship would not be for more than 5,600 persons, on the most liberal allowance, and this for a population of 13,264. Taking the necessary per centage of accommodation for them, at 58 per cent, it is quite clear that in 1801 the accommodation fell short of the requirements of the people. In 1851, the accommodation in the then 54 churches and chapels, amounted to 32,287, in a population amounting to 103,786. From this it is clear that the deficiency in accommodation had increased, or rather that the supply had not kept pace with the demand. What the amount of Sunday School accommodation there might have been in 1801, I have no accurate means of judging, but imagine that I do not overstate it, when I put it at 2,500 children. The amount of Sunday School accommodation in 1851, was for 16,037, in 59 schools. There is here a corresponding deficiency. The proportion of scholars to the population at this latter period was of day scholars, 1 in 10.83: of Sunday scholars, 1, 6.45. The places of religious worship, in 1801, numbered 6; in 1851 they numbered 54. It is worthy of notice that when the number of attendants of public worship was taken in March 30, 1851, there were in the 54 places of worship, the following:-Morning, 20,433; afternoon, 9,579; evening, 14,288; or 44,300 persons attending public worship on that day. SUPPLY OF WATER. I think it will not be uninteresting to trace the rise and progress of the town of Bradford in respect to its supply of water by means of water works. On October 30, 1744, a preliminary meeting was held in Bradford, at which the indenture of co-partnership made between certain parties forming a company to carry water from Haycliffe Hill, in the township of Horton, to Bradford, was entered into. Contracts for pipes were let at the same meeting, and arrangements made for commencing the work. In the 30th year of the reign of King George III. (A.D., 1790), an Act was passed, entitled "An Act for preserving the works made for supplying the town of Bradford, in the county of York, and part of the township of Little Horton, with water; for the more easy recovery of the rents for the said water, and to enable the proprietors to borrow money for improving such works." These works were for a long time under the managemant of Mr. William Thornton, formerly of Westgate, Bradford, solicitor. The first reservoir is existent, and near the dwelling of a celebrated green grocer, who has lived 60 years in her present habitation, and never slept a night out of it. She is now about 84 years of age, and is known by the euphonous name of "Old Judy."(2) There were but ten shares in the original company of proprietors, and these were held by the following gentlemen:Messrs. Hardy, Smith, Sclater, Crossley, and a proprietor whose name I do not remember. In the year 1843 the above proprietary was wound up, and the works transferred to the late company, but ultimately abandoned. The first general meeting of "The Bradford Water Works Company," constituted by Act of 5th of Victoria, met May 13, 1842. In the year 1854, this company's rights and works were purchased by the Corporation, who have now the sole supply of this invaluable element to the increasing population of the borough. Now, at a cost of something like £650,000 sterling, water will be supplied from the respective distances of 24and 10miles, at the rate of 10,000,000 gallons per diem. The supply from Barden is obtained from moor land,rising 1,650feet, that from Thornton Moor, 1,400, above the level of the sea. The Barden supply is for the lower parts of the borough, and is calculated to furnish 8,500,000 gallons daily; the latter from beyond Denholme, is for the higher parts of the borough, and calculated to furnish 1,000,000 gallons daily, which, with the 500,000 gallons at present obtained, will make up the abovenamed 10,000,000 gallons of daily supply. DRAINAGE. I cannot pass over another feature in the history of the rise and progress, of Bradford, and that is its arterial drainage. The plan of the Borough Surveyor shows the system of drainage which it is in contemplation to carry out, and which, when completed, will render Bradford in this respect, as well as in its water supply, equal, if not superior, to the best regulated and circumstanced town in the United Kingdom. It is highly probable that about 100 years ago the drainage was little better than the natural outlet of the streets and lanes of the town, so that these latter served the double purpose of roads and watercourses. The lines of drainage contemplated will be nearly 100 miles. The length of the public highways in the borough is about 50 miles. Most of these will require a main sewer, as will very many private streets. We may safely say, therefore, that 100 miles of sewers must be constructed within a few years to meet the urgent wants of the population. Supposing the cost to be £1,500 per mile, the entire outlay will be £150,000. This, of course, will have to spread over a considerable period of time. The total area of the district over which the sewers extend is 2,726 acres; the area covered with buildings, streets, roads, &c., is 1,500 acres, which allows 56 square yards to each inhabitant, or is at the rate of 86.7 per acre, taking the population at 130,000. The calculation here made has been for a fall of water equal to one-sixth of an inch in depth on the whole surface of land in the borough, in one hour. This gives the following quantities:-The area to be drained is 2,726 acres in extent. One sixth of an inch of water in depth on that area would amount to 1,649,230 cubic feet per hour, or 27,487 cubic feet, or 171,298 gallons, per minute. The catchment basin or drainage area of the Bradford Beck is nearly 11,000 acres in extent, and the discharging power of the covered portion of the Beck through the town to the Canal Road is 70,560 cubic feet, or 439.730 gallons per minute; equal to 4,233,600 cubic feet of water per hour. This quantity is equal to a depth of one-tenth of an inch per hour on the whole area of the water-shed or catchment basin, and shows that before the Beck could be overcharged a quantity of water equal to more than onetenth of an inch in depth on the whole area of the whole water-shed must run into it. I am indebted to Mr. Gott, the borough surveyor, and his assistant, Mr. Montgomery, for these important facts. GAS LIGHTING. To this I should also add, the lighting of the streets with gas. Many here are old enough to remember the miserable old oil lamps of former days, which emitted just sufficient light to make the darkness visible. In the year 1822 a company was formed entitled "The Bradford Gas Light Company," empowered to raise in shares of £25 each, a capital of £45,000. The authorised capital of that company is now £105,000. The length of their pipes is about 75 miles; the number of lamps, showing the increase, is the following: In 1828, 168 lamps; 1838, 262; 1848, 459; 1858, 1599; 1859, 1644. The increase in the consumption of gas, from 1828 to 1838, was 153 per cent; 1838 to 1848, 196 per cent.; 1848 to 1858, 377 per cent. POSTAL COMMUNICATION. There is just one more particular to which I must call your attention as illustrative of my subject, and that is the increase of postal communication. I have not been able to go back farther than the year 1845, but that is sufficient to prove my case. In the year 1845, the letters which were delivered out, in one week, at the Bradford Post Office, for delivery in the district, amounted to 14,667; in the corresponding week of 1850 to 22,755; |