268 Histojy of the 



smelting malt, (i) situated in Rochdale Road, and now occupied as 

 a cartwright's shop. Here he broached his " Land Scheme," and 

 inaugurated a Branch Society, with what results we all know, (e) ' 



In the diary of the late Dr. Raffles, of Liverpool, published in 

 his life by his son, (1S64, p. 123,) the following entry occurs : — 



"July 22nd, 1814. Rode with Mr. Mather to Todmorden 

 in the centre of the beautiful vale of that name. On our way, 

 called on Mr. Maden, near Bacup, where I saw and conversed 

 with Mary Harrison, aged 104. She had been in the family ever 

 since she was twelve years old, and is in full possession of every 

 faculty except that of hearing." 



Mary Harrison, whose remains are interred in the graveyard of 

 Ebenezer Baptist Chapel, Bacup, lived to the remarkable age of 

 108 years. The date of her death is 21st December, 1818. She 

 was born at Chatham, in Cliviger Dean. I have been at some 

 pains to find the register of her birth, but have not succeeded. 

 The register at Holmes Chapel, near to her place of birth, extends 

 no farther back than the year 1742. Her age, however, is well 

 authenticated. She entered the family of the late James Maden, 

 Esq., of Greens, Bacup, in her thirteenth year — lived in it some 

 time — left— and returned again, remaining in it until the day of 

 her death. She nursed three generations of the family in succession : 



(rf) Hence Smeli, the present name of the locality. 



(?) With much to condemn and more to deplore, there was also a good 

 deal to admire in the character of O'Connor. The " Land Scheme " was 

 his fatal mistake ; its failure was inevitable ; the tendency of the small 

 allotment system could only be to reduce our operatives to the unenviable 

 condition of Irish peasant farmers. With all his faults, however, O'Connor 

 was a friend of the working man, and laboured to the best of his judgment to 

 promote his welfare, and improve his condition. He could not be considered 

 a statesman in any sense of the term ; though there are statesmen who have 

 committed graver mistakes than those which can be laid to his charge. For 

 Fergus O'Connor's heart, if not for his head, there are those who entertain, 

 and with ample reason, the profoundest respect, and this, notwithstanding 

 years of obloquy and indiscriminating abuse. 



