18th Century Rotherham
Education
Religious Dissent
Roads & The Turnpikes Trusts
The Rotherham Plough
The Walker Family
The Feoffees
The 18th Century in Rotherham saw the still primarily agricultural basis of living rapidly changing to an industrial one. Doubtless the population increased quickly too as poor people from the country moved into the town to find work. This was a movement that affected the whole country during the Industrial Revolution. his was exacerbated by the various Enclosure or Inclosure Acts which took place over longish periods of time. Common land was enclosed and whatever remained of the field system destroyed for the profit of the landlord. In practise this meant that many poor folk no longer had anywhere to raise crops or keep livestock: since they couldn't afford to buy these things it was move to the towns or starve to death. A parliamentary report dated 1777 recorded that there was a local workhouse in Rotherham with accommodation for up to 40 inmates. Parish workhouses or poorhouses also existed at Rawmarsh, Laughton and Bramley.
Throughout 18th Century Rotherham became increasingly industrialised. The iron and steel trade, which had been in decline, had its fortunes restored by the Walker family. Glassworks were set up. There were bell makers and locksmiths. Doubtless there was a candlestick maker also.
The estimated population in 1743 was 2858 so you can see that the town had decayed somewhat from its heyday about 1500. Water still came from the various wells and conduits in town which were cleaned and maintained by the Feoffees. Sewerage was non-existent unless you count the gutter in the middle of the road so I expect that the town scavengers were kept busy cleaning up.
Rotherham acquired some fine new municipal buildings in 18th Century Rotherham. The new town hall built on Jesus Gate in 1739 was a substantial edifice used for Town Council Meetings, Quarter Sessions, Manor Courts, balls and assemblies. The Grammar School was accommodated on the ground floor.
The new Feoffees School in the Crofts was built in 1775. A new covered market and alterations to the market place were commissioned in 1779. There appears to have been some delay completing these works but they were finished and paid for in 1781.
By 1779 the Chantry Chapel which had been used as an almshouse for many years was let to the deputy constable and the crypt was used as the Town Jail.
The Don Navigation Canal was begun in 1722 working upstream and downstream from Doncaster. This reached Rotherham in 1744 and Tinsley, the Head of Navigation in 1751. In the days of bad roads heavy goods and some not so heavy were carted by wagon to the nearest navigable river and then sent by barge to their destinations. The main cargoes carried were coal and grain. In 1768 the River Don was widened and alterations were made to Chantry Bridge.