16th August 1816: 'An appalling picture of distress' in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire

The Nottingham Review of 16th August 1816 published the following sobering passage about the distresses being experienced amongst framework-knitters in Sutton-in-Ashfield:

A Correspondent in a large village in this neighbourhood, has sent us the following appalling picture of distress; and we are sorry to say, we have every reason to believe, from the account given by an inhabitant of the place, who called upon us this week, that so far from the facts being too highly coloured, on an investigation they would be found to exceed the representation here given: we are told that one farmer in the parish is now paying 15s. per day, as a poor rate; and we know for a certainty, that for a smart house, the rental of which is 3l. 10s. a year, the tenant is paying between two and three shillings a week to the same rate. That such a state of things cannot long continue, must be evident to every reflecting mind:—"The situation of Sutton-in-Ashfield is truly miserable. There are no less than fourteen Sick Clubs or Institutions for the relief of each other in cases of inability to follow their occupations, containing above twelve hundred members, who have stopped paying and receiving during the present distress, for the want of employ, which renders it impossible for the greatest part of them to pay their contributions, and consequently must have been excluded, is such an expedient had not been resorted to. Many are in the practice of procuring fire fuel by going two or three miles to the coal pits with wheelbarrows, and some join in numbers at a cart or a waggon and divide them when they have drawn them home. Out of the number of almost two thousand frames, not one hundred have full employ; and those who have hitherto paid poor rates, are called upon to an extent of distress which is unparalleled."

January 1814: A Nottinghamshire Framework-knitter, George Ward, petitions the Prince Regent for relief

To his Royal Highness, George prince of Wales
Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland—

The humble petition of George Ward Sheweth, Having had the misfortune during the late disturbances at Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, to have had two wide frames broke, the one a lace frame and the other a Stocking frame my property which cost me £73—10—and earned by the dint of industry, likewise part of my shop windows broke which has reduced me to the greatest distress, and as such am not able to get the same repaired. How at the same night I apprehended two of the rioters George Jeffries, who impeached and was admitted evidence for the Crown against Benjn Hancock and Gervase Marshall who was transported and John Bradbury with several others that was delivered by proclamation and George Green who I apprehended and was transported and I also identified the person of Robert Poley in prison who pleaded guilty and was transported, Moreover I was repeatedly down at Mansfield before the Magistrates Coll. Need and Major Boothby Esqr. for examination to the above, and on the following March Assize I was nine Days at Nottingham and at Midsummer Assize following I was four days for which I have never recd one farthing for the loss of my time or any thing else, and moreover my shop windows remain boarded up not being able to get the same repair’d, one frame I have got repair’d but the other is in the hands of the framesmith deposited in his hands for payment for his charge for repairing the other, he informs me if he is not immediately payed he will sell it to the best bidder. Having mentioned the above to Coll. Need he tells me he does not act as Magistrate this year being sheriff— and sent me to Thos Maltby Esqr having told the same to Thos. Maltby and Genl Hall the Magistrates for the division they said they was not there at the time or would have seen me righted before now, and Major Boothby is removed from this neighbourhood. Some time back I laid my case before Coll. Elliott, Thos Evans and __ Longdon Esqrs Sitting Magistrates in Nottingham, they all of them told me I was entitled to the rewards offer’d and it was at home I had nothing done for me before this but they could do nothing for me it was out of their division but they gave me a Letter to Mr. Woodcock of Mansfield the Solicitor for him to precure the rewards offerd in your Royal proclamation for me, And Mr. Sculthorp informs me that the rewards are paid into the hands of Mr. Woodcock some time since but I have not as yet recd one farthing for nothing.

In last November where before the Sitting Magistrates in Nottingham Mr. Evans told me that the Secretary of State had gave all the rewards offerd to Mr. Stevens of Mansfield, and that the Committee had closed and they could do nothing for me —

If your Royal Highness will have the goodness to see justice done to an unfortunate poor sufferer who took two of the first Ludds that was taken even one in the very act of breaking my frame (George Jeffries) your Royal Highness will keep me from the parish, and if your petitioner will ever pray—

[To his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales etc]

25th January 1812: Luddites destroy cut-up goods in transit

Early in the morning of Saturday 25th January, a carrier (waggon) was making its way from Sutton-in-Ashfield towards Nottingham carrying completed hosiery goods. It was still not light, and he had proceeded some way along his journey when he was met by a number of men with lanterns who ordered him to stop. They proceeded to search all of the bags to examine the goods - those they could identify as 'cut-ups' made on wide frames were burned at the side of the road, whilst those that were 'full-fashioned' with proper selvedges on traditional frames were left alone. When all the goods had been thus examined, the carrier was allowed to proceed to Nottingham.

7th December 1811: George Paley committed to Nottingham Goal

George Paley was committed on this day to the County gaol. He was charged with breaking stocking frames belonging to Francis Betts at Sutton-in-Ashfield on 13th November 1811.

13th November 1811: Mass Luddite attack at Sutton-in-Ashfield

Sutton-in-Ashfield had been chosen by the Luddites as the next place to be subject to frame-breaking. According to Darvall, the town was a "great centre for manufacture of 'cut-ups' and payment in 'truck'."¹

Arnold was the main assembly point for the Luddites that afternoon, and in particular an Alehouse called 'The Hut' where 100 local men had already gathered, with contingents arriving thereafter from Hucknall Torkard, Kirkby & Bulwell. A local militia Sergeant called Jackson allegedly handed out gunpowder to those with firearms. Having mustered, the force then marched alongside the road between Nottingham and Mansfield, stopping for those armed with guns to fire off a few rounds to determine who was the best shot and, therefore, who should be in the vanguard. Their immediate destination was the seventh milestone on the same road², where they waited to be joined by others there, and then set off en masse via Kirkby - stopping to solicit arms from houses along the way - and headed for Sutton-in-Ashfield, arriving there at dusk (approximately 5 p.m.).

The Luddites halted at a distance of 200 yards from the house of the hosier Francis Betts, their main target that night.Three men had been given the task of approaching Betts directly, demanding he surrender his frames, but the waiting group were given an order to advance 10 minutes later; it seemed Betts would not yield to their demands. The numbers given for frames broken in the resulting attack that night vary³, but up to 70 were destroyed, including all of those owned by the Betts, with the frames being hauled from houses and smashed in the street to cries of 'Roll Up Ned Lud's Family' and 'Hey Luds!'. All kinds of weapons & tools were employed in the attack, including Hammers & Coal Hammers, Hatchets, even Hedge Stakes, as well as the proverbial bars of iron, bludgeons and sticks. One reference tells us that some frames belonging to a Mr Gadsby were also destroyed⁴. The group then moved on to Woodhouse, to attack more of Betts' frames, along with some belonging to a Richard Nailor. According to William Felkin, the attack left Betts deranged and he died soon after (1867, p.232).

One report in the Leeds Mercury mentions that a Corn Mill was also attacked. But the Luddites did meet some resistance that night from the military: the Mansfield militia & a handful of dismounted Dragoons in the town caught between 8 and 12 of the Luddites: four of them were later remanded in custody to be committed for trial at the next Assizes, these being John Bradbury, Gervas Marshall, George Green & John Clarke⁵.

14th July 1811: frame-breaking at Sutton-in-Ashfield

Three calendar months after the last reported frame-breaking incidents, more frames were destroyed at Sutton-in-Ashfield (Kirby-in-Ashfield according to one account).¹

16th - 23rd March 1811: 'outrages in the villages' - 100 frames broken

Sources of information about exactly what happened following the Arnold attack on 11th March are somewhat thin on the ground. Several authors allude to the fact that the disturbances carried on for two weeks, before being checked by the events of the 26th March (a post will follow on that date), and the information is drawn from local newspapers, as well as a report by two Bow Street magistrates, Nathaniel Conant and Robert Baker written almost 12 months later.¹

In his timeline², Thomis report that frames were broken in this period at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby, Woodborough, Lambley, and Bulwell in Nottinghamshire and also at Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Citing Conant & Baker, Darvall tells us that:

"Night after night in the surrounding villages mobs collected and entered various workshops in order to break the frames of unpopular hosiers. All over the north-western part of Nottinghamshire, in the various hosiery villages, often in several different places on the same night, and sometimes even by day, cases of framebreaking were reported."³

In Nottingham, the local magistrates ordered regular patrols by "six regular and six special constables", these being augmented by small parties of the military in some of the villages. Meanwhile, the Derby Mercury of 28th March 1811 has reports of large troop movements, with three whole divisions moving into Nottinghamshire:

"The 2d division of the first Royal Lancashire Militia, on its rout from Worcester to Hull on arriving here this morning, received a counter order to proceed to Nottingham, where the 3d division will follow it, to assist the civil power in preserving the tranquility of the town and neighbourhood. The 1st division which arrived here yesterday, was ordered to proceed to Mansfield, & halt there till further orders."

In a report on the 23rd March (below), the Nottingham Journal expresses alarm at the continuing disturbances, and notes that 100 frames have been broken⁴ in the past 14 days:

It is with great concern we hear, that the mischievous proceedings which took place at Arnold last week, have been extended to most of the manufacturing villages in the north western parts of this county, where upwards of one hundred stocking frames, the property of individuals have been destroyed. These outrages are the more to be deprecated, since they will be attended with less evil to the proprietor, than the unfortunate workman, who must for a length of time be thrown  entirely out of employment. The persons engaged in these depredations, proceed in small companies, disguised so that their persons may not be known; in some instances, however, their designs have been frustrated by the determined resistance of those who were in employ. We hope, shortly to be able to announce a happy adjustment of existing differences between the workmen and their employers.