10th March 1812: Town Clerk of Nottingham to Home Office

Nottingham
10 March, 1812

Dear Sir,

Notwithstanding the Alacrity with which I perceive by your former Letters Mr. Secretary Ryder and yourself have had the goodness to attend to my former Representations on the part of the Mayor and Aldermen respecting the removal of the Troops during the approaching Assizes the Orders for their removal from the War Office in the usual manner to dismiss them from the Town for three days previous to the Assizes came without any further Comment to General Hawker but that he might obey the Directions of the Sheriff for their continuance if he received any such. The consequence of this would have been if a representation had not been made to the Judge by the County Magistrates that they would all have marched out of the Town this very Morning. I enclose you a Copy of Mr. Justice Bailey’s Letter to Mr. Sherbrooke that you may perceive unless further directions are given from yourselves or the War Office we shall still be in jeopardy at the Assizes. It appears to me that Mr. Justice Bailey does not like to have it laid upon him to order their continuance but if the Secretary of State or War Office ordered this removal he would not unless under a strong Representation of the Security of the Town order their removal or think of opposing himself to such an arrangement on their part. I have therefore sent to you for Mr. Secretary Ryder’s Information — a copy of my Letters to General Hawker and the Judge — in order that you may be fully apprized how the matter stands and I have it now in Charge from a very full Meeting of the Mayor and Aldermen to represent to you that they entertain the same opinion. I have stated in my Letters to General Hawker and Mr. Justice Bailey and that they entreat that you will do all in your power to procure the continuance of such a force in the Town as may be adequate in General Hawker’s opinion to accomplish the objects they think essential to the Security of the Town. It was only on the noon of yesterday that I received positive information that Persons had actually been dispatched into the Country to murder or remove out of the

way one of the leading Prosecutors of several of the Individuals against the Framebreakers and upon the faith of your former Letters to me I instantly dispatched a confidential Clark into the Country to fetch away from Home into this Town for Security where I charged him lodgings if it be necessary and provide for him until the Assizes if that should appear essential to keeping out of the reach of these scoundrels. I expect to hear from you fully this Day on Nunn’s case in which all the Witnesses are served with Subpoena except one who seems now to keep out of the way, but I have given particular directions about him.

I am [etc.]

Geo. Coldham,
Town Clerk

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This letter can be found at HO 42/121.