10th October 1812: Attempted robbery of a clothier at Lepton, near Huddersfield

In the evening of Saturday 10th October 1812, 4 men tried to break into the home of Joseph Hirst, a clothier, at Lepton, near Huddersfield. They were confronted by Hirst's son, Richard, who was fired on when he tried to intervene, the ball from the gun grazing his head.

The men left. Several attempts had already been made to break into the house on previous occasions.

23rd April 1812: Constable Thomas Atkinson arrests James Haigh at Methley

On Thursday 23rd April 1812, Thomas Atkinson had been given a warrant for the arrest of a man called James Haigh, a cropper from Dalton, near Huddersfield. It was suspected that Haigh was involved in the affair at Rawfolds a few days ago.

He proceeded to Haigh's home at Dalton. When he knocked at the door, he noticed it was open. He went and called out to see if anyone was home. No-one answered. He tried again, no answer. Atkinson looked around the home - there was no sign of Haigh or his wife, and it looked like the house had been abandoned: it looked like the couple had been brewing beer, but that the demijohns hadn't been looked after after being filled.

Talking to Haigh's neighbours, Atkinson found out he had been seen with Joseph Ardron, his master, and also that he had been unwell and had been to see a Doctor over at Lepton. Proceeding there, he found the Doctor, a Richard Tatterson, he told him he had twice helped an anonymous man from Dalton dress a wound to his shoulder, but he did not know who he was or where he had gone.

Atkinson had information about Ardron, and understood he had family over Penistone way. He decided to ride over on his horse, despite the fair distance.

After talking to Mary and Joseph Culpin, the relations of Joseph Ardron, he now had a lead, and knew the man who had stayed with them was anonymous to them, and clearly had a problem with his shoulder.  He also knew he had gone to Mary Culpin's mother's house at Willey Bridge, and proceeded there. Mrs Ardron soon told him that the man had headed for Wragby the last she knew.

At Wragby, asking around, Atkinson's description of Haigh was soon resonant with someone who told him he the man had gone to Methley.

Later that day, after a long time in the saddle, Atkinson found James Haigh at his sister's house at Methley. He placed him under arrest and made arrangements to get him back to Huddersfield that night, into the custody of Joseph Radcliffe.

14th April 1812: Richard Tatterson of Lepton is visited again by the anonymous wounded man

On Tuesday 14th April 1812, Richard Tatterson, the surgeon from Lepton near Huddersfield was again visited by the man with the wounded shoulder who had come to him two days before. The man asked him to check the wound and re-dress it, which he did, and the man afterwards left.

12th April 1812: A wounded man visits a Doctor at Lepton, near Huddersfield

Richard Tatterson was doctor who practised surgery at Lepton, four and a half miles from Huddersfield. At 4 p.m. on Sunday 12th April 1812, a stranger called on him for help. The man explained that he had fallen on a rock and damaged his shoulder and wondered if Tatterson could help him, as he needed the wound to be properly dressed.

Tatterson examined him and found that he indeed had a wound at the back of his right shoulder, it was open from the top to the bottom of his arm where it met the shoulder. He could see no debris in it, but estimated that it was 1.5 inches deep and actually wider still. There was extensive bruising. Someone else had tended to it, as some lint was still there at the upper edge of it, and there was some blood, and the man's arm was covered in it.

Tatterson cleaned the wound, and then sewed it shut at both ends and in the middle. Making small talk, the man told him he was from Dalton, to the East of Huddersfield. He dressed the wound and gave the man some salve to treat it should he need to.

The man left without telling him his name.