Date:1810 - 1812 (c.)
Description:This handwritten poem protests at social extremes of wealth, status and poverty in the Potteries at around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. War War with France had affected the fortunes of the Potteries by making trade with Europe impossible. Now that the United States was becoming caught in the dispute, trade with America was also threatened. Hunger And as if the situation were not serious enough, successive bad harvests also resulted in serious food shortages and sky-high prices. By 1812 the people of the Potteries were truly desperate. The poem Signed 'The Journeymen Potters,' the rhyme runs as follows: Avaunt ye opprysers - ye evil combiners Ye turn coat apostates - and base contra signers Ye self intrest tyrants - your country's disdain Avaunt from your follies - and turn back again The grand resolutions you recently made Disputing the welfare of commerce and trade Overturn'd the petition you first did proclaim Tho' you canvass'd about in defence of the same You inform'd the Prince Regent and Percival great That potting was now in a flourishing state That the Orders in Council they must not withdraw And you'd make the poor subjects obedient to Law You pronounc'd that our chair man the audiences liked Presented the Court with base fiction and lies While thousands of paupers each day you may spy And thousands are starving for want of employ Such oppressions as these being allow'd to prevail Makes our morals corrupt and our honesty fail Makes robb'ries and murders and discord to meet And beggars and prostitutes haunt every street Yet ye two-faced Gods for two faces ye wear The flourishing state of our country declare Was this but the case and your meaning sincere To stand up for our country with consciences clear Was this the grand object you had in your view We'd wish you success in whatever you pursue But such sceptical thought anchors into each mind That we cannot nor will not our doubts cast behind Till proof of your honour in truth we afford And your hellish misconduct be heard of no more Your political views we presume for to say Your country to rile with tyrannical sway As is your intent for the good of the nation But to make a great figure in high rank or station For the knight apes the Marquis the Marquis his Grace So you all wish to rise to some dignify'd place No thank you as all our society owns For teaching us how to subsist upon bones Each slaughter-house then of all bones will be void And perhaps we may lick up the blood and the hide Nay, perhaps the same bones of our fore-fathers fame Our sons and our daughters may feast of the same But such diet's too rich for such paltry elves So we wish you'll partake of the banquet yourselves. About this document This poem was collected, and probably transcribed by Burslem pottery manufacturer Enoch Wood. It is now among the collections at Stoke-on-Trent Museums.
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