13th April 1812: Huddersfield Magistrates enact Watch & Ward

On Monday 13th April, the local Magistrates held a Special Sessions in Huddersfield which enacted the provisions of the Watch & Ward Act. According to the Leeds Mercury of the 18th April, they also questioned several people about the attack on Rawfolds Mill that had taken place just over a day before.

West Riding
of
Yorkshire

At a Special General Sessions of the Justices of the Peace acting in and for the West Riding of the County of York held at Huddersfield in the said Riding on Monday the thirteenth day of April One thousand Eight hundred and twelve convened in pursuance of an Order under the Hands and Seals of five of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace acting in and for the said Riding bearing date the eighth day of April instant for the purpose of taking into consideration and to determine upon the expediency of carrying into effect all or any of the powers and provisions of an Act of Parliament made and passed in the fifty second year of his present Majesty intitled “An Act for the more effectual preservation of the Peace by enforcing the duties of watching and warding until the first day of March One thousand eight hundred and fourteen in places where disturbances prevail or are apprehended”

Present

Watson Scatcherd Esq. Chairman
Joseph Radcliffe Esquire
Henry William Coulthurst D.D.
Joseph Priestley Esquire
George Armitage Esquire

It appearing to the said Justices that various disturbances have prevailed in the several Townships or places within the Wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley in the said Riding called Almondbury Honley Meltham Netherthong South Crosland Lockwood Linthwaite Longwood Lindley Golcar Huddersfield Slaithwaite Lingards Kirkheaton Kirkburton Dalton Wooldale Foolstone Quick Dewsbury Horbury Cartworth Hepworth Upper Thong Marsden in Almondbury and Marsden in Huddersfield in the division of Agbrigg in the said Riding and Liversedge Heckmondwike Cleckheaton Morley and Gildersome in the division of Morley in the said Riding that further disturbances are apprehended therein and that the ordinary Officers of preservation of the peace are not sufficient for the protection of the Inhabitants and the Security of the property being or lying in the said several Parishes Townships or places respectively where such disturbances have prevailed or are apprehended the said Justices do therefore adjudge and declare that the Officers ordinarily appointed are insufficient for preserving the Peace and for the protection of the Inhabitants and security of the property being or lying in any of the several Parishes Townships or places aforesaid.

And the said Justices do further declare and adjudge that every Man residing within the said several Parishes Townships or places above mentioned respectively above the age of seventeen years charged or assessed to the rate the relief of the Poor therein or in any of them shall be subject and liable to the duties of Watching by Night and Warding by day according to the provisions of the Act above mentioned.

And the said Justices do authorize and order at the powers and provisions of the said Act shall be carried into execution within the said several Parishes Townships or places above mentioned.

And the said Justices do order and direct that the Clerk of the Peace or his Deputy shall give notice forthwith to his Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Home department of the above adjudication an Order.

By the Court
Foljambe Depy
Clerk of the Peace

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The original of this document appears at HO 42/122. A version was also published in the Leeds Mercury of 18th April 1812.