3rd August 1816: Details of a Luddite-like plot to destroy press-nail machinery in Birmingham is sent to the Home Office

August 3rd. 1816

May it Please your Lordship

in Consequence of the Nail Ironmongers again reducing their Workmen's Wages, and so many being Wholly out of Employ. A Plot is forming among them of A Dangerous tendency to Disturb the Peace in this Country. as the Nailors look upon the newly invented Machinery to Press Nails to be the Principal Cause of the Trade being so Bad. one of the Principal of these Manufactorys is in the out Skirts of Birmingham and known by the Name of the Britania Brewery and Another about A Mile out of Birmingham Called Bromford Mill. as these are the most Extensive Works. their Plan is for about 50 from each Parish that are Stout, and able to keep the Secret, about the next Change of the Moon to Set out in Small Bodys from their homes after Dark. half of them to one Manufactory and half to the other. and meet there at One O Clock in the Morning. and What fire Arms, they are Able to Collect to be in the hands of those that are Disciplined to lie in Ambush. While the other either Demolish the Machinery or if that Cannot be Done, to Set the Buildings on Fire, and if the Soldiers from the Barracks Should Come on them before they have Compleated their Work for the Ambush to Fire on them which at least Would throw the Soldiers in Such Confusion as to Allow the rest time to Escape and if they can Compleat it before the Soldiers Come to Disperse and return home in the Same Manner as they Went. this I thought it proper to inform your Lordship of. and When the Night is fixed or any further Proceedings take Place if you Wish it. if you please to Give me A Line I Will Wait on all their Proceedings. I remain with the Greatest Deference your most Obedient humble Servant &c &c

William Matthews Rowley near Dudley Worcestershire

P.S.

before I took this Letter to the Post I heard that there was to be A Meeting on Sunday Afternoon at A Wood near Dudley. I went with 2 more Neighbours about 2 O Clock where we found about 20 met who soon increased to about 50. from all the Different Parishes. Nothing afresh from what I have Named before was brought forward, Except the return of the Number of Fire Arms that they are ar Present informed of which amounts to 79. and another Meeting was to be held in the Same Place on Wednesday next. When one from each parish is to be Selected to Choose the fittest men in his Parish as are Disciplined. and to Consult whether it Would be Proper to have any of the Colliers with them

[To: Lord Sidmouth]

[Home Office note “Send a copy of this privately—to the Birmingham Police Magistrate.”]

8th December 1815: The Warwickshire JP, William Hamper, informs the Home Secretary about a man selling pamphlets about the Luddites

Birmingham, Decr 8th, 1815—

My Lord,

A Man named William Cooper, who appears to have been formerly a Grocer at Nottingham, is now travelling through this neighbourhood, under the pretence of offering for sale a Pamphlet of his writing containing some account of the Luddite Disturbances. He talks largely of being patronized by many of the Nobility, & in a List of Benefactors (whose donations amounted upwards of One Hundred & Forty Pounds) your Lordship’s Name is set down for 5£ in an handwriting which I shall now endeavour to give in Facsimile:

Lord Sidmouth . . . . . . . . 5

Some of the Signatures in his List appear to be genuine, but others have every appearance of being artfully fabricated for the purpose of deception; and I trust your Lordship will not consider me as overstepping my Duty in enquiring whether or not the Man has been a partaker of Your Lordship’s bounty.—I have detected so many Plunderers on public Benevolence, in Persons travelling with Petitions & false Certificates, that I make a point of thoroughly investigating every Case of that description which comes before me. I have the honour to remain, with the greatest Respect,

My Lord
Yr Lordship’s faithful Servant
Wm Hamper.
One of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the Counties of Warwick & Worcester

PS. From the colour of the Ink, it is not improbable that Your Lordship’s name was written a year or two ago.—

23rd April 1812: The Manchester spy John Bent reports on riots, a new role and a delegate from Birmingham

On Thursday 23d April 1812, the spy 'B' aka John Bent filed another report for Colonel Ralph Fletcher.

On the 18th, he had received a letter from someone called Mann in Leeds, who related to him the 'mischief' done in that area by the Luddites, who could not be stopped by the military or civil authorities. On the same day, Bent met with people he knew from Royton, Oldham, Saddleworth & Stockport who reported their 'high glee' about the food riot in Manchester that day, and noting that since the riot at the Manchester Exchange buildings ten days ago, a different cast of political characters were now active.

On Sunday 19th, Bent had attended a meeting with many of the heads of District Committees and discussed organisational matters such as leadership and the payment and collection of subscriptions

On Monday 20th, Bent had been at the Manchester Executive Committee meeting in Ardwick, and had been elected treasurer of that body, promising to let Fletcher know 'all the particulars'. Bent had heard reports that there were 4 men from London who were purporting to be from a committee, but people were wary because they were answering any of the agreed signs that identified committee members to each other.

Bent also said that he had heard that someone who had been arrested at Stockport recently who may have revealed to the authorities who he was in contact with. Bent pointed out to Fletcher that there were many others active in the Stockport area, and the loss of one activist would not spell the end of the Committee there.

On the 23rd April, Bent had met a delegate from Birmingham who was making a short stop in Manchester, ultimately heading to Glasgow via Preston and Carlisle. The delegate said that 3000 were twisted-in in Birmingham, and that they could lay their hands on within 1 or 2 days if summoned. Bent did not know his name but said that his number was 457, and described him as 'stout' with a dark complexion and hessian boots.

Bent ended his report on a note of concern about the 'dangerous' situation he was in, and trusted Fletcher to make arrangements for him so that he would be secure.

23rd April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates provide their last report to the Home Office on the disturbances

Public Office, Birmingham, Thursday, April 23rd. 1812.

Sir,

Resuming our Narrative from 2 o’Clock yesterday, when we dispatched our last Letter. About half an Hour after that time the Crowd increasing considerably and the People not going off to their Workshops, as we expected, but some halloeing & throwing DeadCats & a few Stones by which means some Windows were broken & complaints made to us from the Inhabitants of the danger to which they were thereby exposed; two of us, accompanied by a few Scots Greys, some special & other Constables, & about 20 Infantry with Arms, went into the midst of them, but many fled away at our approach, we judged it right however then to have the Proclamation in the Riot Act read, which, after a short address to the People, was done, at half past Two exactly, & we then ordered the Cavalry to clear the Streets, staying ourselves with them till 3 o'Clock, &, having secured a few of the most troublesome, we thought it best to retire, leaving the Military & the Constables to Keep the Streets clear & to take up any Persons who might appear to deserve it.—We then issued the Hand Bill with the words “Riot Act” at top, having before dispersed a considerable number of the large one commanding all Persons to keep the Peace, and between 4 & 5 o'Clock, finding all quiet, called in both the Military & the Constables. At Five we sent Patroles of Military to all the different Avenues of the Town to prevent the evil disposed from getting into the Country as they had done the night before, and those Patroles were Kept up till 11 o'Clock.—At 7, finding that the assemblage was again encreasing in the Marketplace, we ordered the Military & the Constables to go out, and Two of us went with them, by which means the Persons coming from their work were prevented from stopping, and no damage was done: by 11 o'Clock all was again quiet, the Military sent to Quarters & Barracks & no mischief done either in Town or Country.

This (Thursday) being Market Day, it was thought right to send the Patroles again, at 6 o'Clock in the Morning, to the Outskirts of the Town, lest Persons coming to Market should be insulted.—The special as well as other Constables, were also sent into the Market, at 9 o'Clock, to protect the Farmers selling Potatoes, & one of the Constables, who had called on most of the Farmers in the Neighbourhood to persuade them to bring Potatoes, engaged a considerable Quantity which were brought in & sold at a fair & moderate, but not at a reduced, price, which would only tend to encrease the consumption & of course the scarcity.—

(½ past 2.)

The Dinner Hour of the Workmen having now completely past over, the Populace in the Market place decreasing, and no appearance of Disturbance shewing itself, we close our Letter with a confident Hope that the Disposition to riot is gradually dying away.—

We have the Honour to be
Sir,
Your mo. Obed. hble Servt.

Wm Villers
Wm Hicks
Wm Hamper
W Withering

The Right Hon: the Secretary of State.

22nd April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates update the Home Office on the disturbances

Public Office, Birmingham, April 22nd. 1812.—

Sir,

After the time of dispatching our Letter of Yesterday, which was written necessarily in great haste, the Town was tolerably quiet until the Dusk of the Evening, when the Workmen coming out of their Shops, the Numbers in the Streets encreased, & some of the noisy, idle, profligate & disaffected became clamorous & threw stones at the Peace: Officers, who were on the watch in different parts, insomuch that it became necessary to send for a Party of the Warwickshire Yeomanry from the Barracks where by our desire they had come from an inspection in the morning.—No mischief however of any consequence was done, before the Yeomanry arrived at this Office the greater Number of the Populace had left the Town & were gone towards Harborne & Edgbaston in this Neighbourhood threatening mischief. The Yeomanry therefore accompanied by Magistrate pursued them, & found that they had chained & nailed up the Turnpike Gates at the end of the Town with a view of preventing the Military from following them: the Gates were however forced and they were so closely pursued that they dispersed in all directions without having done any damage. Patroles were kept in different parts of the Town until Midnight when everything appeared quiet & a Guard both of Horse & Foot left ready any emergency, the Scots Greys under Major Hankin, who have been on duty all the Day & to whose prompt mentions we have reason to attribute the security of the Town, and the Yeomanry were sent to Barracks & Quarters.—A Party at the Handsworth Cavalry arrived in the Night, and we have desired the first Troop of Warwickshire Yeomanry to come from their Field today to relieve the 2nd which with the Scots Greys will then be ready to protect the Farmers tomorrow.—We issued a Hand Bill yesterday, one of which will be enclosed, and sent some of them all round the Town several miles.—We wish it to be plainly understood, as our decided opinion, that this disturbance although under the pretence of the Orders in Council, the high price of Provisions & the badness of Trade, is neither entirely occasioned by the one or the other, it doubtless arises principally from seditious Persons, who catching the flame from inflammatory speeches which they have read or heard & from Papers of that description dropped in the Streets & Roads, and such evil disposed Persons stirring up other idle, unprincipled, profligate & abandoned Characters to act under them.—Indeed we have great reason to believe that some Persons from Nottingham & from Sheffield have been all over this part of the Country with those views, & the Paper which we had the Honour to send you last week we believe will be found to be of Yorkshire Fabric, & the language that of Yorkshire.—The Inhabitants of this Town are chiefly loyal, quiet & industrious Persons, but none of them would appear in the Streets nor would any tumult arise, was not the Poison spread amongst the minds of others.—Every care will be taken to prevent mischief & to put a stop to these proceedings; and we flatter ourselves that the promptness with which measures were adopted has had its due effect.—We received yesterday an Answer from Lichfield stating that Major General Dyott not being there, & no Dragoons, we could have no assistance from thence.—Enclosed you have a Paper which was found last night on the spot where the principal Crowd was collected, & from the latter part of it may plainly be seen the spirit which actuates the Rioters.—We could wish to have all the Papers we send to you returned, as we may have persons come to us who can give us some information concerning them.—

(2 o'Clock) the Town remains quiet, but we expect, and (as we trust) are fully prepared for, a renewal of Disturbances at night.—

We have the Honour to remain
Sir Your most obed. hble Servants

Wm Villers
W. Hicks
Wm Hamper
W Withering

The Rt. Honble. the Secretary of State

21st April 1812: "Fear not - overturn the Prince and His Rubish", handbill found in Birmingham

How long ye Wretches will ye
Grind The Faces of the poor—
But the day is at hand, I will help
to the last expiring breath in assist-
-ing you—nothing but victims
will do why; will you drag
out such miserable lives
dash away, Fear Not
overturn the Prince
and His Rubish—
Fly, Fly, your
Aid is Strong

21st April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates report disturbances to the Home Office

Sir

Some symptoms of Disturbance having taken place in this Town, a few windows broken & the sellers of Potatoes assaulted We have ordered the Patroles of the Scots Grays in different parts and as some of those Troop were sent for to Walsall yesterday we have also written to Gen. Dyott at Lichfield to send two more Troops to the Barracks here, & have desired Col’ Gosselyn to send a Party of the Recruits under his command to guard the Tower (the Place so-called) where Government Arms are lodged — and we have also published Hand Bills assuring the Farmers of being protected in bringing Potatoes to market

We hope therefore that the Peace will be effectually preserved as we shall continue in Town till all Danger so [illegible]

We have the honor to be Sir
Your most faithful Servs

Wm Villers
Wm Hamper

Birm’ April 21. 1812. 3 o'Clock

21st April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates give assurances to Farmers selling Potatoes in the Marketplace

16th April 1812: Handbill posted in Birmingham

25th January 1812: Birmingham Magistrates forward an alarming letter from Leicestershire to the Home Office

[illegible] Leicestershire

dated 25th Jany 1812.

Addressed to a Gentleman in Birmingham

I have been turning it over in my mind to write to you for the last 10 days to relate a conversation which I overheard in this village since I returned Home, which I must confess has occupied my mind day & night how I should act & being with our neighbour W. ____ the magistrate yesterday Evening & hearing from him some strangers were come into this Place of very suspicious character within the last three days & well knowing that two men last week had been in this village from Nottingham at the Principal Stocking makers Shops, to get support for the Rioters in that part of the Country, (who call themselves Ned Luds Men) I mentioned it to the Magistrate what I had heard & what were my intentions & he requested I would not delay a post to write to you, for if time were the delay of a few hours might be the greatest consequence. I therefore will communicate to you the following information —

That there is a correspondence going on at this moment between the Nottingham & Derbyshire Rioters & the lower class of Manufacturers in Birmhm, but as the latter are obliged to manufacture the Arms privately, they cannot be ready to join them this fortnight; in which time One Hundred Thousand will be ready to join them from Birmingham & they request the Rioters to keep on their depredations in some degree till they are ready.

(This information has been made in the fullest confidence that the writer’s name may never be divulged, who is a person not only of the greatest respectability, but not at all likely to feel alarmed without a good cause for being so.)