Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii Significant events, 1789-1820 viii Introduction 1 1 Setting the scene 5Setting the scene and a description of Lancaster within the contemporary context 2 The other half 15The lives of local women, their status, their involvement in local life, and a few brief case histories 3 The parson and the farmer 21Two local and differing views of the French Revolution, from Bryan Waller and David Cragg, using their contemporary journals together with an account of their lives and place in local society 4 Seamen in Lancaster 27An account of the merchant seamen (and their ships) sailing from Lancaster, their destinations, and their adventures with French privateers 5 The sea captains 41Case studies of several individual Lancaster sea captains (including the last slaver), their ships, lives and exploits 6 The last voyage of Captain Thomas Greenwood 53A study of the life and adventures of Thomas Greenwood of Lancaster 7 Manning the Royal Navy 69How local people were affected by the Quota and the Press; a brief look at some local individuals and finally an account of the naval life of Thomas Harrison of Lancaster 8 The soldiers 75A study of the local Volunteers and their raising, the Militia, Lancastrians in the regular army and some brief individual case studies 9 The politician, the gentleman and the absentee vicar 93The very different lives of John Fenton Cawthorne MP, Charles Gibson and William White, through the eyes of their contemporaries and their letters 10 Hardship and tragedy 111Food riots and soup kitchens in Lancaster; military activities in Lancaster throughout the war; the impact of the Luddite disturbances 11 The bitterness of victory and the end of 'old Lancaster' 121The end of the war and its effect on Lancaster; the collapse of the West Indian trade; the celebration of the peace in 1814 and the end of 'old Lancaster' Population of Lancaster and district 131 Lancaster ships 132 Notes and references 138 Further reading 143 Index 147

About the Author

George Howson was born and bred in the city, where he practised as a solicitor for many years, before becoming Coroner for North Lancashire until retirement in 2002. He has a diploma in Local History and an MA in Social History from Lancaster University.