24th December 1818: John Slater, the final Luddite convict to be deported, arrives in Australia

'View of Sydney Cove from Dawes Point' by Joseph Lycett, c.1817/1818

On Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December 1818, the transport ship 'The Hadlow' arrived at Port Jackson in Sydney Cove, Australia after a voyage of almost 5 months, carrying a total of 148 convicts.

On board was the notorious Nottinghamshire Luddite, John Slater, who had been convicted as long ago as April 1817 for frame-breaking during the 'Loughborough Job' and sentenced to transportation for life. This was Slater's second trial for the raid, having been acquitted of involvement in August 1816 at the end of an extraordinary trial where the Luddites supporters crowded the court room and intimidated the jury into the right outcome.

The Hadlow had left Woolwich on 2nd August 1818, calling at Sheerness 2 days later to pick up more prisoners from the Hulks there. Two of the original 148 prisoners had died during the voyage.

The Hadlow remained moored at Sydney Cove for the next 10 days, and the prisoners disembarked on 4th January 1819.

Slater's wife had applied to make the journey with her husband to New South Wales with their 5 children, but her name does not appear on the manifest, so it would appear permission was refused.

Slater was the final Luddite convict to be deported.

5th May 1818: The Luddite Samuel Caldwell (aka 'Big Sam') arrives in Australia

'View of Sydney Cove from Dawes Point' by Joseph Lycett, c.1817/1818

On Tuesday 5th May 1818, the transport ship 'Neptune' arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia after a voyage of 136 days and carrying a total of 183 male convicts.

On board was the prisoner called Samuel Caldwell, aka 'Big Sam', who had been convicted 10 months earlier of frame-breaking during the 'Loughborough Job' and sentenced to transportation for life. Caldwell had avoided being tried at the infamous 'Loughborough Job' show-trial in April 1817 owing to having been taken ill and judged unfit to stand trial at that time.

Clarke and his fellow convicts had left England on 20th December August 1817. Along the way, the Neptune stopped at Cape Town, and picked up 16 more prisoners, who had escaped from New South Wales on board the 'Harriet' in November, and were to be sent back. Three of the original prisoners died during the voyage.

Although Caldwell was the final Luddite to be tried, he was not the last to be deported.

10th January 1818: The Luddite John Clarke (aka 'Little Sam') arrives in Australia

'View of Sydney Cove from Dawes Point' by Joseph Lycett, c.1817/1818

On Saturday 10th January 1818, the transport ship 'The Ocean' arrived at Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia after a voyage of 142 days and carrying 180 male convicts.

Among them were two prisoners called John Clarke, one of whom was also known as 'Little Sam' and had been convicted 10 months earlier of shooting at John Asher during the 'Loughborough Job' and sentenced to death, although the Judge later respited this to transportation for life.

Clarke and his fellow convicts had left England from Spithead on 21st August 1817, and had arrived at St. Helena on 31st October, remaining there for a week before continuing to Australia. Conditions on board were better than normal aboard such transport ships; even so, that by the time that the ship arrived at Sydney, 2 of the convicts who had originally boarded the ship had died of consumption.

After arrival, Clarke and his namesake were amongst a group of prisoners sent on to Windsor, New South Wales.

7th November 1817: A Cheshire rioter from 1812, Richard Wood, is pardoned & set free

Richard Wood had been tried and convicted for unlawful assembly and robbery during the Cheshire disturbances of 1812, at the high point of insurrection during that year in that part of the world.

Aged 27 at the time, he was sentenced to death at Chester Special Commission, but was respited, though unlike some of his co-accused, he was not transported, but was apparently held on the Prison Hulks for 5 years.

According to the Prison Hulk register, he was pardoned on Friday 7th November 1817 & set free.

1st August 1817: The suspected Luddite, Frank Ward, writes to Lord Sidmouth from his cell at Oxford Castle

Oxford Castle August 1. 1817

My Lord

When I was taken from my home I had a respectable business that imployed nine frames. but the last account I received from my Wife informs me that she as not received anay Work since I was taken and my Lord I have a wife and four Children that wholy depended on that business so soport and as been inabled by it to pay taxes to the amount of nearly £20 a year. but in my abstance the business is Lett for want of me to superintend it and if the taxes must be paid while I ham kept from home the business must be broke up and my family be brought to Distress and Ruin. and why My Lord must this sevear punishment be inflicted upon an innocent and helpless familey it is not because their farther is gilty of the crime he is charged with. no My Lord. I declare my innocence and solicet proof of my gilt. and the olney faviour I ask your Lordship is spedeley to bring me to trial. that I may prove my innocence to the Disgrace of those. that have so wickardly and maliciously Slanded and ruined me. and my family. and Deciveingly have deceived and imposed upon your Lordship. to the ingury of your Lordship in your precent situation and carracter. and my Lord I humbly look to you for redress and I hope I may not look in vain―I hope and trust your Lordship will give me your advice weather my Wife must pay the taxes or no in my abstance I hope a acte of compassion to a destressed and helpless familey  your Lordship condescend to answer this Letter and I Remain My Lord your Lordships Most Humble and most obedient Servent

Frances Ward.

PS―

My Lord

Whe saperately and jointly Humbly thank your Lordship for your kindness in permitting us to be togeather 3 or 4 hours per Day and prays your Lordship will permit us to be to Geather constant as there is an apartment in the prison witch whould make us mutch more comfortable wheir whe both might be to geather if it meetes your Lordships approbation whe shall be very thankfull

20th June 1817: Frank Ward & 2 other suspects arrested for 'treasonable practices'

On Friday 20th June 1817, the Leicester Chronicle repeated a story printed in the Nottingham Review:

During the last ten days, Francis Ward, a master silk-stocking-maker, and John Holmes, and Samuel Haynes, lace-hands, have been taken into custody, and on Saturday last, were removed to London in two post chaises, where, we understand it is likely they will be detained, on suspicion of seditious or treasonable practices.

Francis, or 'Frank' Ward, had been named by the late Luddite Joshua Mitchell at the end of March, in a confession made just prior to his execution. Ward's arrest would later become cause célèbre, as we shall see in due course.

10th June 1817: A desperate Gravenor Henson writes to Lord Sidmouth from Cold Bath Fields prison

House of Correction, Cold Bath Fields
June 10. 1817—

My Lord

I hope after an imprisonment of upwards
of two months in close confinement you will not [obscured]
me importunate in making the present application
especially as I have several Weeks since ma[obscured]
[illegible] communication to Sir N Conant. I was [obscured]
must recollect the circumstance of my [obscured]
in London with a Petition to the Prince Regent [obscured]
Hand; and as I left Nottingham with only [obscured]
of Linen, as I expected to return thither on [Sunday] [I am]
in extreme want of necessaries particularly Shirts [obscured]
I brought with me were considerably worn nay [obscured]
more than I thought till I came to examine them:—[obscured]
I am now in that situation that during my further con-
finement I shall not have a clean Shirt: I have nothing
to complain of the Diet I receive; but I hope my Lord
you will consider that clean Linen, Shoes, [and] Drawers (mine
have divided in two parts) are as necessary as Virtue.
I hope my Lord innocent as I certainly am, and m[obscured]
worthy of recompence than imprisonment, that [you] [obscured]
not treat me so harshly as to keep me here con[obscured]
naked, dirty, shirtless, perhaps filthy, and that [obscured]
even hinting to me the nature and bearing of [my] [obscured]
My Lord you have told me that you suspected [obscured]
High Treason, but when my Lord I [illegible]
was against my principles to engage in Rebellion [obscured]
shook your Hand; I cannot suppose my Lord
would barely on your own suspicions confine any Man for
Months, but I must anathemise those who have done me
so great an injury in the opinion of your Lordship
Mr Smith told me at his Seat at Blendon Hall that your
Lord received Information that it was me, and John
Blackner (now deceased) who were the “principal Instigators”
[obscured] the Luddites,” I believe that there are persons in Nottingham
[and] its Neighbourhood who would not hesitate a moment
[obscured] giving your Lordship such malicious and false information
[obscured]lieve that you have received such Information; I told
[obscured] Smith so; but I told him at the same time that I thought
[his] Lordship knew better, that you knew that I had at
[various] times done my utmost to moderate the minds
[of] the Workmen and induce them to seek other means
[of] redress than Force, outrage, and disturbance for their
acknowledged grievances: in conformity to these views I was
an active promoter of the Framework Knitters Bill, which
passed the Commons Houses of Parliament (but which I had
the misfortune to understand in your Lordships Office
was considered one of my Offences).

At the particular request of Mr D. P Coke, Mr John Smith
and Sir Thos Tyrwhit, after the Bill was rejected in
the House of Lords, I undertook to endeavour to soothe and
moderate the public mind in Nottingham, with the assis
tance of several worthy Persons it succeeded but in a
manner that gave additional offence to some of the
masters, by advising the workmen to seek fir redress
by Combinations as the workmen of various Trades
have done in London for a great number of years without
I believe incurring the suspicion of his Majesty’s Govern-
ment; the plan indeed was objectionable but in the midst
[obscured] so wild a commotion it was the only expedient [practible]

I believe that at that period your Lordship had great [confidence]
of me; buy I was the most entitled to praise, but [obscured]
shall even believe that that was one cause of my [present]
confinement,—But if I offended them I have since [obscured]
them (I mean the unprincipled malicious part of the [manufac-]
turers) great offence; by prosecuting them for [paying]
workmen in Frames and other Goods instead of [Wages]
which was brewing a storm that had already [obscured]
mischief and was likely to do more; these [Persons]
raised the clamour of Luddites Committees &c &c [obscured]
my Lord for a positive fact, that when those [obscured]
were broken in Woolpack Lane Nottingham [obscured]
of these Persons made applications to the [Magistrates]
for my apprehension, though I knew no [more] [obscured]
affair than your Lordship, nor of any of the [obscured]
prior to their commission: thus my Lord have [obscured]
persecuted for doing good, and preventing to a [great]
extent the distress being greater, and the depredations [obscured]
extensive; I have offended the more desperate Luddites
whom I have been informed have repeatedly threatened
to shoot me for counteracting their designs; and for the
freedom of language I have used at various times against
the practice; on the other hand the Masters (and per[obscured]
some of the Magistrates who are Masters) have misrep[resen]
ted and [illegible] me to your Lordship;

With respect to Politics if I am confined further [obscured]
still more innocent, I interfered only when I [understood]
the Habeas Corpus was going to be suspended, because [obscured]
every reason to expect that they would denounce me t[obscured]
Lordship; I have been no Delegate, I have attended as [obscured]
or private Meetings if there are any in Nottingham [obscured]
secret to me, the only Meetings I have attended were [for the]
purpose of petitioning the Legislature against the [suspension]
of the Habeas Corpus Act—

I beg I must again request your Lordship that you will
[have] the generosity to order me some Linen: but if this should
[not] meet the intentions of your Lordship in clothing the Persons
under confinement, on account of the expences that you
[obscured] put me on the Gaol allowance in provision, and approve
[obscured] the allowance You now make for my maintenance
[obscured] Linen &c, or if neither of these should meet
[your] Lordships approbation, I have particularly to request
[obscured] Lordship that you will remove me to some of
[obscured] Gaols that I may be within reach of my
[obscured] to find me those necessaries that I am so much in
[need] of, in short my Lord I hope you will take some
[obscured] means of relieving my necessities as shall seem to
[your] Lordship most expedient, as for my Liberation, I am
[much] afraid that your Lordships mind is too much preju
diced against me to hope for so great a Blessing, though
I am conscious that from some quarter or other your Lord-
ship has either much misconceived (and it is very probable
that Mr. Smith or your Lordship might misunderstand the
nature of my communication to him respecting the Petition
[or] that I have been much misrepresented in my Case.—

I came to Town conscious of the rectitude of my intentions
[which] was for the purpose of saving the lives of some
[misguided] People; and of enabling your Lordship without
[compromising] the dignity of the Laws, to conciliate a refra
[obscured] district and finally tranquilize it and your Lordship
[obscured] some cause or other has placed me in Prison in close
[confinement], I am ready my Lord and willing to explain
[obscured] every part of my conduct and I am confident I can
[obscured] to your Lordships satisfaction

I am My Lord your Lordships Most Humble & obt Servt
Gravener Henson

17th April 1817: Awaiting his execution, the Luddite, John Crowther, writes to his wife

New Bridewell, Leicester, 8 o'clock, on the morning of our execution.

O my dearest and best of Wives,

When you receive this, I shall be no more in this world. But I die happy, in the hope of a blessed Saviour. O what a comfortable thing it is to serve the Lord. I still think my sentence very cruel and unjust, I may say murderous, for Blackborne owned upon the trial he was the man that shot Asher, for which we suffer for aiding and abetting. I was never in the factory at all; I was an outside sentinel, forty or fifty yards from the factory at the time Asher was shot, therefore I could not be assisting in the shooting of Asher, for I did not know he was shot until we had got several miles from Loughborough, on our return home. Blackborne and Burton swore that all the outside sentinels had pistols, which was false, for I had none until it was nearly over, and that which I had then was not loaded, for I threw stones at first.

My dearest wife, I most earnestly wish I had taken your advice, I should not have come to this end. I feel quite calm and in good spirits. O trust in the Lord, for he can strengthen us in the time of trouble: O trust in a blessed Saviour, for he will give us rest. I could wish for John Rawson, John Roberts, and John Roper, to be my bearers; dear wife, choose the other three thyself.

Pray remember my love to my mother and relations; remember my respects to my neighbours, shopmates, and all inquiring friends. For ever adieu! Adieu! I hope, dear wife, to meet you and my dear children and mother in heaven.

JOHN CROWDER.

16th April 1817: "The Last Gift of John Amos, to his Dear Children"

The Luddite John Amos, awaiting sentence of death the following day at Leicester, allegedly wrote this poem to his children into the Bible he had received from the Reverend Mitchell of Leicester, prior to his execution:

THE LAST GIFT OF JOHN AMOS,
TO HIS DEAR CHILDREN.

Oh! my dear children, when this you see,
Pray serve your God, and think on me!
I'm torn from you, to an untimely end,
But on the Lord I do depend!
To serve him truly is my delight,
And to find mercy, in his sight.
I hope, dear children, you will do the same, 

And when you read this, think of his name,
And serve him truly in his sight,
He is our Saviour and delight;
I hope in heaven to meet you there,
Then death’s alarms we need not fear.
Farewel, vain world, I have done with you;
I have a better world in view!
To meet my Saviour, Christ our Lord,
Who better joys can me afford!

10th April 1817: The Luddite, John Amos, writes to his wife, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol

Dear Wife,

I write these few lines to you, hoping they will find you in good health, as they leave me in good health, considering the awful situation I am placed it, bless the Lord for it.—Oh what disgrace I have brought upon my family. O my dear wife, pardon me for the distress which I brought you and my dear children. O pray forgive me; I know I robbed a virtuous wife of every comfort in this world. My dear wife and children, and my dear father and mother, is all that is dear in this world. I know not how to find words to express myself; but my dear wife, I know your heart, I know you'll forgive me when you read these few lines from a dying husband, who speaks the sentiments of his heart; you know it was nothing but distress that induced me to go to Loughborough; O, I now entreat, but alas! it is too late; but I have one consolation impressed on my mind, that with true repentance, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, I shall enter into eternal life. Most of my time is spent in prayer to God, to forgive my sins: I am sensible of my awful situation, without true repentance I cannot be saved. There are nine of us who are likely to forfeit our lives to the offended laws of our country. My dear wife, my fate is very hard, for I am going to die for a crime which I never committed. I shall make only one observation on the man that swore against me: Burton swore that I was with him at the Peach Tree, in Nottingham, on the morning the frames were broken at night; I do solemnly declare, as a dying man, that I never was in the public house with that man in all my life, nor do I remember that I ever saw him in all my life until I saw him at Squire Mundys. O my poor dear father and mother, and my dear sister, I hope the Lord will protect you; and I hope, dear friends, you will always look upon my dear wife and five poor dear children, for if I had taken the advice of my wife, I should not have been placed in this awful situation; but I assure you, I am preparing my soul to meet my God on that fatal day which I am doomed to die. My dear wife, don't give way to fretting, for the sake of my dear children: I need not say any more to you on the subject, for I know your good heart, you will bring them up in the right way. Let me assure you my mind is at rest. Dear wife, let these few lines comfort you. I expect in a few days to meet the fate which the laws of my country will inflict upon me. Give my love to my father and mother, and my dear sister, and all my relations and friends; I hope we shall all meet in heaven. Farewel my friends! farewel! adieu!

I remain,
Your affectionate unfortunate husband,
JOHN AMOS.

N.B. I should wish my body to be interred in Nottingham, if my friends can fetch me.

From the Condemned Cell,
April 10, 1817.
This is my confession.

8th April 1817: The statement of the Luddite, Thomas Savage

Thomas Savages account taken by Mr. Mundy

April 8th 1817

The Week Savage was taken up early in Febry last a meeting took place at the House of Major Cartwright in London a missionary went from Nottingham with one Bembow a missionary from Manchester to Major Cartwrights.—Bembow did not go to the Majors he went to a Committee somewhere in London.—Major Cartwright wrote to one of the Nottingham committee to say Sir F. Burdett and Cobbett had met the man at his House and desiring the missionary might stay longer.—The Nottingham missionary engaged one *Bonnington whom he met in London, portrait painter, to attend the chamber of Deputies in London. The object of the Nottingham missionary was to ascertain the opinion of Major Cartwright Sir F. Burdett and Cobbett as to a revolution this missionaries name is Robert Wain of New Radford he is a framework knitter.—Savage being taken up at that time knows nothing of what pass’d at Major Cartwright’s House.—A missionary from Arnold took a letter from Mr. Dennison to Major Cartwright. This Deputies name is Gibbons of Arnold this was at the same time.—The chief members of this Committee are as follows.

**Thomas Burton of Sandy Lane Nottingham framework knitter.—Greaves of Turn crofts alley Nottingham framework knitter.—Simpson of Gregories Buildings framework knitter—Rhodes near the Horse & Trumpet Shoe Maker (his Wife lives at Ilkeston in Derbyshire) this man & Burton are dangerous characters.—Holmes of Fishergate Nottingham framework knitter. All these live in Nottingham Grosvenor Henson is the Head man of the whole One Adam Macree a Scotchman and Anderson another Scotchman both living in Meadow Platts Nottingham framework knitters are the bosom friends of Gravenor Henson.—There are two Leicester men living at Nottingham by name Witts and Palmer leading men.—Schoults or Schults a native of London is a very good orator.—Southern of Fishergate Framework knitter is one of the Hambden Club men & a very active man.—The Committee sat at the Cross keys in Mary Gate Nottingham.—The secretary is one Smith. Savage does not know him well. —

The secretary is one Smith Savage does not know him well nor where he lives.—The Object of Bembows mission was to prepare things for a revolution. he stated he had been round the country & that he could answer for a Hundred thousand in the Potteries of Staffordshire. Savage had this from Bembow, he stated that the Committee at Manchester were men that had be tried for a Conspiracy about 2 years since—Savage says Thomas Burton knows every thing.—Savage heard Gravenor Henson say about a year and a half since that the depot at Derby might be taken & that he along with Witts had laid the plan, & that one Hill (not the Ludd) went to Ilkeston in Derbyshire to tell them to prepare but Hill getting drunk & talking of it, it was delayed & the arms were removed from the depot in the night. Henson also spoke of attacking the Barracks at Nottingham & said three hundred men would be sufficient.—Witts was to go to Leicester to some Gentleman there for money. Savage never heard his name.—Witts was to go over to Leicester & get some of the men belonging to a militia stationed there to join their party.—Henson went to Sheffield two years since to form Committees.—

Savage thinks as soon as Henson heard of the suspension of Habeas Corpus act. he would cause all the correspondence & other documents to be destroyd.—

Frank White is a workman at Laceys factory at Loughbro’ first proposed to Savage the destruction of Heathcotes machinery.—Neale gave him £20 at the Green man Christopher Blackburn was present. Savage also saw Jewks in the business.—White drew a plan of Heathcotes factory. Savage thinks it was delivered to Christopher Blackburn to convey to Frank Ward. Benjamin Badder had the core of it who burnd it up as soon as James Towle was taken up.—Savage does not know of any collusion on the part of any of Heathcote’s men but has understood that ***Ironman gave himself up very easily. Savage never went beyond the Gate where the dog was.—Savage says Ludding & Politicks are closely connected.

*Bonnington is son or nephew to the late Gaoler for the County of Nottingham
**Savage thinks this man might be dealt with—& this man said Disney word to get away from Sheepshead when he heard of the apprehension of the Ludds at Nottingham.—

***The regular Watchman at the factory

8th April 1817: The Luddite, Thomas Savage, writes to his wife & children from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Prison

My dear Wife and children,

I beg and pray of you, when you peruse these few lines, that they will be some consolation to you, though I know not how to find words to express myself to you. Let me intreat you not to lay my unfortunate end too close your heart, though I am sensible of your true affection for me; but let me press this on your mind, consider that there are six dear children, besides being pregnant again!! O let me intreat you again, my dear wife, don't give way to fretting, for the sake of my dear children. I need not say any thing more to you, consider that I know your good heart; I need not tell you that duty you have to perform; you know the duty of a wife and a mother, that you will bring them up in a right way; this I do assure you, my heart is at rest about that. Dear wife, let these few words comfort your heart. O what disgrace I have brought upon my family. Pardon, pardon me for that distress I have brought on you; I know I have robbed a virtuous wife of every comfort in this world, but I know you will forgive me. I have one consolation impressed on my mind, that with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour, I shall enter to eternal life, where I hope to meet you and my dear children. My dear wife, my fate is hard; but I assure you I am preparing my soul to meet that God I have so offended. Dear wife, I feel much composed to meet my fate. Give my love to your father and mother, your brothers and sisters, my love to all my friends and relations. I have wrote a letter to my dear father, which I hope he will let you see. My desire is to be fetched home to my father's house, unless you would desire I should be taken to you; but you have seen my friend before you receive my letter. My desire is to be laid where you and my dear children shall lie together; this is the desire of your loving and affectionate, but dying husband. I shall now conclude;---may God give you strength, and support you through all your trouble. I pray to God to give you health so as to enable you to see my dear children brought up. Farewel! Farewel! my dear wife and children, farewel! Adieu!

I remain your affectionate but unfortunate husband,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.

Condemned Cell, Tuesday, April 8th, about three o'clock in the afternoon.

8th April 1817: The Luddite, William Withers, writes to his wife, from the condemned cell at Leicester

Leicester County Gaol

My Dear Wife,

These are the last few lines you will ever receive from your loving and affectionate, but dying husband: pardon me for the distress I have brought upon you, my dear child. O how I reflect upon myself, to think I had no better conduct. Oh! pardon me for the distress I have brought upon you, but I know your good heart; you will forgive me. My dear, let me intreat you not to fret after me. I hope, when it shall please the Lord to call you from hence, we shall meet together in heaven, to part no more. Most of my time is spent in prayer, and I hope, with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour, to enter into eternal life in Jesus Christ. I cannot die without making one remark to you, it was nothing but distress that ever induced me to be at Loughborough; I now repent, but, alas! it is too late. I received your letter and my mother’s at one time. I forgive my enemies, though you are truly sensible that Blackborne has been the ruin of me; I bear him no malice, I have freely forgiven him.---There are Clergyman attend us, and are very kind to us; they take great pains to prepare our souls for that awful moment when I must forfeit my life to the laws of my country. My dear wife, my fate is very hard, for I am going to die for a crime I never committed, nor intended. O my poor dear mother, and my brothers and sisters, I know the Lord will protect you for ever. My dear friends will look at my dearest wife and sweetest child, for if I had taken the advice of my dear wife, I should not have been in this awful situation; but I assure you I am preparing my sould to meet my God on that fatal day in which I am doomed to die.—Dear wife, I have one remark to make; John Blackborne swore several things against me that I never did; and I solemnly declare, as a dying man, that I never was in the factory, till all the frames were destroyed. Dear wife, I should like to see as many of my friends as can make it convenient to come. Give my love and duty to my poor, dear mother; and I hope I shall meet her, and all my friends and relations in heaven. I hope my tender mother will excuse me answering her letter, as the principal part of my time is employed in preparing, by prayer, to meet the Lord my God. Farewel, my friends! Farewel! Adieu!—I remain your loving affectionate, but unfortunate husband,

WILLIAM WITHERS.

Condemned Cell, April 8th, 1817,
11 o'clock in the morning.
This is my Confession.

8th April 1817: The Luddite, Joshua Mitchell, writes to his brother, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol

My dear Brother,

I received your kind and welcome letter. I am sensible of my awful situation: had I took your advice, and followed your good example, this would not have been my fate. I have just seen Mr. Burton, and he says the Rev. Mr. Hall is out of town; there are three clergyman attend us every day, preparing our souls for that awful sentence which the laws of our country has inflicted upon us. Dear brother, give my humble and hearty thanks to Mr. Alderman Barber and the Rev. Mr. Jarman, for their kind offer. Dear brother, I have one consolation imprest upon my mind, with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, I shall enter eternal life. Dear brother, I hope you will remain a comforter to my dear mother, and God will reward you. Dear brother, I should like to see you, my dear sisters Elizabeth and Melicent, and John Spears, and any of my relations that has a great desire to see me. Dear brother, I expect I shall leave this vain world next Monday, in hopes of finding eternal life through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Dear brother, I hope you will forgive me my trespasses against you, and still remain praying for your unworthy brother,

JOSHUA MITCHELL.

N..B. I have heard that my dear mother wishes to see me; I think it would be more than she could bear. Dear brother, I would have you tell her, there is my two dear young brothers to bring up, and she must think of them; but I shall leave it to you, dear brother, there is one consolation that we shall meet again in heaven, with true repentance, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Condemned Cell, Tuesday,
April 8th, 1817.

7th April 1817: Thomas Savage writes to his father, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol,
April 7, 1817.

Dear honoured Father,

I have just had my son with me, who has informed me of a circumstance which has hurt my mind, to think that I should be thought guilty of such a crime. Mitchell I may call a stranger to me, as I did not know him at the time Mr. Trentham was shot; and I declare, as a dying man, thaut I do not know who shot him, nor ever did. I am as innocent of the crime as a child unborn; and this I solemnly declare, that I never embrued my hands in the blood of my fellow-creature, nor ever thought of committing such an act. I never was a procurator to the Luddites in my life, and if I am so judged, I am judged wrongfully. The men who were along with me, I had no acquaintance with at all. I acknowledge being at Loughborough, and had the truth been spoken, it would not have appeared so bad against me.

I remain your affectionate son,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.

Condemned Cell.

4th April 1817: Charles Mundy tells the Home Secretary that Thomas Savage is disclosing more information

Private

Burton April 4th 1817

My Lord

Since I had the Honour of addressing your Lordship this morning I have been to the County Gaol at Leicester and have had an interview with Thomas Savage at his request. He states that he is intimate with Grosvenor Henson & all the principal malcontents at Nottingham including Frank Ward. he says at the time he was apprehended he was perfectly in possession of the knowledge of where their correspondence might have been got possession of between Grosvenor Henson, Major Cartwright Mr. Dennison and my unfortunately misguided relation Sir Francis Burdett. Many of which letters especially those between the former of the three Gentlemen & Grosvenor Henson go as Savage states to a treasonable extent. he likewise states in general terms that he could give very useful information to Government on all these points. that the object of these people is nothing short of a Revolution & that it is his opinion a strong attempt will be made at it. that many of the persons styled religious missionaries are in fact delegates from seditious associations. He says he thinks Grosvenor Henson equal to the perpetration of any thing that even Robespierre committed.—

Savage is a sensible well educated man talks cleverly & well calculated for a leading man in a committee of working manufacturers.—he has been chiefly a committee man we have no account of him as an executive man in any other outrage that at Loughborough which like all others he says was plannd by Frank Ward. I did not think proper to encourage him too much for fear of raising false hopes in the mind of this poor man. I shall therefore wait your Lordships instructions before I proceed further in talking with him he says it is very possible that the purpose to which he alludes may be removed since he was taken into custody.—as the usual day of execution at Leicester if no alteration takes place would arrive on monday the fourteenth of this month I have thought it best to lose no time in making this communication to your Lordship I therefore avail myself of Captain [Giradot] of the Coldstream Guards who is going to Town to convey this letter to your Lordship as the post has been gone many Hours & there is none tomorrow. thinking it right to lay the contents of this letter before your Lordship though it is probable you may be in possession of all this man can communicate from other quarters.

I have [etc]

C. G. Mundy

[To] The Right Honourable
Lord Sidmouth

28th March 1817: Daniel Diggle writes to his wife, from Nottingham Gaol

March 28th, 1817.

DEAR WIFE,

I write to you, hoping these lines will find you in good health; by the blessing of God I hope they will. I should like to have the pleasure of talking to you before I depart this life, if it could be done. Dear wife, I wish that I had been as you wanted me to be, I should not have come here; but I hope my companions will take warning by me—I hope they will. It is a system that never did, nor never will do any good; but it will bring them to the gallows as it has brought me. Dear wife, if I had been ruled by you, I might have been a pleasure to you and all my friends; but it is done, and cannot be undone—so you must make the best of it. I hope and pray that God will bless you, my dear wife.

DANIEL DIGGLE.

27th March 1817: Daniel Diggle writes to his family, from Nottingham Gaol

Nottingham County Gaol, March 27, 1817.

DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

I take the opportunity of writing to you, hoping these few lines will find you in good health as they leave me better than ever I have been for many years, thanks be to God for it. I can die happy, for I put my trust in God—God is all my cry; night and day do I put my trust in him. I have now nearly finished another week, perhaps it may be my last week in this world, at least my last week will come. I shall not live another week on the earth; death is drawing nearer and nearer—it is sure to go, but how soon is uncertain. I might have been cut off in my mad career, then what would have become of me.

DEAR BROTHER,

Think of my situation, and keep good company. Do not break the Sabbath-day, and go to some place of worship, that will be the best you can do; for if I had been ruled in time, I should not have been here—that you know too well. I was glad to hear of your getting your liberty once more; and now you have got it again, strive to keep it. If any one entice you to go to the ale-house, do not go with them, unless you know them to be good company, for good company is the best: take my advice, dear brother, that you may be a comfort to my dear father and mother as long as you live. If you take the advice, I am very sure you will take no harm. See what bad company has brought me to. I beg you will take my advice—let me beg and desire you will. If I been at a place of worship on the Sunday night, instead of going to do what I did, how much better a man should I have been. Give my advice to all my companions, that they may repent before it be too late, for there is no repentance in the grave. Lord, hear my prayer for them. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. An unpardoned sinner can have no peace with God. Dear brother, keep the Sabbath by all means, for that is the root of all.—But have I not sinned against God, and deserved this awful punishment? yes, my very heart is sinful, and the sins of my life are more than can be numbered. I have not indeed been what the world calls a great sinner; but oh! how often have I taken God's name in vain; how often have I broken the Sabbath by my sinful pleasure; how many times have I disobeyed my parents; how idle and legitimate have I been; how often have I coveted my neighbour’s goods; surely I must, in God’s sight, be a very great sinner; surely I have reason to fear, lest he should cast me into hell: now Christ is my only Saviour from this place of torment.

[DANIEL DIGGLE]

14th March 1817: The arrest of John Clarke, aka 'Little Sam' is reported in the press

The Leicester Chronicle of Friday 14th March 1817 reported the arrest of John Clarke, aka 'Little Sam', a man wanted for involvement in the 'Loughborough Job'. The arrangements for his arrest had been discussed recently by the prosecuting solicitor Jeffrey Lockett & the Home Office's John Beckett:

A man named Clarke, has been brought from a depot in Devonshire, where he had been marched previous for his embarkation for some foreign station, for desertion, charged with being concerned in the outrage upon Messrs. Heathcote and Boden's factory at Loughborough.

10th March 1817: The Luddite,Thomas Savage, writes to his wife from Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol
March 10, 1817.

My dear Wife,

I write these few lines to you, hoping they will find you in good health, and my dear children. I am as well as can be expected in my situation; tell my dear father he must do every thing in his power for me; I have had no attorney to see me at present; what I have got to say will be to my attorney; so no more at present from your loving and affectionate husband,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.