16th June 1812: The informer 'RW' attends a secret nocturnal meeting near Stockport

The second part of the information from an informer 'RW' relayed to the Home Office by the Manchester Magistrate William Hay concerned a secret meeting that took place in the vicinity of Stockport on the evening of Wednesday 16th June 1812. This is the report sent by a third party, RW's employer:

This morning my informant tells me that a person called upon him last night a little before dusk & said he was going to attend the meeting in the Country; my Informant asked if he would take him with him, was answered “come along,” they proceeded to a place behind Mr. Philip’s at the Bank to a lane end on the right hand going to Didsbury a little short of Mr Walker's house – a little up this lane they met with persons appointed to direct them to a field, in going to which they passed several cross lanes. arriving at the field they met an assemblage of from fifty to one hundred men, in the midst of which a man of genteel appearance (a stranger in the Neighbourhood) of brown complexion, blue coat, from 30 to 40 years of age, under the middle stature came forward & addressed the meeting which was composed of two or three men delegated from each different Townships or village in the Neighbourhood.

This gentleman began to state their plans, which was that they were going on, & will in the collection of arms & in the formation of sufficient Bodies of men in the different Districts – when these things were completed, which he was afraid would not be much before Christmas, attempts would be made against Ministers in London, (at which place he said they had a many well organized staunch friends) at the same time attempts would be made to rob the Mail Coach, which attempts by immediately getting into the newspapers, were to be the signal for an immediate rising, as he said that in little more than twenty four hours of this account left London it would be known over the greatest part of the Kingdom, at the same time, rockets are to be sent up from different stations on the great roads for the information of the surrounding Country.—He said it would be in vain to begin the next time in the partial way they had done before, as it gave the Magistrates and Gentleman sufficient time to draw forces different parts of the kingdom—these efforts must be general & at the same time. He strongly and repeatedly urged the meeting to impress upon the minds of their Neighbours the necessity of not starting ‘till their plans were ripe, by which time there would be a sufficient quantity of Arms for every person who chose to join them.

He then went into a long detail how & by whom the people were oppressed—ministers andc avowed to oppress the people by raising the price of corn, knowing it would bring all the Landed Interest to their side, by enhancing the value of their farms, &c hence this sort of Government must be pulled down before any good could be done—He described and enlarged upon the happy state of France where they had a Government of their own choosing &c—He told the meeting they had a many friends all over the Kingdom, rich & respectable, but which neither policy nor prudence would allow to be seen or named at present, but who at a proper time will come forward & avow themselves.—

Not a word on Mills & Machinery—He concluded by repeating his former cautions & emphatically appealed to their feelings by saying “where can we enter house but the Family are starving, & where is the man that would not meet Death manfully rather than endure it any longer.”

My informant says “he never heard such as speaker in his life, & that he was as fit to stand up either in the pulpit, or at the Bar as any man in the Kingdom.—

The meeting commenced about half past eleven and continued about one hour & half, during which they had out posts to prevent surprize, afterwards the men dispersed & sauntered about until the time that the Watch & Ward were gone off before they entered towards the Town.

13th June 1812: The last declarations of Job Fletcher, condemned to die at noon

On the morning of Saturday 13th June 1812 at Lancaster Castle, the chaplain - Joseph Rowley - and the governor - John Higgin - took two declarations from a prisoner, Job Fletcher. Fletcher had been convicted of attacking Westhoughton Mill on 24th April and sentenced to death - he was due to hang at noon that day. Job Fletcher's reasons for giving this declaration were no doubt influenced by his impending fate more than any lofty moral reasons given by the dubious characters of the chaplain and gaoler.

Rowley later communicated these declarations to Colonel Ralph Fletcher, the Bolton Magistrate in a letter of 15th June 1812. What the declarations contained would have delighted and horrified Colonel Fletcher, a right-wing Loyalist zealot:

Lancaster June 15th 1812.

Dear Sir,

A sense of public duty impels me to lose no time in communicating to you, & through your means to any other Magistrate, whom you may think it proper so to do, the following declarations of Job Fletcher, who, according to his sentence, suffered death on saturday morning.

“I Job Fletcher know of a truth, that Richard Warwick* is the head man of the men that as taken the sacret oath in the township of Atherton. I hard him say that the Combination of them raught 300 Miles long and that a set time wood be fixed when it wood take place to be put in execution and George Saleø whas the man that set fire to the factory and that Richard Warwick was the man that tooke and brought orders betwixt Chowbent and Bolton as that night that I whas with them he said we must give him every man one penny to goe the next day for orders but there was not any money given that night that I was with them. When I come to call to mind it was John Shuttleworth that took mee that night to take the oath and as I came back I told him I did not like of their gowings on but he said that the oath was the most secretest oath that ever whas took so he said he had taken oaths before magistrates but they was nothing in comparison with that oath for heaviness and Richard Parr was the man that broke the door the factory open with a large axe that he carried on his Sholder. this is all the true a Count I can give you”

(Signed) “Job Fletcher”

* or Seddon, he is likewise called the delegate
ø or France

The above was committed to writing by himself at the desire of Mr. Higgin & myself.

The following was communicated to me verbally, & written nearly in his own words; & was signed & dated by him on the morning of his execution.

“I Job Fletcher, to confirm by this my signature, that I have voluntarily declared, that Mr. Davis, the Presbyterian Clergyman at Chowbent is considered an encourager of the tumults which have lately taken place in the neighbourhood;—that he did on the evening of 23rd of April, namely, the evening before the West Houghton factory was set on fire, assemble among the crowd, & converse with the people respecting the factory being set on fire, & run about from place to place laughing & rejoicing. The crowd of people that evening might consist of several hundreds. I was quite near him, I could not be possibly mistaken.”

“I do likewise declare that Mr. Canon of Chowbent is a principal encourager of our meetings. He has been in the habit of frequently assembling among the people & talking with them most seditious things both against the Ministers of the Country & the Royal Family. I cannot say, that either of these persons has been twisted in, that is, sworn in.”

(Signed) “Job Fletcher”

(dated)
Lancaster Castle
June 13. 1812.

The above declarations were likewise confirmed by Charleston & Smith, & were made in their presence, as well as in the presence of Mr. Higgin & myself. These facts I thought it my duty to communicate to you. His reason to making them I shall likewise give you in his own words, “he thought it might perhaps be the means of saving the lives of many hundreds, & might prevent much bloodshed.”

I am, Dr Sir, with much respect
Your’s most faithfully,
Joseph Rowley
Chapn. of Lancr Castle.

P.S.I have sent Mr. Parke, the Attorney General for this County, a copy of the above declarations

J.R.

5th June 1812: Delegates from the North & Midlands meet in Lancashire Hill, Stockport

On 18th June 1812, the Manchester Magistrate, William Robert Hay, passed to the Home Office a report from an informer called 'RW'. He had obtained the information from a third party, apparently the man's employer. The letter set out the details of a delegate meeting which had taken place at Lancashire Hill, Stockport on either Thursday 4th or Friday 5th June 1812:

I have just had half an hours conversation with my Informant, from whom I learn that on the 4 or 5th inst four delegates from Nottingham, Derbyshire, the Neighbourhood of Huddersfield & Lancashire came into This Town & Had a meeting with a few leading men amongst the Ludites in this neighbourhood at a private House near Lancashire Hill. These delegates after blaming in strong terms the rashness of the people here in beginning the Riots before the time appointed, & before they were sufficiently numerous & furnished with arms, proceeded to report progress. Their papers are numerous & state the number of people twisted in, & the quantity of arms they possess, for instance Middleton Derbyshire 120 men & 10 stand of arms. The Roll is wrote in Numbers not names/of the former they count very high, but of the latter they complain of great scarcity, however in addition to what they may be able to collect by their nightly depredations, they say report that they have a manufactory going on for them in Sheffield of Pike heads, that are to be sent out in Boxes by the regular couriers. The Delegates suppose it will be the end of Septr or beginning of Octr before their plans are sufficiently ripe for execution, when a blow will be struck, but I understand in the first instance they do not intend to meddle of Mills & Machinery.

These delegates pretend to report for the Counties of Nottingham, Warwick, Stafford, York, Lancaster, Chester, & Derby. They say the whole of the Kingdom are proceeding in the same way.—

9th May 1812: 'Detected Conspiracy' in Stockport

The Leeds Mercury of the 9th May 1812 carried this item from the Star newspaper which alluded to some of the information appearing in the reports of magistrates like William Hay in their reports to the Home Office of plans for a General Rising on or around the 1st-4th May.

DETECTED CONSPIRACY.

A plot of a very expensive and dangerous nature has been discovered of Stockport, in Cheshire. We have the first authority for stating, that a regular conspiracy had been formed; and which, but for this timely discovery, was to have been put into execution this week, to throw the whole country into confusion from Stockport to London, and even the capital itself, in the event of their first attempt proving successful.

For the purpose of executing this diabolical work, agents had been distributed to all the intermediate towns, and the whole ramifications of the late riots, and numbers had taken unlawful oaths to aid and assist in the perpetration of the general ruin. The signal was to have been the stopping of certain mail-coaches—the non-arrival of which at their usual hour and place, was to be considered as the command for the general rising.

Sir John Leicester's cavalry, a very meritorious and active corps, was ordered to Stockport about 14 days ago. It is since their arrival at that place that this infernal conspiracy has been discovered by the Magistrates and the Commanding Officer of the corps, which is been on permanent duty for the last ten days.—Star.

2nd May 1812: Signals of rockets & blue lights seen at night in the Stockport area

On Saturday 2nd May 1812, it was reported to the Home Office that some sort of visual communication system was being used by persons unknown across the Stockport area and possibly further afield.

The Stockport solicitor and clerk to the Magistrates, John Lloyd, gave reports about what had been observed for several nights preceding, and also that a change had taken place on  the evening of 1st May, a date that the authorities in the North West feared had been earmarked for some kind of rising:

For many nights past, Signal Rockets have been thrown from various points, which last night were discontinued, & Signals of a different description were substituted. The Signal a blue light suspended from the top of a Pole, which seemed to be worked with the accuracy of a telegraph, forming Circles, & different figures, which signals were repeated at convenient distances

The Points from whence these Lights last night proceeded, are well ascertained, & will be reconnoitred to night by the active people assisted by the military. The blue lights were seen between Eleven & One in the Morning.

27th April 1812: Manchester magistrates inform the Home Office about the 'Northern National Army'

Police Office Manchester 27 April 1812

Sir,

We have the honor to enclose a notice under the Local Militia Acts by which it will appear that we have directed a certain portion of the L.M. to be called out – they are to be picked men – the measure has been recommended by General Dirom, thro Col. Clay, to us.

We are informed that Head Quarters of those direct the revolutionary proceedings are at Manchester – The Confederacy is called The Northern National Army – there is no connection beyond Carlisle – meetings are held by under delegates in every town in the Neighbourhood — The Pikes made have a hook to them – they are called Hook Spears; are like our Serjeants Halberds & a Pike with a Crook sharp as a knife which is to cut the horses bridles

A notice was yesterday stuck up on paper on the Hearse House in Prestwich Church Yard – In words – it was directed “To Whitefield Luddites”— and in figures 1.2.3 &c “you are hereby required to be ready on the shortest notice to join our army: fail not at your peril. Amen.” By some Key which a respectable man was in possession of, the figures were decyphered into the above - of this we may hear more – Whitefield is a little hamlet part of Pilkington.

I have issued 5 warrants for felony today – 4 for robbing the mill at Worsley on Monday last – the evidence is clear if the parties are taken, and an escort is granted for the purpose – the 5th is for coming for money with about 150 people, which money (2 pounds) the complainant has sworn he gave thro apprehension of his life & damage to his property. Not knowing what the commitment to Lancaster hitherto may have been or hereafter may be, I think it right to mention that many of the principal Inhabitants of this neighbourhood are strongly disposed to apply for a Special Commission to try the rioters. Should that be the case, there is reason to think that many parties will be apprehended, as informers are afraid to appear from the danger they will be under in the long interval between the present time & the next assizes—One of our Informants the same respectable Person as before has today furnished us with the enclosed marked A. We have sent to Oldham to know if any place can be identified with the above – If it is so – means will be taken to search for the arms.

We have the honor to be, Sir, with sincere respect –
Your faithful & obt humble servants

WR Hay
J. Silvester
R. Wright

To The Rt Honble Richard Ryder
One of H. Mjs principal Secretaries of State &c &c

[Enclosure]

A

April 27, 1812

Sir

In addition to the information before given, the following was received the last Evening.—

Token, or warning — To be done by a Man in each district or Hamblett – at 12 O Clock on the Evening of 1st May say on friday next (and not on Thursday as before stated which was my error) The man is to wear a brass Medal, with two wheat Sheaves (to denote purity) and a Hand uniting the Sheaves together (to denote unanimity) on one side—Its supposed on the other side of the Medal is the form of the oath that is taken but that was not seen.—

Ammunition – At a Stone House at Oldham.

Arms — Spikes, Knives, Cut lasses, Bows and arrows. Spike Balls to lame the Horses feet in the Streets — its also intended to have Ropes across the Streets and Lanes to trip up the Horses.

Mode of Attack — Each Sett to Murder the Affluent in their own Neighbourhoods; also such poor as will not join them in taking their property and uniting with them in the work:—Its supposed this will be done in this space of three Hours.

Bounty — to each on swearing in two pounds two shillings.

If this infamous plot be discovered, it will be put off to a future day but will not be relinquished—.

26th April 1812: Manchester magistrates warn the Home Office of a Rising on May 1st

Police Office, Manchester 26 April 1812

Sir,

We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Beckets letter dated the 24th instant. We feel it to be our duty to transmit to Government the accompanying notice which has just fallen into our hands. The Petition is evidently a cover for a meeting for other purposes; but the circumstance of the meeting being to be continued until the first of May strikes us as coinciding with the Information received of the intention to rise as for that day. It may be that the Watchwords, signals, or plans will be withheld till the preceding evening. We have the honour to be,

Sir,
with Sincere respect
Your faithful & obedient humble servants

W.R. Hay
J. Silvester

To
The Rt Honble Richard Ryder
One of H. Mj principal Secs of State &c &c

Manchester. Sunday Night 11 oclock. We have informations that it is intended to stop the mail in this neighbourhood on Thursday Night. That will be communicated to the Post Office here—but it is further stated, that the finding by the disaffected that the Mails are stopped is to be a signal in London, by which it is to be notified that the proceedings here are commenced. This we deem it important to communicate.

W.R. Hay
J.Silvester

26th April 1812: Colonel Ralph Fletcher updates the Home Office about affairs in Bolton

Bolton 26 April 1812

Dear Sir/

Being absent on the 23rd & until the Evening of the 24th instant—and on the 25 being engaged in the Business of the unfortunate disturbances that have agitated & do still agitate this Neighbourhood – I have had no opportunity to investigate properly the important subject contained in the Letter addressed to the Right Hon’ble Secretary of State – from Charles Gregory & James Nisbet— the President & Secretary of a Committee said to be formed in this place to represent the Weavers of this Neighbourhood.

That the Wages of the Weavers are much lower than formerly, cannot be doubted – and I, for one, very much lament that they are so—but at the same time the [pattern] drawn with said Letter appears to me to be overcharged—my Observations on the subject I beg Leave to postpone until a further Opportunity – when I will endeavour to transmit such Information as shall appear to me the best founded both in relation to Wages & Price of Provisions at the time (11 April) when the said Letter was dated —

My letter of the 22d (but sent off 23d) you will have received. That brought down the Account of disturbances to that date— Two advertised meetings of an Inclosure obliged me to attend on the 23d & 24 on private business — on the latter of which days a mob assembled at Chowbent about 5 miles from here & threatened Westhoughton Factory – before alluded to — the manager of that work being apprized of the Intention – sent to Bolton for military Aid—the Greys under Captain Bullen set off & on their arrival found no assembly there of any Consequence to be regarded—the Captain conceiving the Intelligence to be a Hoax left the place – declaring that he would not move again but on the order of Mr Hulton – a magistrate of the Neighbourhood. The Seditious had their Spies who on seeing the militia march off – (as it since appears) – returned to the mob (concealed at about a mile distance behind Hedges &c) & in about Two Hours afterwards—the multitude assembled round the Factory – & from breaking the Windows at last set fire to and consumed the Premises to the damage of 6000£—The manager had previously set off himself — (not without great personal danger) to apprize the Officer of the Greys of the Mob being reassembled—but it was too late to save the Property — the whole Mischief being done before the second Arrival of the Greys.

The above is a short account of the Transactions during my absence.—On returning Home – & on the Return of the Greys – it was thought that Chowbent being the place from which most of the Incendiaries were supposed to come from—I dispatched 80 of the Local (under my Command) under the direction of Adjutant James Warr — to Chowbent with a View to arrest such of the Rioters—as from secret & open information he could procure any account of—

[From] this place Bolton the detachment set off at nine P.M. — and returned before Six AM on the 25th – with 22 Prisoners – arrested at different places within an Extent of Country of 3 miles square—on the arrival of such a Number both Mr Hampson & Mr Hulton were requested to meet me—and at noon we [entered] on the Examination—By yesterdays post—we apprized you of those we had committed—and from Intelligence this day received I think several of the others who were remanded—will be fully committed to Lancaster to take their Trials.—but of this you shall be informed on the Event.—

Very dangerous is the State of the mind of the lower orders from the High Price of Provisions & the incessant Endeavours of the disaffected—as you will see from Mr Chippendale's letter (adjutant of the Oldham Local) and also from B’s communication.—I need not draw your attention to the Arms of which B says the disaffected about Stockport are possessed of—After the Exhibition at Middleton we can scarcely doubt the Information—Will it not be proper to authorise the Peace Officers (or even military) to search for & seize arms that are in possession of suspected persons?

You will [perceive] that the 4 May is a period fixed on. I entertain no doubt of some early attempt being made throughout the manufacturing parts & even the Capital of the United Kingdom – but it may be deferred from time to time until those who lead shall give the Signal.

It certainly is not for me to form a complete Judgement on so important a Subject—but I venture to mention that it appears to me in the present Conjunction of affairs – not improper for his Majesty's Government—to move for a Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. You will excuse the Liberty I take in such suggestion—and I have the Honor to be

Dr Sir
Your most Obt Servant
Ra. Fletcher

The Watch & Ward act I trust will be immediately put in execution we have 400 Constables in the Town to be sworn in tomorrow—I fear not any open force but secret attempts in this particular Neighbourhood

Would not a Special Commission to try these & other Rioters within this County be a proper measure?

To John Beckett Esq

19th April 1812: Ralph Wright of Flixton informs the Home Office of rumours of a rising on 1st May

Flixton House, the home of Ralph Wright, today. (copyright Tom Jeffs. Creative Commons Licence)

Sir

My Dwelling House is situate in a remote Neighbourhood seven miles from Manchester

Information has this Day been given to me, by those on whose veracity I can depend, that the great and general rising of the People, is fixed for Friday the 1:st of May next;

Persons go about to administer an Oath verbally, to all who are inclined to take it, without previous explanation, and have a Salary of fourteen shillings a Week for their trouble. it is said the number of Persons swore in, is enormous, and the oath diabolic with extreme

The privacy with which these measures are carried on, have hitherto baffled all our attempts at detection, and the Parties appear to me, to be every where, quite steadfast to each other. having no chance whatever to communicate with my Brother Magistrates this Evening, I have thought it my duty to give you this information without loss of time.

I have the Honor to be
Yr. most obedient and faithful
Humble Servant

Ralph Wright

Sunday Evening
Flixton, near Manchester
19. April 1812

The Right Honble R. Ryder

19th March 1812: An Ashton man overhears a conversation about oaths and a planned uprising

On Thursday 19th March 1812, Joseph Taylor of Hurst, near Ashton-under-Lyne, was standing near to his house watching the world go by. Across the way there was a labourer steadily building a wall and he noticed a man approach him and stop to talk.

Taylor was close enough to recognise the man as a local weaver, William Bardsley, and he could also hear their conversation:

"I though you would have been over the hills by this time, as you talked of when I last saw you?" said the labourer,

"I thought you would have been gone too, I haven't seen you for so long" replied Bardsley. Taylor assumed they meant Yorkshire.

"It's a wrong place for you to go into at this time, they seem to be very uneasy in that County"

"Aye, and it will be here before long!" said Bardsley

The labourer then asked Bardsley why he said that, and Bardsley related that two 'strange men' had come into his workshop in the last week. They had asked him how weaving was going, and would it not like it go better? Bardsley has said that he would, and they then the two asked if he would risk his life to make things better. The men said they wanted to 'twist in' local people who were interested in coming forward, and that hundreds of people in Stockport and Ashton had taken an oath. They talked about having a plan to seize the arms of the Local Militia.

Taylor was shocked. He felt it was his duty, as a Sergeant in the Middleton Local Militia, to go as soon as he could to the authorities to report what he had heard.