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Ebenezer Elliott (1781-1849) 'The Corn Law Rhymer'
Ironmaster, Activist & Poet
Ebenezer Elliott was born in
Masbrough, Rotherham on 17th March 1781. The house in which he was born was next to his father's iron foundry. This was near the site of the former Bestobell Valves which is presently
derelict but due to be redeveloped for Rotherham Primary Care Trust.
He was educated at a Dame School and then at the Hollis School. From the age of 16 to 24 he worked for his father who was in the iron trade, using his spare time to study botany. He began to write poetry about the age of 17. Ebenezer married and from his wife he gained a fortune which was invested in his father's business. However the firm went bankrupt, and after this his father and his wife died. By the time he was thirty-eight he was penniless. However his wife's family gave him some money and he moved to Sheffield, once again working in the iron trade. He lived in Sheffield 1819 - 1849: although the house where he lived has ceased to exist I am assured there is a blue plaque commemorating him somewhere in one of the bum ends of Sheffield.
Ebenezer became involved in literature, politics and the Chartist movement. His poetry reflected the politics and social conditions of the day. He set up an Anti-Corn Law League in Sheffield to help fight the Corn Laws. Wars with France and America had prevented the import of cheap grain and the price of corn rose very rapidly. In 1792 corn cost 43 shillings per quarter which rose by 1812 to 126 shillings per quarter. Parliament who represented the interests of landowners passed the Corn Laws which fixed the price of corn at a such a high rate that the price of a loaf was as much as a day labourer's wages. There was much hunger and great suffering amongst working people whose staple diet was bread, which led to riots and other such acts positively guaranteed to annoy any government.
In 1831 the "Corn Law Rhymes" for which Ebenezer Elliott is best remembered were printed and published. Famous poets of the day like the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey, lauded and applauded him and he received national acclaim. I bet the government of the day just loved that!
The Corn Laws were finally repealed in 1845, thus bringing down the price of bread. However the introduction of Free Trade affected Ebenezer's business and he lost much of his wealth. By then he was suffering from ill health and retired to Hargate Hill Farm at Great Houghton near Darfield. He died there on 1st December 1849 and was buried in Darfield church.
Ebenezer Elliot has been called "the greatest man that Rotherham has produced"
. In the book "History of Sheffield" he was recognized as a 'Maker
of Sheffield' and as a mark of respect for his work the City Fathers of Sheffield erected a large statue to him in Weston Park.
For anyone who is interested I am told that there is a complete set of Ebenezer's Odes in Rotherham Library. I hasten to add that I have not read them, not that I have anything against poetry you understand.