6th February 1815: George Coldham seeks a trial by Secret Committee for James Towle

Dear Sir,

You knew the arrangement which has made respecting the Prosecutions against Towle a Prisoner confined in the County Gaol that it would be conducted by the Secret Committee here & that in Consideration of it a Sum commensurate to the Expence should be remitted me on that Account etc the time is now approaching to render it expedient that I should prepare for the Assizes I wish to know if you have any wish that the Counsel ordinarily retained for the Crown should have Briefs herein or that I should manage it without any relation to that Circumstance as the Secret Committee may Direct me.

I am Dear Sir Yours very faithfully
George Coldham

Nottingm 6th Febry 1815

[To John Beckett]

23rd May 1814: The Town Clerk of Nottingham offers his views on breaking the stockingers Union to the Home Secretary

Nottingham 23d May 1814.

My Lord,

As Secretary to the Committee lately appointed by the Hosiers of Nottingham in consequence a publick Meeting in London of Gentlemen connected with this Manufactory in order to oppose the present alarming & dangerous Combination amongst the Frameworknitters, I am Directed with the utmost diffidence & respect to suggest to your Lordship’s consideration that it has occurred to the Committee that the immediate Disbanding (if it could be accomplished without any material Inconvenience to his Majesty’s Service) of the Leicester & Nottingham & Derbyshire Regiments of Militia but particularly the Nottingham Regiment would very much tend to frustrate the System upon which the Nottingham Union Society is at present acting. They have lately compelled large Masses of the Frameworknitters working for different Hosiers to strike & give over working for them. Already the Hands of Messrs J & G Ray & Co. have/at their Suggestion or Command—It is rumoured that they are about to force the Hands of another [Hosier] thereof Beardmore & Co. to come to similar Determination—Under these circumstances the more Frameworknitters were at Home in a Situation to receive Work. the more equal would the Hosiers be to meet the Effects of this formidable Combination & the more likely would they be to find Persons ready to supply the places of those whom these Committees may be enabled to persuade to act upon this System. Every Acession of Numbers of Persons wanting Employment which can be sent home & placed in such a Situation as to be enabled to supply the Deficiencies in the regular Workmen with Drawn from their Masters by the Combination must in the Judgement of the Committee be a powerful occasion of Embarrassment to the System which the Frameworknitters are pursuing. If they go to work upon their usual Terms with their old Employers they make it difficult if not impossible for the Goods manufactured by the Frameworknitters to sell the Goods produced by their manufacturing Committee & if there is a want of Sale there must be an immediate Stop put to the Manufactory on account of the impossibility of obtaining the raw material for any other purpose that the manufacturing Goods which have an immediate Sale. If they [illegible] which might be thus added to the Population here Dependent upon the Manufactoury should join the Combination they must either find them work or a supply of money & to do other will necessarily lead to embarrass their System or exhaust their Resources—I hope your Lordship will excuse my stating these Circumstances for your Consideration. The Committee leave them with your Lordship under a persuasion that you will have the Goodness if it should be practicable to give them their Attention which they may appear to your Lordship to deserve—

I have [etc]
Geo Coldham

[To Lord Sidmouth]

22nd May 1814: The Town Clerk of Nottingham informs the Home Office of a secret committee to combat the stockingers Union

Private & confidential

Nottingham
22d May 1814

Dear Sir,

I write you to inform you that on Wednesday last a very numerous Meeting of the Hosiers was held at the Police Office Tavern at which a very liberal Subscription sett on foot to counteract the formidable Combination in force & Activity amongst the Frameworknitters. At this Meeting a secret Committee was appointed upon the Plan which was last year adopted by the Corporation by a very small number of the original Meeting selected by the Chairman without the knowledge of the Body forming the meeting & this select Number nominated the Committee which consists of a still smaller & in fact very inconsiderable Number. I am sure you are aware how essential Secrecy is to the Success of our measures & and how imperious a Duty it is upon me as the Secretary of this Committee. I have however the greatest pleasure of stating to you that the Members of this Committee are Gentlemen of the greatest respectability & upon whom collectively & individually Government may [repose] the most unlimited Confidence. I write to you my Dear Sir entirely from myself with a view to your Information & [certainly] for the Information thro’ your medium of Lord Sidmouth and Invite on your part any confidential communication of the wishes of Government in relation to this Committee—I have reason to think that you will before this have reason to know that this Committee has not been idle since its appointm’ I can assure you it has occupied a great deal of my time.—I am sure you will perceive that it is essential to my Situation you should have the Goodness to withhold from every Person whatever connected with the corresponding Committee in London any letter of a confidential nature from me which may have relation to the secret Committee here or the communications made by them to the London Committee. I have no doubt you will be put in possession of the Opinion of the Secret Committee here by Mr Thomas Hayne as far as it has been embodied in writing but if I can collect it right I think it its operation against the Union Society entirely opposed any publick Declarations of the purpose of its Formation & hopeless if affecting anything in the present State of the Law by Intimidation.

It’s plan is obtain Information and to act upon it by calling upon the executive Power to appeal to the Legislature for such an amendment of the Law as they may Deem adequate to remedy the Evil. The Committee here are Desirous of leaving the mode of redress & the active obtaining of it to Government as a general measure of Legislature necessary from the general System of Combination amongst the Mechanics throughout the Kingdom. The present formidable State of the Combined force here would make the active management of such a Bill in Parliament as they would think essential to the Security of the Manufacturers [a] matter of extreme Danger to any Manufacturer who might be daring [enough] to undertake it. & I Doubt whether any could be found bold enough to Do it. I am however writing entirely from myself & solely with the wish to apprize you of the Impression & feelings under which I am Dispose to think the Committee must necessarily be acting. I hope that we shall be enabled to obtain much useful Information as we now have now a Fund at our Disposal & shall not fail to avail ourselves of it & the neighbouring Towns I am happy to say are following our Example.

Yours very obediently

Geo Coldham

[To John Beckett]

3rd September 1812: General Maitland updates the Home Office about the situation in the North

Wakefield
3rd September
1812

My dear Sir

I yesterday received Your’s, of the 31st, and when I originally got Mr. Park's Opinion, it accorded so perfectly with the Fact, of what the Magistrates had done, I did not send it to them, but now having the Attorney and Solicitor Generals Opinion, I will transmit it to them this day, as it must prove satisfactory to their Feelings.—

In addition to what I have heretofore stated, I have only to say, that I believe they are still coming in, where they started, and shall send you the Return when made up to the end of the Week.

In one instance too, 32 Men being Colliers of the Duke of Bridgewaters, and not connected with the Mottram District have come in, but this is the solitary instance, as not a Man in Manchester, and all that immense Neighbourhood have stired.

I went to Sheffield as I stated, and yesterday Morning four Men composing a Secret Committee at Barnsley, were seized by Warrant from the Magistrates of Sheffield, they were examined by Stuart Wortley, and committed to Sheffield, for further examination on Friday. He believes the truth of the original information which will attach capitally to two of them, I think it is the strongest I have seen, but what I want to see, is the effect it has in bringing in others, on this I shall be able to inform you in a day or two.—

I am sorry to say at Huddersfield and in its Neighbourhood, there are still some instances of Nocturnal Plunder, particularly in the Arm Ways and that we get on very slow indeed for want of Information, a short time I hope will however let us into it, as we have got a good number of People now at Work.—

I am [etc]
T Maitland

[To] John Becket Esqr.
&c &c &c

22nd June 1812: The weaver, Humphrey Yarwood, writes a statement for John Lloyd

As the Stockport Solicitor John Lloyd had informed the Home Office on Sunday 21st June 1812, the weaver and former Secretary of the Manchester Secret Committee, Humphrey Yarwood, had been left with paper, pen and ink to expand upon the information Lloyd had managed to extract from him previously.

He had been in custody for 5 days, and had been visited by figures such as Holland Watson, a Lancashire Magistrate and General Maitland. We do not know exactly what Lloyd did with Yarwood, but on the 22nd June, he wrote out a thorough confession of activities he had been involved in for the past few months.

The 'statement' itself is broadly similar to Lloyd's 'memorandum' of his conversation with Yarwood 3 days earlier. Once again, Yarwood makes John Buckley Booth the main protagonist of the whole affair, even going to far as to imply that he, the Secretary of the Secret Committee, did not play an active part it at the behest of Booth. The 'statement' then proceeds to go through the meetings and events of the past two months in much detail - indeed, this document forms a great deal of what we know about the transactions of the Committees in Manchester.

Yarwood mentions John Bent, Colonel Fletcher's spy 'B' on more than one occasion, corroborating what 'B' wrote in his reports to Fletcher. Yarwood makes it clear that Bent had stopped visiting him recently, and consequently he was not clear how involved he was in the petitioning in Manchester - Yarwood said that Bent had implied to him that he believed petitioning was a way to involve many more people than was previously possible, even if the objectives remained the same.

Yarwood had seemingly exhausted his recollections with this lengthy and literary statement, and no other desposition from him appears in the Home Office records. His fate was confirmed a few days later by John Lloyd.

4th May 1812: Two weavers from Failsworth meet the Manchester Secret Committee at the Prince Regent's Arms

Joseph Taylor, a weaver from Failsworth recently moved to Club Row, Newton Lane in Manchester, was a curious type. On the day of the first Manchester Food Riot, he had met a relative, called John Blakeley, in the streets on Manchester. Blakeley had greeted him with a gesture which piqued his interest: he put his finger to his lip and asked Taylor if he could answer it. Taylor could not, but made it clear he wanted to know more.

Blakeley made it clear to Taylor that Manchester would soon be witnessing something akin to the French Revolution, but that he would have to be conversant in signs and signals before he could know more. Blakeley taught him the following:

Question: put the two forefingers of the right-hand to the right eye; Answer: present the forefinger of the left-hand

Question: place the little finger of the right-hand under the lip - at the same time advance the right leg; Answer: stroking or rubbing the chin with the left-hand

Taylor knew a man called Joseph Duxbury was involved in something secretive, and decided to try to the signs he'd learned on him. It worked. Duxbury subsequently got Taylor to swear an oath and gave him hints about how he would find the 'principal persons' involved in what he wanted to know more about.

On the morning of Monday 4th May, Taylor set off with his friend Thomas Whitehead, a weaver from Failsworth to find out more. On Port Street, off Ancoats Lane, they met a young man whom Taylor suspected was involved in the secret business. He tried out the second signal on him, and the man, called Ben, responded with the counter-sign. Ben took them both to a cellar at No. 21 where he worked as a weaver. They talked about being twisted-in and then agreed to go for a drink at the White Lion. Ben went ahead, and Taylor & Whitehead joined him later.

At the White Lion, Taylor asked Ben if anyone could help twist-in Taylor. Ben said he knew someone who could and left, returning later with a man he called 'the Secretary'. The man introduced himself as Yarwood and gave Taylor the signal: Taylor responded with the counter-sign. Yarwood questioned Taylor, and then said they needed to go somewhere safer.

Taylor, Whitehead and Yarwood now headed for the Prince Regent's Arms on Ancoats Lane. In private in a room in the pub, Yarwood asked Taylor to tell him the oath, and although Taylor couldn't remember the oath, Yarwood was satisfied. As the landlord, John Brown, entered the room to bring coal to the fireplace, Yarwood then said he would like to read Taylor some verses from the Bible, and asked the ladlord to fetch a Bible. With the landlord present, Yarwood read to Talyor verses 25, 25 & 27 of the 21st chapter of the book of Ezekiel. The landlord left, and then Yarwood administered the oath to him, whilst he held the Bible in his hand.

I, A.B., of my own voluntary will do declare and solemnly swear that I will never reveal to any person or persons in any place or places under the canopy of heaven the names of the persons who comprise the secret committee, either by word and deed or sign, their proceedings, meetings, place, abode, dress, features, marks, complexions, connections nor anything else that may lead to the discovery of the same on the penalty of being put out of this world by the first brother that shall meet me, my name and character blotted out of existence and never to be remembered but with contempt and abhorrence. I further swear that I will use my best endeavours to punish by death any traitor or traitors should any rise up amongst us he or them and though he should fly to the verge of nature I will pursue him with unceasing vengeance so help me God to keep this oath inviolable

At the end, Yarwood asked him to kiss the Bible, which he did. Yarwood then told him the signs and counter-signs to ensure he could safely introduce himself and/or reply to others twisted-in, and said these were changed every fortnight for security reasons, and also that subscriptions were 2 pence per week. Yarwood agreed that Whitehead should be admitted as a 'friend to the cause', and swore Whitehead in too in a similar manner.

After Yarwood had told Taylor some poetry ridiculing the Prince Regent, he said there was a meeting later today, and if he was interested, he should remain at the pub: the location would be announced within 10 minutes of the meeting, again for security reasons.

Yarwood then proceeded to paint a vivid picture to both men of revolutionary proceedings in the country: that 400,000 men were ready to rise, although London was lagging behind somewhat; that army officers and sergeants were twisted in, and that one half of the army would 'be organised before the blow'; that even the Duke of York may join them and they would 'pluck him from the ungodly'.

By 6.30 p.m., up to 18 people were assembled at the Prince Regent's Arms, waiting for the meeting venue to be announced. A little man came in, who seemed to be looked up to by those present. Whitehead knew him, and shook his hand. This was John Buckley Booth, and Whitehead heard from others that he was a Calvinist preacher and he heard others called him 'Parson'.

The meeting eventually convened in the Prince Regent's Arms itself. Delegates were present from Stockport, Oldham, Middleton, Huddersfield, Bolton, Preston, Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge, Bury, Blackburn, FailsworthYarwood's words to the two men earlier, the content of the meeting proved to be agitation for a 'general reform' and a 'general change'.

Later, Taylor and Whitehead became concerned for their welfare. Accusations flew that they were spies - that they would not be allowed out of the pub until someone who had been sent to check their credentials came back - that if it were proved they were spies, their lives would be at stake. The men perceived that the landlord was refusing admittance to the room, but all the while, the numbers outside the room were increasing. Somehow, the men found a back way out of the room, but discovered that all the doors they tried to escape through were locked to them. They were detained again by one of the weavers from the meeting.

Somehow, Taylor & Whitehead eventually managed to leave the Prince Regent's Arms. Three days later, they had fled to London, and gave dispositions about their experience in Manchester before the Home Secretary, Richard Ryder, in Whitehall. They had been acting undercover all the time - most likely employed by the Stockport Solicitor & Magistrates Clerk, John Lloyd, for the purpose of incriminating the weavers present.

20th April 1812: A young Mancunian man is 'twisted-in '

On Monday 20th April 1812, a young man - whom we only know by the letters MI - met a man called Whittingham in Manchester. Whittingham told him that if he was interested he would be able to arrange for him to be twisted-in (i.e. be administered an illegal oath) - MI agreed, and later went with 5 others to a field near a church called St George's. We do not know the time of day, but it likely to have taken place at night.

MI was blindfolded, to ensure that he would not be able to tell who it was that had administered the following oath:

I AB do of my own free will and accord declare an solemnly swear that I will not reveal to any person or persons the name or names of the persons who comprise the secret committee, the place of abode, dress, features connections or anything else that may lead to a discovery of the same, under penalty of being sent out of the world by the first brother that may meet me, my name and character blotted out of existence, never more to be remembered but with contempt & abhorrence — I furthermore do swear, that I will do my endeavour to punish by death any traitor or traitors, let them be who they will & what they will, without favor or affection to friend or relation — should any rise up amongst us & attempt to fly even to the verge of nature I will pursue with unceasing vengeance — so help me God to keep my oath inviolable

MI stood as he took the oath, and at the end kissed a book, which he assumed was the Bible, and the blindfold was removed. MI was told that the organisation to which he now belonged stretched across the country, with 'some gentlemen' in London at the head of it, but their names were known only to a Secret Committee. Manchester was said to be a central location for the whole North West region, which delegates from different parts of the country always passed through, and the delegate system was used because the post could not be trusted. MI was then made aware of 2 signs and counter-signs which could be used to ensure that the people he met were also twisted-in:

The right thumb in the right waistcoat armhole – the Right heel in the Centre of the left foot with the toe turned square — the countersign is the reverse of this — i.e. the left thumb in the left armhole

The right-hand little finger in the mouth with the thumb pointed out, the fingers doubled. The answer is a left-hand rubbing the chin between the from & two first fingers

A day later, MI asked Whittingham for a copy of the oath, and he copied down what the man read out to him.

In 9 days time, MI would tell all of this to a local magistrate, the Reverend William Hay.

20th April 1812: Delegate meeting of Manchester Executive Committee at Ardwick Green

The next General delegate meeting of the towns around Manchester took place on Monday 20th April. The disarray that was displayed in the convening of the meeting was reflected in what occurred later at the meeting itself, and against the backdrop of widespread & escalating disorder in the North West. It would also herald the beginning of the end of the system that had been maintained up until that point by the committees of trades. We know about the meeting because of two sources: the weaver, Humphrey Yarwood, and Colonel Fletcher's spy, 'B' alias John Bent.

John Buckley Booth, of the Manchester Secret Committee, felt that it was not safe for him to attend at the original intended Venue, the King's Arms at Oldfield Lane, Salford. He suggested to another Secret Committee member, George Royles, that delegates should be directed to the Shakespeare at Ardwick Green and deputised him to go to the King's Arms and direct people there. Yarwood said that Royles did not stay long enough to direct all the delegates, and several who had arrived at the public house a 3.00 p.m. did not know where the meeting was. One of them, the treasurer of the Spinners committee called Burslem, took some delegates with him to Yarwood's house to make enquiries, who directed them to assemble at the Plough in New Islington for 4.00 p.m. where he would meet them and inform them where to finally go.

Meanwhile, according to Bent, Buckley Booth had convened some of the delegates at a public house in John Street, Ancoats before adjourning to the 'Place & Park' in New Islington. They were proceeding to business when the pub was entered by a party of Special Constables & some Scots Greys, who proceeded to clear the room. It's likely that they moved onto the Prince Regent's Arms in Ancoats, as that is where Yarwood caught up with them later in his efforts to find out the final meeting place.

When the meeting was eventually convened at the Shakespeare later that evening, Buckley Booth was surprised at the numbers of delegates present. Bent reported to Colonel Fletcher that delegates came from Saddleworth, Ashton-under-Lyne, Newton, Droylsden, Hollinwood, Stockport, Withington, Northenden, Stretford, Urmston, Eccles, Worsley & Astley Green. Yarwood heard that delegates were also present from Stalybridge and even Huddersfield. It is notable that that there was no delegate from Bolton that night, something that Bent pointed our to Colonel Fletcher in his report. Bent was not to know that the Bolton delegates to the previous meeting, John Stones and Waddington, had been traversing the countryside around Bolton and Atherton in the early hours of that morning.

The meeting set to business, and elected Bent as treasurer. Colonel Fletcher's spy now had a firm foothold in the regional organisation, and presumably access to personal details of the delegates.

But Buckley Booth was dismayed that the town of Manchester itself could not raise enough subscriptions to support it's own Committee, and proposed that the town should drop out of the association altogether. The meeting was to be rescheduled for just over a fortnight's time, 4th May at 11.00 a.m. in the Three Crowns at Failsworth, when subscriptions would be due. The proposal was to use the subscriptions to fund a delegate to travel to London. Following the disorder that had taken place in and around Manchester that day and the days before, there was an agreement to recommend that the people 'be peaceable' and that anyone involved in rioting would not be twisted-in.

A sign and countersign were agreed, and noted later by Bent in his report to Colonel Fletcher:

The sign to be admitted is: to clasp the forefinger of the right-hand into the right eye; the answer by the left in the same manner.

7th April 1812: Manchester Secret Committee members borrow money from the spy 'B'

On the evening of 6th April, the Manchester Executive Committee had cancelled the plans of the General Delegate Committee to launch attacks on factories in the surrounding towns over the following week. After the meeting had broken up, two members of the Secret Committee that had been delegated to inform Bolton & Stockport - George Royles & George Haworth - had approached another member, the weaver Humphrey Yarwood, explaining that they could not afford to travel.

Yarwood had reminded Royles and Howarth of someone present at the meeting who had the means to make them a loan. He asked them to call on him the following morning and they would visit the man tomorrow.

The next day, Yarwood took Royles and Howarth to the warehouse of a John Bent, apparently a buyer and seller of cotton waste, and a well-known face at both public and secret meetings of weavers, spinners and those of other trades.

Bent agreed to lend Royles and Howarth sufficient money to fund their trips out to Stockport and Bolton. He had to get change for a £10 note, and when he returned he gave them 19 shillings each. They agreed terms of repayment - Bent was flexible, but wanted regular payments whatever period they chose. The men agreed to repay the money within a month.

The 3 men then went to meet the other member of the Secret Committee, John Buckley Booth, at the Prince Regent's Arms, where he gave them the tickets that would enable them to meet & converse with the Secret Committees at Bolton and Stockport and they made the trips out the same day.

The three men were not to know that the cotton trader John Bent was in fact Colonel Fletcher's spy 'B'. We know this because 'B's' report to Fletcher of the 7th April mentioned their visit:

"three of they Committee Came to me to Borrow one pound I lent them 19 shillings they will pay me in the Cors of a month"

7th April 1812: Colonel Fletcher receives a report from the spy John Stones about plans for Westhoughton Mill

Tuesday April 7th 1812

/S/has been with Waddington this Morng and told /S/that their was a Meeting last Night of the Secret Committee at Eight o'Clock which lasted until one this Morning. And that they had been twice for him /S/. /S/ have attended it - but he was at Bolton. In future he was to Attend at their Private Meetings—

It was Unanimously Agreed to fire the Factory only Westhoughton the first night (on Thursday next). A delegate is gone to Chowbent this Morng to give them Instructions how to proceed in Firing it—There is betwixt 30 & 40 in Chowbent & Tilesley which is thought Sufficient with 2 going with them from Bolton to instruct them — they wish /S/ to be one of two — There will be a Gen’ Meeting of the whole Neighbourhood on Thursday Morng at one O'Clock – Countersign Dublin. In Kiles Feild Opposite Stone Pitt Pike When every one that is swore in and not Attending — Are to be Forced out of Bed & his Pike put out — A Certain number is to go first to the Master of the Factory or to the Overlooker & Knock at the door when they are to tell him he his wanted upon Particular Business — then they are to demand the Keys & if he refuses to deliver them they are to Place a Pistol on either side of him & keep him secure untill the Business is done —/S/is to go to his Fathers for him to Attend the Gen’ Meeting – and if his Men be not properly Arranged—they will Instruct him in matters relating there to—/S/hath been round to Collect the 2d but only got 10d which he gave to Ratcliff. Waddingtons Brother told /S/that they where sufficiently provided with Powder for their Intended job—Every Man is to be Provided with something to defend themselves with—Some is getting Edging Bills & Long Stick with Pikes at the End –and some Pistols –&c. Waddington showed /S/one that he was taking to be repaired

Capt Bullen is at home

Should you want me before you go I will either come over or meet you wherever you may Appoint

Yours Sincerely
J Warr

6th April 1812: Manchester Executive Committee cancel plans for factory attacks on 9th April

On Monday 6th April 1812, the 'Manchester Executive Committee' met at the Prince Regent's Arms on Ancoats Lane in Manchester to discuss various matters. We know about this meeting from 2 sources - the weaver, Humphrey Yarwood, and Colonel Ralph Fletcher's spy, 'B', both of whom either wrote or gave statements about what occurred subsequently.

B reported that some delegates had returned from a trip to London to report on the situation there: It was said that London was relatively unprepared compared to the North; that the city had been divided into 10 districts and subdivided into 120 other divisions, and that only 7400 had been twisted-in. It was also apparently suggested to B that he should be a delegate for Yorkshire.

Both B and Yarwood also explained that the committee was aware of the preparations for a Loyalist meeting in Manchester that would take place on that coming Wednesday 8th April. On the same night that the Executive Committee was meeting, there was another meeting of 'Gentlemen' taking place at the Bridgewater Arms to oppose the Loyalists, and Yarwood explained that John Buckley Booth of the Manchester Secret Committee was sent to weigh up the likely strength of opposition. B said that another of the executive committee was also deputed to attend, but does not mention any names. Apparently, Buckley Booth eventually returned telling the Executive Committee that he had been asked to sign a petition by the 'Gentlemen'.

At some point in the evening, the plans of the General Delegate meeting that had taken place the previous night in Salford was discussed. That meeting had held that the Manchester Districts would decide if the plan to attack factories should go ahead. In his report for Colonel Fletcher, B explained the plan was to involve seizing all military officers and put them to death along with all the magistrates.

The District rejected these plans, and ordered that delegates must be sent out to the various towns to countermand any planned operations. But there was concern about how this would be financed. Yarwood noted that not enough money had been collected to even pay for that night's ale and that this, allied with discovering the plans of the Kings Arms meeting, meant that 'nothing but dischord reigned amongst them that night'.

After the meeting broke up, the two other members of the Manchester Secret Committee that had been deputed to cancel operations in Bolton and Stockport, Royles and Howarth, told Yarwood they simply didn't have the money to travel out to those towns. Yarwood had an idea who might help...

6th April 1812: Colonel Ralph Fletcher informs the Home Office about plans to fire Westhoughton Mill

Bolton le moors 6 April 1812

Sir

Since my last, affairs of daily become more serious, but as the Post is every moment expected—I defer the detail until a further opportunity.

By the Inclosures which I have just now received you will perceive the dangerous Extent of the Treasonable Plans indicated, and that Revolution and not Regulation is sought after.—It appears that Waddington the Bolton delegate is one of the Bolton secret Committee with whom our Confident had the address to make himself acquainted; and by that means got introduced to the delegates after the meeting was over, and came at the Information.

The Question is now how to prevent the horrid Consequences that would result from a full Execution of their diabolical Plans.—I have apprised my Brother magistrate Mr Hampson and intend was as little alarm as may be to apprise the Revd Mr Prescott of Stockport and some of the magistrates and Heads of the Police at Manchester—and at Blackburn, but have not yet digested the best mode of making the Communication.—I concur that it will be proper to suffer the Traitors to proceed as far as may be without actual mischief—in order the more effectually by the apprehension of a greater Number of the actors to come at a Knowledge of the first movers. —It would be desirable to have an order to examine Letters at our Post office in order the more effectually to discover the Persons in other Places with whom they correspond.—Can you give me any Authority for such a Purpose?

It is, as you will observe in Contemplation on the Part of the Bolton Traitors. to set fire on Thursday night to one Factory, only, situated in Westhoughton about 4 miles from this Town – but as there will be a meeting on Wednesday night it may possibly be determined to proceed to further Extremities.

In Haste

I have the Honor to be
Sir
your most Obt Servant

Ra: Fletcher

29th March 1812: A Secret Committee is formed in Manchester

In Manchester on the morning of Easter Sunday 1812, 4 men awaited the arrival of a coach from Stockport: they were Humphrey Yarwood, the Secretary of the Manchester Committee of Trades who had been elected on 19th February, John Buckley Booth, aka 'The Parson', a lay preacher, George Royles, an Irishman partially-sighted in one eye, and George Haworth, a Yorkshireman who lived at the time in Pillings Buildings. All four were weavers, and active in workers' committees in and around Manchester.

When the coach arrived, a young, smartly-dressed man called Joseph Wright met them. Wright was a delegate from the Stockport Committee of weavers. The group retired to a quiet room somewhere in town. They discussed the development of secret workers' organisations in Stockport, and their chief aims: the destruction of Steam Looms, the collection of funds to purchase arms with a view to using force if necessary. As their conversation developed, Wright explained to them that it would be necessary for them to form a Secret Committee and be sworn into an illegal Oath  - an obligation of secrecy - which was by then in use in both Stockport and Bolton. He explained that it would be necessary for the three towns to be in contact with each other, but the necessity of secrecy meant documentation would have to used to facilitate correspondence and communications. Being the most confident of the group, Buckley Booth suggested that he Royles and Haworth should form the Secret Committee.

Wright suggested that a delegate from Bolton should visit Manchester on his way back from Stockport in the next few days and leave the documents with them. The ever self-assured Buckley Booth volunteered to met the delegate.

Within 2 days, the delegate had met Buckley Booth and left with him the paraphernalia. It consisted of a transcribed copy of the Oath the four men had taken, and two indented cards, the purpose of which was to act as tickets which would only match with similar cards held by the other Secret Committees at Bolton and Stockport, so that a delegate system could be used. The underground in the North West now included Manchester, the newest of the Secret Committees.

15th March 1812: Bolton weavers meet in secret at the Rope Walk

Sometimes after mid-March, around 18 to 20 weavers met in secret at the Rope Walk on Bolton Moor. Robert Waddington was present again, and heard a man called Christopher Metcalf talk suggest that those present should form a Secret Committee, as had already taken place in other towns. Illegal oaths were also administered at the meeting.

Waddington and a handful of others took up this suggestion after the meeting: an impromptu meeting took place between Waddington, John Garrat, John Hurst & Samuel Ratcliffe who decided to form a Secret Committee and to include a man called Richard Charlton, who agreed to their suggestion the following night. The Secret Committee would thereafter seek to recruit and 'twist-in' (i.e. administer illegal oaths) as many people as possible.

23rd February 1812: The Manchester spy 'B' reports on Nottingham & Birmingham contacts and a secret oath

On Sunday 23rd February, Colonel Fletcher's spy in Manchester, 'B', finished another report for his master.

On the 17th, he had come across his contact from Nottingham, Williamson, who he had met previously in November. Williamson said that Nottingham had acted too soon, and that a general rising across counties would be preferable, and were this to occur, Nottinghamshire could contribute 3000 men. He implied that contributions from England, Ireland and Scotland had lessened the hardship of people in Nottingham and also that many of the Special Constables recruited in the county were sympathetic. Williamson told B that an illegal oath was in use by which 40,000 people in Nottinghamshire were sworn in. B wrote out that oath for Fletcher in his report:

I A.B. of my own free will do most Sincerly promies & sware that I will keep the secrets that which I ham about to Receive & that Nither fear hope or Reward Shall in duce me to declair the same and that I will do my Best in helping hading and asisting in forwarding the same Business with persion and property & that if I declair the same to any persion with an intent to inger the Cause or any person their to be Longing under no less a pennalty then Being Exterminated with all my familey so help me God. 

On the 19th, B had attended a meeting on the Manchester Committee of Trades at 8 p.m. 26 delegates attended and elected a secretary called Yarwood. Yarwood was tasked with writing to the various committees in the vicinity to try to coordinate activity. The subject of the requisition to the Borough Reeve was discussed again, but left unresolved - it was felt that as many districts as possible should attend another meeting in 7 days time, and the meeting resolved to 'warn' particular districts to attend - Royton, Oldham, Glodwick, Saddleworth and Eccles. The meeting resolved to print 200 fliers to distribute to others to aid attendance.

On the 21st, B had been to Wilmslow and reported the lack of work, hardship and ill-feelings among the people, saying they felt "they had better die in the field of battle than starve as they are". B reported that seditious, anti-monarchy talk was commonly heard in public.

B broke out of his report to compare and contrast 2 magistrates in Stockport - Charles Prescot and the factory owner, Peter Marsland. B said the former was "in faver" with the people, and more likely to "satisfy" them than Marsland.

On the 22nd, B had met a man called Taylor from Leeds, who he had been in contact with 9 years before. Taylor predicted that something would happen in West Yorkshire in the summer, and that the people there were ready to withstand troops, although there were concerns about the possible use of Welsh Militia.

On the 23rd, B had met a man called Leighton, who was in contact with a Committee in Manchester, evidently not one that B knew about as he passed on the general location of their meetings - Newman Street off Oxford Road. Leighton was in town because he had missed his coach to Birmingham, where he was headed for on his ultimate destination in London. He held disdain for the Manchester Committee of Trade's efforts in petitioning. B tried to find out the details of the London Committee from Leighton so that he could call on them, but Leighton refused to divulge anymore as he had sworn an oath of secrecy. Leighton was evidently well-to-do: a Porter had brought him to B's house.

At the bottom of B's report, and in a different more literate handwriting, is a description of Leighton:

"Leighton is rather slender—about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high a smart looking man dressed in Black, and short Boots His Eyes Dark—and his Hair short and rather dark"

17th January 1812: The Manchester spy, B, meets another Irish contact & visits Stockport

Colonel Fletcher's spy, 'B', filed another report on the 17th January.

Commencing on the 14th January, B explained he had a met a man called Brannigan from Ireland, and they discussed 'the Business' there. Once again, a state of non-sectarian unity was described to B, with 'knobs' (i.e. noblemen) being involved. Brannigan said large numbers of people - 400,000 - were said to be involved, and that Catholics in England may also rise, a line which no doubt leapt out at the recipient of the report, the Orangeman Colonel Ralph Fletcher. Brannigan's destination was Birmingham, and B posited that this was where the Irish were getting their arms from.

B reported that on the 16th January, the Mottram delegate has returned from his trip around Yorkshire, the North East and Cumbria. Some places had links with Scotland, and many were willing to correspond, while others at Northallerton felt this was too risky. B had tried to find out the name of the delegate, but the Committee was sworn to secrecy.

On Friday 17th, B had been to Stockport and explained that the Committee there was growing and that they had delegates from an area up to 6 or 7 miles wider than previously.

B gave an account of the disarray the Manchester Committee appeared to be in. The President had gone to the Derby Quarter Sessions and not returned. B did not know when they were to meet next. Another Committee member, called Washington, was described as  being "in darby jail for a bastard Chield". B described Royton as being "in a dengrous state", as well as Saddleworth.

Finally, B stated he was due to attend a meeting in Newton, near Hyde, Cheshire on 22nd January where delegates from many of the surrounding villages would be present to give reports and give account of the numbers involved and their plans.

10th January 1812: The spy 'B' reports on travelling delegates in the North East and from Nottingham

Colonel Fletcher's spy 'B' filed another report on the 10th January.

Starting on the 6th, he has some complaints on the collection of Income Tax which was due to take place on 11th January. B's concern may have reflected personal considerations, but he presented it as yet more hardship in a time of great austerity, with the 'old Jacks' (i.e. Jacobins) eyeing it as an opportunity to take advantage of discontent.

B reported on the travels of the Mottram delegate, who had now reached the North East. On the 2nd January, he had been in Tynemouth and had evidently visited Sunderland and both North and South Shields as well. He had visited well-attended delegate meetings there who had promised to correspond.

On the 10th January, B had met a delegate from Nottinghamshire called Whittaker. The picture he painted of Nottinghamshire was that the actions of the Luddites had been premature, as they had apparently expected Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Leicestershire to rise simultaneously. This not having happened, at least to the same degree of ferocity in all but 2 of the Counties, meant Whittaker felt that an opportunity to wrest control from the government had been missed. He described the Luddites being bound by oaths and also the scale of machine-breaking - he estimated that 1000 'looms' (i.e. stocking frames) had been destroyed. Whittaker said that B's real name was well-known in Nottinghamshire, as well as that of others involved in the 'business'.

B had also met the delegate called Taylor, from Royton on the 4th January. He described the desperation of people in Royton, saying the were ready to fight, and that 'nothing Ealse will do', but that they looked to Manchester to give a lead.

1st January 1812: the Manchester spy 'B' reports on a Stockport delegate touring Yorkshire

On New Year's Eve 1811, the spy 'B' continued his reports for Colonel Fletcher about the underground in Lancashire and Cheshire.

That day, he had met a man named Waterhouse from Shaw, near Oldham. He reported that the local people were enthused by the disturbances in Nottingham, noting that the 3,000 troops stationed there could not quell the disturbances, and that an extension into other Counties would mean the government could lose control. Despite this, Waterhouse felt that things in his local area were not yet bad enough for people to rise as Nottingham had, but if they were, it would take 10,000 troops to keep them and neighbouring districts down.

On New Year's Day, 'B' reported he had met a 'Jack' (i.e. Jacobin) from Stockport who had news from another delegate that had been sent through Yorkshire. He had reported on divisions amongst committees in Leeds between those who were for revolution and those for reform. The delegate had reported the difficulties in organising experienced by the secret committee in York since the "Lord Mayre add is people allways on the Lookout". The delegate had then made his way to Hull, and the general feeling was that a rising could only succeed in the area if Hull were to be at the forefront. The Hull delegates he met held very strong fears about the response of the military in the area to any attempt at a rising as "the Garison Could Lay the town in ashes in a short time". The local committee promised to stay in regular monthly contact and the Stockport delegates plan was to head north into Teeside and Tyneside and then head back down to Halifax.

Finally, 'B' reported that the Manchester committee's plans to requisition the Borough Reeve for a public meeting about peace & parliamentary reform were still stalling.

28th December 1811: Nottingham delegates at secret meetings in Stockport

On Saturday 28th December, Viscount Warren-Bulkeley wrote to the Home Secretary, Richard Ryder. He had received intelligence from an agent that 'delegates from Nottingham' had been in Stockport and had held a meeting with delegates from the local weavers on Saturday 21st December in Union Street. He had no other information about the content of the meeting, other than to add that the Nottingham men had returned the next day and also that a meeting of some kind was due to take place on a hill in the area on the 30th December.

27th December 1811: The spy 'B' reports about a planned strike in Stockport and of travelling delegates

Colonel Fletcher's agent, 'B', compiled another report for his employer, commencing the 23rd December.

He reported that on the 24th December he had met a committee delegate from Mottram, who said their local committee had heard from the delegate they had sent into Yorkshire, specifically Doncaster, Rotherham & Sheffield. The report from there stated they were in need of leadership, and their shortcomings in that department had led them to turn down requests for help from Nottingham.

'B' had himself been to Stockport the same day, and reported that there was pressure for a strike from the weavers, to gain an increase in wages - "Even the single man Cannot Live on his Earnings Let alone men with famileys". 'B' noted that their poverty was so dire that they could not afford to make contributions towards the committee.

On Friday 27th December, 'B' had run into his Irish contact Cannovan. He had been as far South as Bristol where the "business" was "flat", but reported that the underground in Birmingham wanted to procure arms. He also remarked that although he wanted to visit Nottingham, it was "dangerous to do so", commenting that he thought the Luddites there "had taken a rong step should have waited a proper time".

Once again, Cannovan was disappointed with what Bent told him about progress in Manchester.

Cannovan was headed for Dublin, via Liverpool, although he said he may have to go to Scotland soon, but did not know when he would be in Manchester again. He rebuffed 'Bs' offer to send him news to his address in Dublin, saying "danger might atend such Corryspondance".

'B' completed his report with the news that the Manchester committee had not met in the last week, and was unaware when they would again, noting the disquiet that the more radical countryside delegates felt about this inactivity.