Manuscripts and Special Collections

Diary entry for 9 June 1842 (Ne 2 F 6/1, pp.240-241)

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Diary entry for 9 June 1842 (Ne 2 F 6/1, pp.240-241) I have hardly had time to do all my matters at Clumber but tho' [sic] rather incompletely done I hurried away at 1/2 past 1 & reached the station at Nottingham in good time to go by the 1/2 past 4 train - Having some time to spare I looked about me in the neighbourhood of the station & conversed with several people that I met - in particular with a man who told me that he was a stockinger out of work - that the greatest distress prevailed, that the people were Starving [,] that the hosiers were still reducing their wages, & that he did not know what would be the end of it - He supposed that the object was to drive the people into a revolution, that both parties were alike & that between them the object intention was to crush the poor man = His last wages were 15s a week - out of this he had to pay 9s a week for frame rent, 2s 6 for house rent & 8d 1/2 for needles leaving him the remainder to live upon - he said it was worse than nothing - I knew what he meant but I asked him why - He said because then he must go to the Bastile [sic] [i.e. the workhouse] which would be something better tho’ [sic] not much - He abhorred the Bastile [sic] - it is evident that there is a settled feeling amongst them that they will be driven into commotion - indeed poor wretches I know not what they are to do or what we can or are to do for them. I am so poor that I must reduce my labourers & that must tend to encrease [sic] the general distress -
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