|
The Odd Whim
Ashton-under-Lyne
Reference: Lancashire Life February 1981 by Cliff Astin
The sudden fancy to which this pub’s name refers is the religious
fantatic Johana Southcott’s notion that she was about to give birth to
Shiloh, the Massiah of Peace named by Patriarch Jacob. October 19, 1814, was
the appointed day for delivery, and the lady’s appearance certainly lent
weight to her many Ashton supporters expectations (the Odd Whim was formerly
a Christian Israelite meeting-place).
When Shiloh failed to appear, it was announced that Joanna was in a
trance, and she died a few days later … not for an unusual pregnancy, but
from brain disease. Her expectant appearance, a post-mortem examination
revealed, had been caused by dropsy.
It was at The Odd Whim that a special jury sat in deliberation on
another religious matter – the scandalous behaviour of the town’s leader of
the Christian Israelites, John Wroe, who claimed to have received a
directive from Heaven to take to himself seven virgins to cherish and
comfort him. Three of his Ashton followers donated their daughters, and with
them Wroe travelled the country on various missions … until public outcry
caused him to flee to Australia.
None of which explains the oddest whim of all – the brewery’s choice of the
witch for the pub’s signboard.
Cliff Astin 1981
Reference the trial of John Wroe
allegedly held at
the Odd Whim, the following information was supplied by of
The Christian Israelite Church in Australia:-
According to John Wroe's journals on Sunday 24th October,
1830 at 2pm, the people assembled at the house of a friend, east of Ashton,
for the purpose of trying John Wroe. That is the closest description I can
get of where that trial took place. At the end of the trial, with 12 members
of the jury, the jury announced after hearing all the evidence, concluded
that they could not condemn him, and therefore agreed to acquit him; and the
chairman said, "I say as Pilate said to teh Jews of old, when our Lord was
before him: I wash my hands from the blood of this man." The politics and
machinations of this period of Israelite history would make an interesting
study. As far as JW travelling the country goes, a journal was kept from
1822 - 1863 and in the early days all entries were written by a gentleman
who accompanied him on all his travels. This is again a matter of folklore.
His wife Mary Wroe was pregnant at the time and did have later children -
she didn't pass away till the 1850's.
Lynne Gray CIC
The words Odd Whim
have/are used to refer to a phantom pregnancy' (technical term is pseudocyesis)
and locally an Odd Whim was referred to as a 'Witch' so how did the brewery
come up with the name and the Pub's sign?. Perhaps it will always remain a
mystery; one thing that will remain are the memories of the Odd Whim Public
House it's Landlord's, customers characters and all, not to forget 'Red Ned'
the ghost of the Odd Whim. Seen by some felt by others but harmless, 'who
was Red Ned'? yet another name associated with the Odd Whim were no one can
give a full explanation.
|