disturbance, or other wronge bee offerred to any psone, Lett him or them, soe wronged, in quiett and peaceable manner, Complaine to the Steward of the saide Countess, and her other officers heere, And they and ev.y of them shall have Justice ministred, wth all equity and indifferencye." "And further the saide Countesse, In the Kings Maties name, doe signifie, declare and publish to all p.sons that whensoever it shall happen, St Margrette daye or Michaelmas daye, beeing the usuall Faire dayes, to fall out upon any Sundaye, That then the Faire daye shall bee upon the Morrowe next after, and not upon any Sundaye in any wise, upon payne of such forfeitures, as hy the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme are p.vided in such cases." "God Saue the Kinge." Trade and Manufactures. This town has long been remarkable for the corn and flour-trade, which is carried on in it to a very great extent. Its convenient distance from London, its facilities of water-carriage, by means of the canal to Paddington, and into the Thames at Brentford, as well as the opportunity afforded by the river Coln for the erection of mills, have made it one of the most desirable situations in the neighbourhood of London, for persons engaged in the flourtrade. There are three large flour-mills at the western extremity of the town, and ten more within the distance of three or four miles up and down the river. It is computed that these mills are capable of supplying upwards of three thousand sacks of flour per week; several of the neighbouring towns derive a portion of their supplies from Uxbridge. In consequence of the very large resort of persons engaged in agriculture, the general trade of the town is rendered considerable. There are several manufactories for articles and implements used in husbandry, as forks, rakes, hurdles, also for Windsor-chairs, garden-chairs, &c. and most trades connected with farming, grinding flour, &c. are in a flourishing state. The main street, particularly west of the market-house, is occupied for a considerable distance with capital shops. A Brewery was established here long previous to the year 1589 (see chap. iv. sect. 5.) and was conducted upon the estate now belonging to Thomas Avery, Esquire. It was called the Beer-house or Brewhouse. How long this continued we have not ascertained, but we have evidences of its existence in 1732. Another considerable Brewery was established about the middle of the last century. It has been greatly enlarged and improved by its present proprietor, Mr. D. S. Norton. An attempt was made in the year 1803 to set on foot another brewery, but it did not succeed. Camden says, that in his time this town was "full of inns." Several have been taken down, and others deprived of their licences, within the memory of the present inhabitants. There are at present twenty-three inns, and publichouses, within the town, two of them are postinghouses, the White Horse and the Three Tuns. In 1791, a BANK was established by Messrs. Norton and Mercer. It was for some time carried on by that firm, and afterwards by Messrs. John and Nicholas Mercer till 1805. On the first of January, 1806, Messrs. Hull, Smith, and Norton opened the New Bank, which is still continued by Messrs. Hull, Smith, and Co. who issue notes to a very large amount. Copper-Mills were established here about the year 1798, at the place where the Waterworks had been previously erected; these mills were subsequently converted into a manufactory for Plate-Glass, which is not at present used. The neighbourhood of Uxbridge is remarkable for very extensive Brick-fields, in which several hundred persons are employed. The soil to the south and south-west of the town is peculiarly adapted to this purpose. The brick-earth extends for several miles through the parishes of Hillingdon, Cowley, and West Drayton, and has been a source of great emolument to the proprietors. Some portions of the land have been known to sell as high as between £500 and £600 per acre. About four miles north of Uxbridge at Harefield, are the Mills belonging to the Mines Royal Copper Company, where sheet copper is manufactured to a great extent. There are at present near 70 men employed in these works. In the year 1803 the number of workmen amounted to 121. These works are superintended by Mr. Spedding, the principal proprietor. . At Harefield there are also very extensive Lime-kilns, in which near one hundred and fifty persons are supposed to be employed, when in full work. Tokens. Connected with the trade of the town, we may here introduce the local tokens, which have been found or preserved by inhabitants, and which are at present in possession of the persons under-mentioned. These tokens were allowed, by Patent, to be issued by tradesmen, and were in many cases a source of considerable profit to the issuer. The currency of these tokens began in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and increased greatly till the year 1672, at which time farthings were first published by the government. |