Sunday 8 July 2012

8th July 1812: Further information is obtained from Joseph Barrowclough

In the morning of Wednesday 8th July 1812, Joseph Barrowclough was again re-examined and gave more information to the authorities.

Barrowclough named Patrick Doring - who had been arrested the day before in the West Riding for threatening witnesses - and another man called Benjamin Hinchliffe, as the "principle agents in plundering houses for arms" in the Holmfirth area. He named others too - John Shaw being the 'Enoch' (i.e. hammer-man) during the raids, and other men (Samuel Hague, Abraham Armitage, Robert Fitton & Robert Harling) taking part.

Barrowclough described how the commanding Luddites could be identified by their wearing a ribbon on their waistcoats. The ribbons were different colours for the different areas. He also gave more details of the sums of money he alleged were paid to Luddites - contributions being levied and then distributed at a rate of 14 shillings per week.

Lastly, as well as giving physical descriptions of one of the mysterious and anonymous Luddite leaders and a sympathetic printer, he also gave more information about another arms dump.

Barrowclough's second deposition can be found at HO 42/125.

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