23rd July 1816: John Lloyd sends the weavers' memorial to the Home Office

Stockport 23 July 1816

Sir

I have since my return from the Sessions seen Mr. Middleton who says he has not heard any more from the man he alluded to—

I have the honor to inclose a Copy of memorial which I found posted in the Town—and I am sorry to learn that many of the more respectable Inhabitants than the original promoters have been induced to add their signatures:—without reflecting that the spinning of Cotton is what gives employment to nearly half our population; & the prohibition of Twist wou’d have a [tendency] to improve Machinery abroad, and a rivality be the consequence—I have seen some of these Gentlemen and warned others—for it must end in disappointment to those whose hopes of relief are derived from this [illegible]

Joseph Sherwin & Simon Lilly are the two principal weavers soliciting subscriptions of names & Sums of money. They have already received an answer from the Treasury signed by Mr. Lushington that ought to have set them at rest: but I perceive that their object is raising a little money for their own purposes—

I remember upon a former occasion, when news was brought to Town of similar memorials or Petitions failing of their affect there was almost a simultaneous rising of the weavers who went forth to stop people in the County from weaving at all—I apprehended, by the assistance of some of the 6th Dragoons, 62 at one time & by special Constables 60 more—Several of whom were tried at Chester for riot and various Offences, by directions from the Treasury—I have reminded the incautious manufacturers of the evil resulting from a temporizing mode of acting, with Characters so soon inflamed, and so prone to misconceive the true interest of themselves & the nation—

I have [etc]

J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esqr
&c &c

11th July 1816: John Lloyd admits to the Home Office that the local authority is directly supporting the local weavers

Stockport 11 July 1816

Sir

I have the honor now to inform you that I yesterday attended a meeting of some of the principal Gentleman of our Town as the secretary to form a plan for employing the weavers and others not able to procure work for themselves—and we have effected it upon a system that promises good effects—Considering it better to have the work furnished by the Overseers of the poor for the relief necessarily afforded to the families rather than risk an odium against any particular party for keeping down wages—for according to our plan the labour is to be an equivalent for the money paid to them out of the rates—The subscription in aid of those rights to purchase materials which when manufactured are to be sold & the money they produce paid into the fund which is to be deposited in the Bank of messrs Jones Fox & Co in manchester—and little or no loss is anticipated.

[Should] you wish to be further acquainted with the Plan, you can command it from me when more mature—I think we shall be able to manage the people & keep them quiet—no [disposition] to the contrary, I am happy to say, at present appears.

I have got the Overseers into better humour—& I will take an opportunity of printing out the Observations in this days Courier Paper to them.

I have the honor to be
Sir

Your very obedient
humble Servant

J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esqr.
Under Secy of State
&c &c

25th June 1816: John Lloyd writes to the Home Office about distressed weavers in Stockport

Stockport 25 June 1816

Sir

In my last letter relating to the situation of the people in Stockport, I think I informed you that I had recommended to the Gentleman of the Town to make enquiry after Cases of distress thro’ want of employment, and to report them for relief—I have now the honor to inform you that a certain number of the Weavers delegates by the Body first made a return of the number and names of the Weavers with the number of Looms employed & unemployed, the total of which they made out to be — For Stockport

Looms employed 775 unemployed 1117 – no. of Families [illegible]         3410
For Edgeley [adg.] 208 unemployed 475 – [ditto]                 1070
For Heaton Norris 254 unemployed 241 – [ditto]                 913
also adjoining
[Total] 1237 unemployed 1833 – [ditto]                      5393

A Committee of [Gentlemen] were approved to go round the districts after them & yesterday [illegible] to report—The result was a very general distress amongst the Weavers but exaggeration had been practised—Indeed this I know for I attended the Committee & took a District myself & found the first statement extremely incorrect—The Committee have recommended to the magistrates about [110] objects for Relief—which it is intended to grant from the Poor rates, as no adequate Subscription can be raised to the purpose—but this is not all the busy & meddling part of them (few in number) want. They suggested that radical relief cou’d proceed only from the Government, & they urged the Committee to address a memorial to the Prince Regent; but of course that was not countenanced—I reminded them of the Letter answer they had received from Mr [illegible]—I expect to see a publication from the pen of a Gentleman formally in the Silk Trade who has got the cacoethes loquendi et scribendi—because I will not suffer him to harangue upon their favorite Topic of Exportation of Cotton Twist & a minimum price for wages—He addressed the note yesterday to the [meeting] of which the following is a Copy—"Preparing for Publication a Letter to John Lloyd Esqr. Detailing the Author’s Plan for the Relief of the Poor of Stockport &c and opposing the fallacy of Mr. Lloyd's representations or rather misrepresentations at the Public meeting on Thursday the 20 instant. By W. Dawson He who offers a plan for public adoption should observe it at once useful seasonable & practicable” L’Esprit de Loix—

“To prevent the idea of Collusion the Outlines of this plan are already sealed up & dated & deposited in the hands of respectable Neighbour" addressed

"To the magistrates on the Committee"

We paid the Weavers for making out the return and those who attended at the Inn where the meeting was held, appeared well pleased with the attention & solicitude of the Committee & magistrates—& they were paid for all the trouble they had taken but acquainted that they must not expect any more money whatever they took upon themselves to do—

My clerks are now extracting the names of those reported to be in extreme Distress, & the next difficulty I shall experience will be with the Overseers of the Poor, who cannot collect the rates sufficiently to answer the extra demands thus brought upon them—And I anticipate the greatest vexation from their Conduct, for their humanity is not natural and when they are not in any office they are very untoward, and aggravate the distress of the Poor.

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

P.S. We have had considerable vexation owing to a resolution amongst the Shopkeepers not to receive the plain silver Coinage – and your Letter was particularly seasonable—Things are now going on better—

26th May 1816: John Lloyd sends a circular to Stockport Manufacturers, urging preparations for disorder

Rumours are kept afloat of unlawful [Combinations] & intended meetings of the dissatisfied workpeople. The weavers have petitioned the parliament & their Delegates have just received Letters from the members, who give them no hopes of relief from that quarter — nor cou’d it reasonably be expected.

I do not observe at any serious Check has been put to the Riots & Disorders that prevail in different parts of the Kingdom; on the contrary, I am sorry to see, by the papers this morning, that, in Norfolk, the worst possible example & [encouragement] have been given to the malcontents, by want of courage & firmness in those who undertook to oppose the violence of a lawless mob.

Rather than remain longer Indifferent to the Rumours, & what is actually going forward, the better policy wou’d be to prepare to prevent mischief; and I will venture to suggest that the "honest men active" [should] adopt plans of Operation in case of need & communicate from time to time to some one person such information as may be important to the peace of the Country.

Special Constables [should] be sworn-in & places of rendezvous fixed upon & the first symptoms of Disorder suppressed.

I shall be glad if you will call upon me at any my Office at any hour from 3 to 8 of the afternoon tomorrow—

In this affair I need not point out the necessity of secrecy & good faith

J Lloyd

Stockport [illegible] 26 May
1816

21st May 1816: John Lloyd sends the 'Death of Calico Jack' handbill to the Home Office

Stockport 21st May 1816

Sir

Mr. Prescot will send up a Copy the Petition I alluded to in my last by this night’s Post – It is temperate humble & true and attention will be flattering if not effectual—

I inclose you a Copy the Printed Paper I mentioned — a Man that succeeded the first who introduced them excited the curiosity of the People by his manner & collected such numbers of people round him that it was found expedient to seize the whole of his Papers—& the Christn Name & place of abode of the Printer not being given I have instituted a prosecution agst the Distributor for assembly, which He may not be able to pay & must go to prison—& that may prevent the circulation of similar papers.

It is probable that the Secy of State will be applied to for a troop of Horse to be stationed in the Town. I conceive the Barracks at Manchester would be more proper as the Soln cou’d be soon obtained in case of necessity, which I will not anticipate

I have the honor to remain
Your very obedient humble Servant

J Lloyd

P.S. The ridiculous Paper was written 25 Years ago by a man of the name of Dale of this Town—& has been revived on occasions like present – I remember to have seen it during the turn-out of weavers in 1808.

[To] J. Beckett Esqr
&c &c

20th May 1816: John Lloyd sends his observations about local weavers to the Home Office

Stockport 20th May 1816

Sir

I was prepared to expect an application on the part of the Weavers to the resident magistrate Mr Prescot for the purpose of obtaining his sanction for a public meeting to petition Parliament, & the Justice was prepared to dissuade the Delegates from that mode of promoting a petition — advising the manner of doing it to be by their Committee, & promising that it shod be forwarded

They represented their situations to be worse a great deal than when they before complained, & the written statement they addressed to Mr. Prescot I have copied & sent herewith

I have had an opportunity of asking some of the masters in the Trade about the prices—& they do not deny the main facts but say they have taken the extreme in both cases periods i:e. the highest of the Year 1814 & lowest of the present.

I have recommended proper persons to be sent to families whose support depended on Weavg to enquire as to their necessities & to apply for relief from their respective parishes & to pay every attention to them — & rather to anticipate the relief to their distresses—for it does not appear that they are likely to succeed with the object of their intended petition — but I have requested that no opposition shod be given to it by public argument or counter petition

There are bad spirits amongst the Weavers & some of the lower orders here, that no pretext shod be given to—

To day they have been distributing foolish handbills in the neighbourhood about the Downfall of the Cotton Trade or the "Weavers’ Downfall"

It is such as not to deserve notice but I shall take an opportunity of findg out the printer & cautioning him, to prevent papers of a worse tendency succeeding this—

I am in considerable haste & you will please to believe that I cod not pay better attention to this Letter to you from that circumstance—

Your very obedient hble Svt

J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esq
&c &c

13th May 1816: John Lloyd informs the Home Office of talk of a revival of 'Ludditism' in Stockport

Stockport 13th May 1816

Sir

You are so well acquainted with the dispositions of the different Classes of Society that I need not observe to you that the fears of some and the wickedness of others anticipate (I may say invite) calamity. They speak here of Ludditism being revived and of a troop of Horse being ordered to this Town to be quartered here. Reports of that nature I have always found to have a tendency to excite restlessness & discontent.

I wou’d not address you upon the subject but from the probability of some application being made from another quarter; & I have a wish to have the honor of your Confidence in a matter in which I will qualify myself to inform you faithfully for At present I discover no cause for alarm. Trade is bad but we are in this Town comparatively well off.

The change is very natural, and the inordinate spirit of speculation, and abuse of credit over this County will feel benefit from the revolution we have experienced with regard to trade

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

20th June 1815: John Lloyd reports information about a Hatters' Union to the Home Office

Stockport 20th June 1815

Sir

At the last Chester assizes I was concerned professionally in a prosecution against a man of the name of Green for stealing Hats from his Master Mr. John Jackson a considerable Hat manufacturer in this Town and one George Pickford was a Witness for the prosecution — This hatter man and one Wm. Acton were the persons that first informed Mr. Jackson of the felony, and at the same time gave him reason to suspect a master-Hatter of the name of Richd Ardern of receiving the stolen Goods & encouraging such offences—William Henshall worked for Ardern as well as Thomas Bell the latter of whom was said to be privy to the Offences.―On the 15th Feby last Mr. Jackson took out a Warrant agt Ardern and Bell—the latter absented himself, &, there not being sufficient Evidence to fix the former, he was released & the next day he (Ardern) appealed to the Justice & obtained a Warrant against the Witnesses Acton & Pickford for threats sworn by sd Wm. Henshall to have been suffered by them agt the Life of Ardern on the monday before which was the day they had given Information of the felony – But this fact they must positively deny — No threats were ever made. This has been carried a little further, & they have since sworn to an actual Assault, & indicted Acton & Pickford at the Sessions which immediately succeeded the Assizes.

Pickford as I observed was examined on the Trial of Green who was convicted — and in the course of the trial it came out that the Journeyman Hatters of this Town had assembled in congress (as it is so called by them) on the 20th Feby a day or two after the commitment of Green and had imposed a fine of five guineas upon Pickford for giving the Information to the master of the robbery; which induced the Court to make a strict Enquiry as to the nature of such Congress and the animadvert upon the it in the strongest terms

Mr Sergt Marshall who presided for the Atty Genl, and Chief Justice, expressed a hope that some Evidence might be procured & steps taken to suppress such dangerous & illegal proceedings — This day has brought me to the sd Acton & Pickford to the Office, who having to defend themselves from on the Charge of the assault imputed to them by the Indictment, have declared all the circumstances concerning the Congress which has been taken upon oath & is to the Effect following —

That any Journeyman Hatter (Pickford & Acton amongst the rest) were warned or summoned to the Townhouse for 7 oClock on the 20th Feby — where a committee was formed out of the Body consisting of above a dozen Journeymen whereof the said William Henshall was the president and John Knight Wm. Hodgkinson and Joseph Birkett and John Swindells were members — The Copies of Examinations were produced & read by by John Wood and read aloud first by sd Joseph Birkett & afterwards by John Shore and after some deliberation which Pickford & Acton were not allowed to be present at, they were called in and a paper was read to them by Thomas Oldham to the following purport

"George Pickford & Wm Acton must pay five Guineas each before they hat any more all be stood by—" (the meaning of the last Expression was sufficiently understood by them to be that no one was to be suffered to work with them or the masters to employ them). They accordingly raised the money that night & paid it, part of it to Joseph Birkett remainder to the Inn Keeper of a public house the next night for Liquor which all the Journeymen partook of except Pickford & Acton & a scene of the greatest riot drunkenness & confusion ensued on this occasion – Acton is a poor man and was under the necessity of borrowing the money which he had to stop from the maintenance of his family by 10 [shillings] per week The Stewards assembled the congress and ordered the spending of the money. There are 3 stewards who have each a Key of the Turn-house Box, in which the papers are deposited — The acting Steward was sd Joseph Birkett

A Petty Congress was afterwards held at which the Journeyman Hatters were ordered to contribute 6 [pence] per week each Green & his Wife the former had 6 [shillings] a week in Prison & the latter 14 [shillings] per week to hire upon — and this they forced Pickford & Acton to contribute to under threats of fines ― Acton sent his money to the Stewards every Saturday night at the Turn house by one Saml. Parr, a Journeyman, And that they contributed in like manner to the Journeyman Calico Printers lately when they turned out against the masters—

The manner in which Congress is assembled they represent to be by a Note written by a Steward (supposed to be Birkett) which is handed to the 1st Shop and from thence it is taken by a workman of that shop to the next & so on (under a fine for any delay) till it gets to the last shop in the district & this last carries it to the Steward at Congress when assembled ― And this you will please to observe in general throughout the Kingdom — a Journeyman not attending forfeits 5 [shillings]/3 [pence] to be spent in liquor for the first 7 shops—

A Petty Congress is composed of one Journeyman from each Shop who is summoned by name & for non attendance forfeits 2 [shillings]/6 [pence] – If a Journeyman refuses to pay any fine – He is declared foul & no one is to work with him work with him; & if the master shod employ him, after he  has been declared so — The whole Shop ‘turn out’ or ‘strike’ & refuse to work for that master—

Thus an Individual Master is intimidated from making his complaint, & there is not unfortunately sufficient of Union amongst them to crush the Evil — and I am therefore induced to trouble you at the instance of Mr Jackson, who is obliged to remain in the back ground in this business, in the hopes that you will allow Mr. Serjeant Marshall to confer with the Attorney and Solr General with a view to making it a public Concern — or at least allow us to have the sanction of the Government in our legal proceedings to suppress the Confederacy either by Indictment for a Conspiracy or otherwise – and particularly be aided with some power, if the 39th & 40th of the King (the Combination Act) does not provide it, in making the seizure of their Books and papers — At all events you will be pleased to excuse me troubling you with so long a Letter upon the Subject

I have the honor to be
Sir

Your very obedient
humble Servant

J Lloyd

[Home Office note: desire Him to collect all the Evidence He can that is likely to lead a Conviction and transmit it to Mr Hobhouse

— It is not legal to seize Papers under the 39 & 40th of the King — but if they can be got at in any other way it might be desirable — Lord S. leaves this however to Himself.]

16th December 1813: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, sends details of a case of seditious language to the Home Office

Stockport 16th Decr 1813

Sir

I have the honor to transmit to you copies of Informations taken against a man of the name of George Bowring some little time ago respecting some seditious Expressions uttered by him at a public house in this Town, and which, owing to the presence of military characters, it cou’d not and ought not to be overlooked.

He was consequently taken up under a Warrant obtained from the revd. C. Prescot, our resident magistrate, who directed him to find Bail – and not being able to do so, he was committed to Chester Castle where he now remains; and, if you direct it, may be indicted at the next Assizes, or required by the may consent in court to enter into Recognizance for his future good behaviour, but certainly some notice must be taken and the reasons I have stated.

I was aware it wou’d be required of me to state further circumstances for you to form your Judgement upon, and I have therefore made such enquiries, as struck me to be necessary.

Bowring followed the Trade of a master Butcher in a small way, at a populous village in Derbyshire called New Mills 8 miles from this Town — a place notorious for profligacy of manners and formerly for disaffection to the Government. (but which latter I shod hope cannot generally now prevail even there.)—I have been informed he has been in the habit of drinking the Toast charged agt him altho’ he has been cautioned & warned of the impropriety & the consequences—It seems he had hitherto been encouraged by the impunity—He has a Brother, keeping a public house here who refused to bail him He (the Prisr) is not a very drunken man—but was somewhat in liquor at the time he uttered the words—however he was at that time cautioned by those present that anticipated the words of the intended Toast to be seditious; and upon the whole I have found that he is an object for chastisement — and shod the great Government Law Officers not recommend the prosecution at the public expence I will take some steps to keep him under alarm, till with a view to his being placed under a Recognizance at least. I have the honor

to remain Sir
Your very obedt & hb Sert
J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esq
&c &c

13th September 1813: The trial of William Beston, at Chester Lammas Assizes, for burglary

William Beston was the brother of Simeon Beston, who had been convicted 3 days before of Burglary at Chester Lammas Assizes. It was he who the Chester Chronicle had erroneously accused of being a Luddite, on account of an involvement in rioting at Stockport in April 1812. In fact, it was his co-accused, James Renshaw, who had been convicted thus.

I have included this trial on account of this slip, and also because William Beston shared the same fate as his brother and Renshaw.

[William Beston] alias Basnett, aged 42, a weaver from North Etchells, was indicted for a burglary and felony, in the dwelling house of Samuel Harding, of Swettenham, on the 6th of June last, and stealing cash, notes, &c. to the amount of 100l. and upwards.

The circumstances of this case bore all the alarming features which characterized the trial of Simeon Beston and James Renshaw, on Friday.

Lucy Harding, wife [of] the prosecutor, stated her husband to be a cripple. I went to bed (said she) between 10 and 11 o'clock, together with my daughter and son-in-law. Between 1 and 2, I was alarmed by a noise in the shop, and the light of a candle. A man entered the room, (another standing at the door) and said he wanted some bread and cheese. I said there was but little in the house. One of the men had a black face, and he said to the other, "You may go down."—He went down stairs. They afterwards rifled the boxes; and the man at the head of the steps said, if I did not get into bed, he’d blow my brains out!—They had both of them pistols. When they were going into the adjoining room, the man with a black face, presented a pistol to my husband's head, and demanded his money. He said there was no more; there might be some in the adjoining room, but it did not belong to him. He then came to me, demanding the key, saying if I did not surrender he would blow my brains out! The man without his face backed, came to me, with a candle and pistol, and insisted on me getting out of bed, and delivering the money. I did so; and the man with a black face said, "Is there no gold?" I told him the other man had got it out of the desk. I then went into bed again, and they followed me, saying, if I did not lie still they would blow my brains out, as they were guarding the house. At this time I heard somebody below in the shop. On examining the house after they were gone, I found they had gone out, through the door, but had entered at the window. They had broken the stanchion and cut out the glass.—They were in the house about 20 minutes, and the man without the blackface is the prisoner at the bar. He held a candle in his hand; I knew him when he was a boy, for he had not changed his face although he had changed his clothes. A man had come to the shops for half an ounce of tobacco, and I judge the man with a black face to be the person. They took 14 guineas, a half guinea, Bank of England Bills, Local Notes, some silver coin, nineteen shillings in copper out of the shop, tied in a handkerchief, and twenty shillings or more in copper out of the drawer—altogether about one hundred pounds.

On cross-examination by Mr. D.F. Jones, she said she had no doubt of the prisoner’s identity.

The daughter of the last witness corroborated the testimony of her mother. She had fastened all the doors and windows. The prisoner at the bar was the man who rifled her trunk—he took some silver in a purse.

The husband of the preceding witness gave a similar testimony.—When the men were in the room, he said to the man with a black face, "You've taken all the money;" the robber replied, "If you don't hold your noise, I'll blow out your brains."—Saw the prisoner at the Bar distinctly. Knew him again at the justice’s; had seen the man before at Wilmslow.

Another witness deposed she had seen the prisoner and two other men in the road, at Carrington Heath.

James Gardner said he had seen the prisoner and two others at Bowden, at 5 o'clock on the morning after the robbery; the prisoner was drinking, but the others were at the the door tossing for two shillings, half-a-crown, and five shillings at a time.—Beston had some copper in a handkerchief behind him, and he paid the shot out of it.

Thomas Hall deposed, that on Whitsun Monday he saw the prisoner at the Round-about at Altrincham; he was lying on a sofa, apparently asleep. A pistol was hanging out of his pocket. A man present took the pistol gave it to witness, who drew the ramrod, in order to discover whether it was loaded; but there not being a screw to it, he got a skewer, and knocked the charge out on the table. It was heavily loaded, and had five large slugs at the top!—The prisoner pulled out a purse there, in which was about 12 or 14 shillings or guineas; he could not tell which.—[A purse was handed to witness, which he said was similar as to color and make, to the one produced by the prisoner]

Robert Oldham, a publican of Chester, said the prisoner was at his house on Sunday the 13th of June.—On Monday he asked for change for a guinea. Witness thought he was joking, from the great scarcity of that coin; but the prisoner produced a guinea, and witness changed it. On Wednesday or Thursday following, he changed another.

Anne Foulkes, of the Livre, Chester, remembers the prisoner being at her house the 14th June last, when he changed a 5l. Macclesfield note.

Mr. Lloyd, Solicitor, of Stockport, was examined as to the distance from Swettenham to Bowden, which he stated to be about 12 or 13 miles the nearest way, but by way of Knutsford it was probably more than 13 miles.

The examination of the Prisoner was here produced. In it the prisoner denied being from home the particular nights in question, &c.

One of the Jury stated the distance between Swettenham and Bowden to be about twelve miles.

The Prisoner being asked for his defence, replied "I have nothing to say."

His Lordship then recapitulated the whole of the evidence, and the Jury immediately found the prisoner—Guilty.

William Beston was later sentenced to death. A later edition of the Chester Chronicle commented on William Beston's reaction to the sentencing:

Immediately after sentence was passed upon them, William Beston, holding up his fist in a threatening position, said, "[Damn] thee, [Lloyd] I may thank thee for this?" pointing to a respectable attorney in court, who had been the principal means of apprehending the desperadoes!

26th January 1813: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, tells the Home Office that his agents are greedy for a reward

Stockport 26 Jany 1813

Sir

I have the honor of your public and private Letters this morning, the first containing Instructions for the distribution of the Proclamation, many Copies of which accompanied the Letter—& in pursuance of it, I dispatched Taylor & Whitehead to the proper Counties to post this morning—

The latter relative to these two men surprized me, for they that knew that it was my intention to write about them to Mr. Hobhouse which I have done, and I consider their conduct as exceedingly impertinent in writing to the Secretary of State & taking the liberty of asserting that there was an agreement entered into—

I acknowledge that they have made themselves very useful and that in some cases they have risked their lives; but at the same time they have been very expensive, & I have to recommend that you first see the accounts, which I shall send up to Mr Hobhouse in the course of a day or two, before you fix upon any pecuniary remuneration — in the mean time I will give them something to keep them — I certainly do think their Services were of real importance but am not enabled to say what compensation will be sufficient to satisfy them.

I am very happy to be enabled to state that the proceedings at York have had the best possible effect all over the country — Before I left the West riding I took my Horse & rode through the different places where I was known to have been busy against the Luds — and since my return home I have visited many companies & been much about in my own neighbourhood and have derived the greatest gratification in witnessing the proper observations & feelings of the people—

I have [etc]
J Lloyd

P.S. I shall take no notice at present to Taylor & Whitehead of having had any Letter from you.

[To] J Beckett Esqr
&c &c

13th January 1813: Henry Hobhouse dismisses the solicitors Lloyd & Allison to prevent them stirring up further trouble

York
Jan. 13. 1813.

Sir,

I deem it right to lose no Time in informing you that in Consequence of a Conversation which I had yesterday Evening, with Gen. Maitland, in which he stated his Intention to be to try whether the severe Example made at this place together with the Amnesty proposed on the part of the Government would not unable him to withdraw the Troops from the disturbed parts, & leave those parts to recover tranquility, from their Disaffection, I conceived it would be right to prevent the Effect of these measures being endangered by any Indiscretion on the part of the Attornies who have been employed for the Crown at Huddersfield. I have therefore taken upon myself to inform Mr. Lloyd & Mr. Allison that they cease to be employed from this Time, & that they are to take no Step whatever on the part of Government without express orders, for which however they are at liberty to apply, if they shall see occasion. If Lord Sidmouth should disapprove of these Directions, it will be easy to correct my Error; whereas any Contravention of the Views of His Majesty’s Ministers on the opposite side would not be so easily set right. I therefore hope I shall at last stand excused for the Orders I have given.

Inclosed I send you a Copy of a Letter from Mr. Cartwright to Mr. Blackburn the Attorney for the Prisoners, written in answer to an Application to sign a Petition, which is probably a Duplicate of one that I am informed went up to Lord Sidmouth last Night.

I am now on the point of quitting this Place, & remain

Sir
Your obedient
humble Servant
H. Hobhouse

[To] J Beckett Esq

4th November 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, seeks a pardon for the informer William Hall

Stockport [near]
Manchester Nov. 4, 1812

Sir

A circumstance yesterday came to my knowledge which will require consideration, and, altho’ you may not deem it of sufficient importance to occupy your attention, it is nevertheless my duty to make it known.

Wm Hall, a principal Witness against the murderers of Mr. Horsfall has declared to me that he was twisted in (as they term it) prior to any outrage being committed by the Luddites in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield by a man of the name of *Bottomley, who took him to the Cross Keys in Huddersfield, along with Thomas Smith, one of the murderers, and there in the presence of Jno Walker+, he administered the oath, which Hall recollects to be the same I read over to him (the common oath) but he can state sufficient particulars from his own memory. Bottomley said they called it twisting-in, as they durst not call it swearing-in. Now at the same time that it is extremely desirable to get at Bottomley, who is the person the Murderer, Wm Thorpe, relies upon to prove an alibi for him, and because Hall says he was at the Head of 10 that were sworn & every one sworn was to swear in a like number & B at the Head, still it wou’d be risquing the credibility of Hall, I fear, to take his Information in writing—Since he did not avail himself of the proviso in Act of Parliament within the limited time—

He feels that he is now obliged to declare every thing but I have cautioned him in this respect till I can know your sentiments—If he is silent it might may not be known by the Counsel who may have to cross-examine him — & it wou’d be singular to question him upon the trial with a view to his criminating himself — It is true that Hall stands already in the situation of an accomplice, in different felonies & in accepting in the murder but he can be corroborated and will be received no doubt — if the taking an unlawful oath and conceiving it will not affect his competency.

Cou’d a pardon now be obtained to him and some of the Witnesses under similar Circumstances upon a complete Confession being given? If this were allowed Bottomley may be fixed for the oath, and Hall corroborated & confirmed by the Landlord or some others of credit seeing them together.

You will perhaps honor me with your advice in a day or two addressed to me at Stockport.

I will endeavor to send my observations upon the Cases for trial herewith & trust you will not be offended at the Liberty I shall take in making remarks, which will naturally arise to be made by those more competent before whom they will have to be placed.

As I understand it will be suggested to the Secy of State by Genl. Maitland to send the Treasury Solr. down to make up & select the Cases for Prosn at York, I venture to offer a journey to Town to prevent that trouble, if inconvenient on the one hand, or at all advantageous to the Solr. on the other.

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esqr.

*The same whose Examn I have transmd taken in defence of Thorpe
+now at York Castle

2nd November 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, urges restraint in capturing further Luddites

Private

Huddersfield
2d Novemr. 1812

Will you excuse me when I trouble you with my own private opinion on two questions; viz as to the propriety of a Special Commission, and whether it is now necessary to proceed extensively in apprehending persons connected with the Luddites, not being leading Parties.

The first I have heard suggested as Desireable by Mr. Radcliffe but I cannot conceive it necessary: for, the cases are strong enough (some of them) to lay before any Judges — however they may be disposed to look upon the Offences — for Mr. Justice Bailey’s designating a particular Instance of arms-stealing, a Frolick seems to have been the Cause of such an inclination wish in the Magistrates here. Besides it does not appear likely when adjournments have been fixed so conveniently — and, it strikes me, it wou’d be an insult upon those Judges to solicit a fresh commission. Excuse the liberty I take in making these remarks — as for myself — in getting up the Cases, I will be ready any time with a fortnight's previous notice.

With regard to the 2d point I have continued my opinion here & urged it before I left to go home on 24th Oct. that none shod be taken up but notorious Ring leaders and those of the most desperate class. I fear some of the last apprehended cannot be convicted for want of the accomplice receiving the requisite confirmation, and then we may be doing

[Obscured] here I have seen the [obscured] Letter from your Office to Mr. Radcliffe,—which gives me reason to believe I have not hazarded my opinion prematurely. I have been repeating the same & shall be happy to be honored with your private sentiments addressed to me at Home (Stockport) to which place I shall return tomorrow.

I am [etc]

J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esqr

29th October 1812: The Huddersfield Solicitor, John Allison, explains how the authorities got Benjamin Walker to confess

Sir,

In compliance with your Letter of this morning I have the Honor to inclose you a Copy of Walkers Examination.

There were certainly Inducement held out to Walker both by myself and Mr. Radcliffe through the medium of Walker's own relations to make the Confession and he assuredly made it upon the Faith of those Inducements, he did this too at a time when we had no evidence against either himself or Thorpe or Smith and when he had been several days in confinement for examination. It was thought at that time both by Mr. Radcliffe and myself and Mr. Lloyd who was there with me as well as by General Acland that it was the most adviseable method. Mr. Lloyd has since taken and placed Walker in a place of perfect Safety and no doubt he will have reported to you thereon. The person to whom Mr. Lloyd alludes as having been properly examined is Joseph Sowden a Copy of whose Examination I have already transmitted to Lord Sidmouth. I shall I have no Doubt confirm Walker in a very many leading circumstances and am doing my endeavours so to do and have no Doubt of succeeding. William Hall will confirm Sowden’s Testimony as to the Oath and Sowden’s Confession was quite voluntary on his part and without the least Inducement or Threat indeed the Circumstance which Sowden revealed was never dreamt of till he disclosed it.

I have the honour also to transmit Copy of the Examination of Robert Robinson a Publican at whose House Smith called soon after the murder and which is confirmatory of Walker in that Circumstance.

I shall be glad to know whether it is likely an Assize will be held prior to the 6th of January and to be favoured with an answer to my former letters relative to Mr. Radcliffes converting part of his Outhousing into a temporary prison. We have now eleven under Examination.

I have &c
(signed) John Allison:
Huddersfield 29th Oct. 1812—

24th October 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, informs the Home Office that the Horsfall case is going well

The former cropping workshop of John Wood, at Longroyd Bridge, where John Lloyd interviewed staff on the evening of 23rd October 1812 (date of photo unknown, but taken prior to demolition in 1891)

Milnsbridge near Huddersfield
24 Oct 1812

Sir

When I wrote from home I did myself the honor to acquaint you that things were going on very well with respect to the discovery of the murderers of Mr. Horsfall and apprized you of my having apprehended Walker was likely to impeach; and most happily that has taken place. Mr. Allison will send you such copies of Examinations as cou’d be got ready. We last night went amongst the workmen in the Shops where the murderers worked, and I straight examined every man to prevent their proving alibi which I had reason to apprehend they wou’d attempt – but now that is entirely out of the question — for their Examinations are now before me or rather minutes of what they stated and from which they cant here after alter. One man called Allison aside & his Examination has been taken before Mr. Radcliffe privately this day before Mr. Ra very important indeed! for he confirms the whole — and we can have no doubt of being able to convict all three, for as to one he must be admitted Evidence for the Crown

Numbers of ring-Leaders of the Luds are now discovered and some already sent off—Mr. Radcliffe has been very attentive & much of his time taken up, which he chearfully submits to

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

[To] The Under Sec.y of State
&c &c

24th October 1812: The authorities leak information to the press about the Horsfall arrests

On Thursday 24th October 1812, a letter was sent to the Courier newspaper about the arrests made for the shooting of William Horsfall, and which was subsequently published on 29th October. It took a further 9 days for it to appear in any local press, eventually surfacing on 7th November in the Leeds Mercury.

The letter, which is featured below, was clearly written by some person or persons very familiar with the cases of George Mellor, William Thorpe, Thomas Smith and Benjamin Walker. It contains information present in the statement of Benjamin Walker, which must have been known to only a handful of people. The most likely suspect behind the letter must be the Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd. He had been known to publish items in the press in the past, which had greatly annoyed General Maitland.

There seems to have been an effort to prejudice the case by placing information in the public domain, especially as it contains errors, which I will illustrate below. The names are redacted in the original, but I have added them (in square brackets) where it is obvious from the relevant statements obtained by the authorities who they are meant to be:

To the Editor of the Courier.
Huddersfield, Oct. 24.

SIR.—A very important event happened here on Thursday last, of which as the Leeds Mercury of to day does not appear to have any information, I hasten to communicate the intelligence through the medium of your paper.

A man has been taken up and examined before that indefatigable Magistrate Joseph Radcliffe, Esq. and has at length received the offer of his Majesty's pardon, and given the most complete and satisfactory evidence of the horrible murder of Mr. W. Horsfall. In consequence of this, the whole of the wretches concerned in that dreadful transaction, have been taken committed to York Castle, to take their trial at the ensuing Commission of Assize.—He was with the party (four in number) when Mr. Horsfall was shot.

They were furnished with loaded pistols by [George Mellor] who ordered them to take their stand in the Plantation on Crosland Moor. Two others soon after joined them, and took their station about twenty yards below them. When the unfortunate Gentleman came up, two fired. They then all fled across the fields, and [George Mellor & William Thorpe] damned them all the way for not firing their pieces. Two ran forwards to Honley, four miles off, and two more stopped at a place called Dungeon Wood, and hid their pistols at [Joseph Mellor]’s house there, in some flocks—left their great coats, and ran immediately in their jackets to Huddersfield, where the news of the murder had but just arrived. The next morning they all four met at the work-shop of their employer (a cropper) and [William Thorpe] produced a Bible, and made them all swear not to betray each other.

The villains have frequently been examined before, but have always been discharged for want of sufficient evidence. One behaved with the greatest effrontery till he saw —, and then he changed colour and gasped for breath! When he came out, he said, “Damn that ______, he has done me.”

It appears [George Mellor] and [William Thorpe] have been Chiefs in all the disgraceful transactions that have occurred in this part of the country the last twelve months, especially at Rawfolds, where the former was Captain of the gun-division, and the latter of the pistol. ______ has thus made discoveries which will lead to the detection of a great number of these offenders, and, it is hoped, ultimately restore the West-Riding to its former tranquillity.

Most the information is clearly from Benjamin Walker's statement, although the information about the pistols being hid at Joseph Mellor's house is from the statements given by him and his household.

The fourth paragraph - about the confrontation between the informer [Walker] and his former comrade appears nowhere else in any evidence. Brooke & Kipling (1993, p.48) point out that it cannot be George Mellor, as he had already been committed to York Castle before Walker was arrested. There is a possibility that it is William Thorpe, but it seems unlikely because of the strong denials Thorpe had given in his statement and subsequently at his trial. It seems unlikely then, that if such a confrontation had taken place, that it would not have been brought up at trial, which it wasn't.

23rd October 1812: The solicitors Lloyd & Allison visit John Wood's cropping shop, and a new informer emerges

John Wood's cropping shop, in a photorgaph before demolition in 1891.

In the evening of Friday 23rd October 1812, the two solicitors at the heart of the opposition to the Luddites in West Yorkshire took the bold step of visiting the workshop that was fast becoming, at least in their minds, the headquarters of Luddism around Huddersfield.

John Lloyd from Stockport and John Allison from Huddersfield visited the workshop of John Wood, the step-father and employer of George Mellor, to question all the others who worked there. Before they left one of the croppers, Joseph Sowden, took Allison to one side: it is not known what was said, but Sowden subsequently swore a statement the following day before Joseph Radcliffe at Milnsbridge House.

Sowden deposed that at 5.00 p.m. on the day of William Horsfall's shooting, James Varley had told him that George Mellor, William Thorpe, Thomas Smith & Benjamin Walker had gone to lie in wait for Horsfall in order to shoot him. He went on to say the he learned of the shooting at 7.00 p.m. from a colleague, William Walker, and that 30 minutes later, he saw George Mellor in Wood's kitchen. A couple of mornings afterwards, Sowden said that William Thorpe had come to him in the workshop and made him swear an oath of secrecy on a Bible:

The purport of it was that if I revealed any thing concerning the Murder of Mr Horsfall that I should be put out of existence and should be pursued with unceasing vengeance to the verge of nature or something to that effect

Sowden said George Mellor came in at the end, and that afterwards, Thorpe brought in Thomas Smith, Benjamin Walker, John Walker, William Walker, William Hall and James Varley - Sowden said that Thorpe made him administer the oath to all of the others on pain of death.

Sowden went on to say that all of those accused of shooting Horsfall had 'related to me the circumstances attending it with a degree of exultation'. His statement does not contain any of those details that he said were related - Lloyd and Radcliffe were clearly satisfied that they had another witness and that was enough.

21st October 1812: The cropper, Benjamin Walker, turns informer & implicates Mellor, Thorpe & Smith in the William Horsfall shooting

By the evening of Wednesday 21st October 1812, Benjamin Walker, the cropper who had been arrested 4 days before, had reached his limit and agreed to turn King's Evidence for the State against his former comrades and fellow croppers.

Only 24 hours before, he had proved to be unyielding for the past 3 days: General Acland had reported to General Maitland in a letter of the 20th that Walker had "been examined, but nothing has come out".

Something had made him capitulate. He was being interrogated by the Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, a loyalist zealot who was renowned for his interrogation techniques and practice of abducting witnesses. In a letter Lloyd wrote to Acland the day before,  he indicated that he had an informer (a 'respectable merchant in Huddersfield') who told him that prior to her son's arrest, Walker's mother had unwittingly approached the informer with concerns that those in custody may impeach those at large. Lloyd had persuaded this merchant to turn informer when he had Walker's mother watched and followed to his home. Lloyd had then acted to apprehend Walker, followed by William Thorpe after 'intimations' from Walker's mother he was also somehow involved. Lloyd then apprehended Walker's mother herself, and subjected her to a rigorous 'examination', but she would not tell him what she had told the informer. Lloyd got the informer to give him an undertaking that he would get Walker's mother to relent, so that he would not have to appear himself to give evidence. Finally, Lloyd then abducted Walker's mother to his home in Stockport "where she will more fully and freely give her Examination".

By the Thursday 22nd October, Walker had placed a mark next to his name (because he was illiterate) at the bottom of a lengthy confession which implicated many of his comrades. Radcliffe, Lloyd & the others intended to use him as King's Evidence, which would save him from the hangman.

The statement began with a description of how Walker became involved in the raid on Rawfolds Mill: hearing about the plan at his workplace in John Wood's cropping shop: Walker said George Mellor had teased him, asking him if he could 'keep a secret', before revealing the plans to attack Rawfolds. A good deal of what we know about the raid comes from this statement. Walker stated that Mellor and William Thorpe were the ringleaders, and company commanders on the night, and also stated that he and others from John Wood's shop felt obliged to be involved because, as well as being their employer, Wood was Mellor's step-father. Walker also implicated others he said were wounded - James Haigh and a man called Jonathan Dean - and also a man called Mark Hill who had been involved in collecting money for those wounded in the raid.

Walker then went on to state his involvement in the assassination of William Horsfall. He alleged that the shooting was solely the idea of Mellor & Thorpe, a plan they presented to him and Thomas Smith only 30 minutes prior to putting it into execution. This is perhaps the weakest past of Walker's whole testimony: all that subsequently followed is supposed to have occurred in only 30 minutes, something which stretches credibility beyond any reasonable point, but which the Crown subsequently based its case on. Walker said he and Smith 'refused for some time' the idea of the execution, hard to believe as they would have needed to have moved fast to make it to Crosland Moor and lie in wait for Horsfall, who would have been well on his way to the Warren House even by then. Walker then said that Mellor provided both he and Smith with pistols and directed them to make their way to the plantation on Crosland Moor and wait for him and Thorpe who would take a different route to arrive there. According to Walker, they did this and waited 10 minutes before the two others arrived, meaning that only 20 minutes had elapsed from Mellor broaching the idea to them reaching this point.When Mellor & Thorpe arrived, they agreed that Walker and Smith would fire only if they missed, and that they should lie in wait 20 yards behind Mellor & Thorpe. Walker then says, rather bizarrely, that they all waited a further 30 minutes before Horsfall arrived, which contradicts his statement earlier that he only knew of the plan to kill Horsfall 30 minutes before it happened.

Walker went on to say that when Horsfall drew level with the plantation, he heard two shots, and assumed both Mellor & Thorpe had fired, although he did not see what happened. In this statement, he is clear that neither he nor Smith fired a shot, something which he said annoyed Mellor as they fled. The four split in Dungeon Wood, with Walker & Smith taking a different route. He and Smith then headed on to a public house at Honley, where they drank and ate.

The following day at John Wood's workshop, Walker said that William Thorpe made he and Smith swear on a Bible to keep the matter secret. The day after that, Walker said Mellor told him to be careful and say nothing, as some people from Dungeon had already been questioned.

Walker was keen to exonerate his master, John Wood, saying that he knew nothing of his step-son's plan.

At the end of the statement, more detail was added: Walker said that after he and Smith had parted with Mellor and Thorpe in Dungeon Wood, they had hidden their loaded pistols in an anthill, but never returned to retrieve them. He also talked about the Russian pistol belonging to George Mellor, and how Thorpe had hurt his cheek running through Dungeon Wood, and Mellor one of his fingers because he had loaded his pistol full of musket balls. He also described the coats Thorpe and Mellor were wearing. All of these details had appeared as questions put to Joseph Mellor's household 10 days before, and appear to corroborate them.

Radcliffe and Lloyd now had what they wanted: an accomplice to corroborate the story that had been concocted. Despite the seemingly insurmountable issues with the timings given by Walker, his confession would prove to be the framework for the Crown's case.

20th October 1812: John Lloyd tells the Home Office that his policy of informers & abduction is having results

Stockport 20 Oct 1812

Sir

I was yesterday detained the whole of the day with Mr. Radcliffe at Milnes bridge and prevented writing to you by examinations engaging me. The hint I gave in my last was relating to a circumstance that had been commend to me by a respectable merchant in Huddersfield, just before I wrote, that he had been applied to for advise in consequence of a woman of the name of Walker wishing to know what was best to be done to save some of the murderers of Horsfall for she was apprehensive that the persons in custody under that charge might impeach those at large, & it was from that inferred, that she was interesting herself for her own Son Benjamin Walker who had been in custody under suspicion. As the woman did not act up to a promise she made I apprehended her Son in the night, since which sufficient intimation was given, as coming from her, that a Wm. Thorpe was anor. he had been also in custody — & yesterday I had him apprehended again This woman has declared to her friend with whom she advised that Mellor & Varley already at York, and said Walker and Thorpe were the four murderers but that Mellor alone fired both pistols. I apprehended the woman & strictly examined her but she denies all knowledge & denies ever having said so. I have not been put at liberty at present to produce my Informant her friend; but he has consented after certain arrangements — and he made himself certain almost that he cou’d produce the effect upon the woman's mind this very night & then he will not have to appear at all. In the mean time I have run away with one of the Witnesses to prevent her being tampered with and have placed her in my own House where she will more fully and freely give her Examination —If any thing very material occurs before I return to Huddersfield Mr. Alison will communicate it to you.

I found out the person to whom the Information had been from time to time given by watching Mrs. Walker to his House – & I have in consequence brought him forward – but cannot at present publicly.

I have [etc]
J. Lloyd

[To] J. H. Addington Esqr