A Biography of George Scholey - Lord Mayor of
London 1812
Once again I must offer my thanks to Mr Reg
Waites a Scholey descendant who was born in the Old Hall at Ackworth and still
lives in the village for the following information
The birthplace of George Scholey is in Sandal Magna close to
Wakefield at the junction of Marygate Lane and Castle Road. When he was born
there in 1758 the building was a lively and thriving Inn the " Cock and
Bottle" and was a halt for coaches running between Leeds , Sheffield and
London . George was the son of John Scholey the Innkeeper. The building has now
been replaced by a group of attractive cottages.
George attended the school (10 boys) which had been endowed in
1686 by a local man Richard Taylor.
He was an intelligent boy and as a youth went to work in the old
bank at Leeds and from there moved to London and obtained a post with a firm of hop merchants. He worked hard and
prospered .
In 1785 (27 years old) he went into partnership with Alderman Sawbridge
and in the same year married the daughter of a member of the Corporation of
London. At the start of the Volunteer System he was one of the first to step
forward not only in offering his own personal service but by clothing and
engaging every young person of his mercantile concern who was capable of
bearing arms .
He became interested in politics and later represented Dowgatein
the Court of Aldermen for 34 years. He became Sheriff in 1804 and Lord Mayor of
London in 1812 when he was described as a distiller. For those who do not know,
the following is a description of a recent
investiture of a Lord Mayor and will give some idea of the prestige that goes
with the role
November is the month when with all the
historic pomp and ceremony the City of London bestows upon an elected citizen
the high honour of Lord Mayor. We can join the crowds who watch the procession
the highlight of which is the Lord Mayor himself in hs gilded coach and through
the television screen we have glimpses of the banquet , the Mansion House and
the Guildhall amd can imagine what the forthcoming year will mwan to the new
Lord Mayor of London.
On George's Investiture he invited friends from Wakefield to join
in the banquet.
Alderman Scholey was greatly respected being honest and frugal
----except when called upon to help others --- and had a high sense of duty. To
quote the European Magazine and the London Review of October 1813 " It was to his merit that, regardless of the
resentment of the wealthy he superintended the average price of grain striking
a correct balance between corn and bread to the advantage of the working
classes"
According to a report in the Wakefield &
Halifax Journal of July 1812 " The
price of labour had not kept pace with the price of bread " As the average earnings in 1786 was 3 shillings ( 15pence ) per day
this would have purchased quarter loaves. In 1812 at his highest level labour
did not return more than 6 shillings per day ( 30 pence) but that only bought 4
quarter loaves . The rise in the cost of loaves was as follows :
1786 6d ( 2.5 pence) 1792
7.25 d ( 3 pence) 1798 8d
( 3.2pence)
1804 13.25d ( 5.1 pence) 1810
15.5d (7.6pence) 1812 19.75d ( 9pence)
One wonders if George had his home in mind for at the time
Wakefield was undergoing difficulties. The city was known as the granary of the
west Riding which came by canal even from abroad The huge Corn Market on a Wednesday was the largest in the north of England and second only to London,
however in 1810 because of the Napoleonic wars prices were running high and
there was a scarcity of food for the poor. This was one of the reasons for the
Luddite risings . In August 1812 a riotous assembly mostly of exasperated women
gathered outside the Wakefield corn market and prevented the farmers and merchants
from dealing. The Constable was sent for to protect the Cornfactor. Incidents
like these were becoming more and more common.
There is a caricature of 1813 Showing Alderman Scholey weighing
corn and bread out
When he retired George lived in a house on Clapham Common for many
years till his death in 1839. His friends were surprised at his will as they
thought his estate would be much larger. It seems he had lost money in the bank
failures of 1826 but he still left £120,000
£10,000 had been left to Sandal, half for the benefit of the poor
and half for the school.
Why not join other Scholey & Schooley researchers at http:groups.yahoo.com/group/scholeyandschooley