20th November 1816: The owner of the Stamford Mercury forwards a threatening letter he received to the Home Secretary

Stamford, Nov. 20, 1816.

My Lord

I should not have deemed it necessary or desirous to have troubled your Lordship with the accompanying Letter, addressed to me from the Committee of Incendiaries at Nottingham, had the consideration of its contents been merely personal to myself;—but, understanding from Mr. Mansfield, banker, of Leicester, who accidentally called upon me yesterday, that the character of the writing is the same as that of a letter written to him some time ago from the same quarter, (and for the writing of which letter he prosecuted a man of Nottingham at the assizes at Leicester, but unfortunately not to conviction,) I send it to your Lordship, with a view of assisting any enquiry which in your public situation you might be instituting into the practices of the wretched men who denominate themselves Luddites.

I am, my Lord,
with sincere respect,
Your Lordships very humble servant,

Richard Newcomb, Junr

[To] Lord Viscount Sidmouth.

14th December 1812: The Leicester framework-knitter's leader, Thomas Allsop, offers to become an informer

Leicester 14th Decr. 1812

Honoured Sir

I feel it my duty as a faithful and Loyal Subject of His Majesty to lay before you the Inclosed Paper. You will form your Opinion on its contents, I do not hesitate to say that Societies formed on the place there pointed out our once inimical to our Laws, and but subversive of the Peace and Property of His Majesty’s subjects. It has its origin at Nottingham and I believe I should never have been trusted with it but that I was tried at Lammas Assizes in the Borough of Leicester on a Charge of having sent a Threatening Letter to a Mr Wood of the said Borough of which I was perfectly Innocent and which was clearly proved, but to return, The Language of the “Articles” would alone justify me in this mode of procedure but I have many reasons to believe that the Object of these societies is to persevere in an organized plan and to act in unison with the Luddites of Yorkshire and I am further justified in this Opinion by their having recommenced their outrages at Nottingham by Frame-breaking. It is intended to form societies under the pretence of Obtaining Parliamentary Relief and I believe are many societies formed but mark the Articles, No Person is to be admitted to their meetings. What does this argue, that there Object is unlawful, I have been requested to form societies in Leicester but this I cannot do for unless there is an ostensible Object in view and that Object is agreeable with the Crown Laws and Constitution of our Country I will have nothing to do it.—

Your Candour will forgive me writing so familiar and I must beg of you that my name may not be mentioned as making this discovery as it would probably cost me my life, If you should wish for further particulars I should thank you for a line Addressed T. Allsop Burley’s Lane, Leicester and to come unfranked to avoid suspicion

I should think an interview with you might be useful, but as I am an humble Individual and have not the means of defraying the expence that must rest with you. I shall not fail to give You every information that I can on this important subject, I have as yet had no communication with any Person in Leicester on the Business, shall wait your Instructions. In laying this business before you I trust I shall have done my duty and that my conduct may meet Your Approbation is the earnest wish of

Honoured Sir with all [Deference]
Your Obedient, Humble Servt
Thomas Allsop

[To] The Right Honorable
The Secretary of State
Home Department

P.S. I earnestly interest Your Honour to return the printed paper soon as may be convenient to you for I dare not be without it in fear of discovery—

5th November 1812: The Town Clerk of Leicester asks the Home Office to pay for the failed prosecution of Thomas Allsop

Leicester Novr 5 1812.

Sir

By direction of the Magistrates of Leicester I send you the Bill of disbursements &c in the prosecution against Thos Allsop for sending a threatening letter to Mr. Henry Wood, one of our principal Hosiers. The prosecution was instituted by the Magistrates, & was loudly called for by the state of the times, and, tho’ the evidence failed in producing a legal conviction, it left no doubt in the mind of the Public as to the Prisoner’s Guilt. In cases of this description great difficulty is always experienced in getting proof of the Handwriting, and in this case those difficulties were greatly enhanced by the system of terror which then prevented persons in this Neighbourhood from coming forward to speak to the fact. Recourse, therefore, was obliged to be had to distant parties, & great expenses were, in consequence, incurred in seeking, and bringing to the Assizes, Witnesses from different and very distant parts of the Kingdom—. The public safety, however, required that no expense nor exertions should be spared, and subsequent experience has proved that very salutary effects have resulted from them in this particular instance.

I had the the honor to wait upon you, respecting this subject, when in Town last March, accompanied by Mr. Keck, who joined me in requesting that the Government would take the prosecution into their own hands. You stated that you should be furnished with a copy of the Evidence before the attention of Lord Sidmouth could be drawn to the subject, but the vast importance of the case as affecting the peace and tranquillity of Leicester and its neighbourhood, and the shortness of the interval before the then approaching Assizes, made it impossible for the Magistrates, consistently with their duty, to suspend their preparations until Lord Sidmouth’s directions could be taken, and they consequently determined to proceed with the prosecution, and afterwards to submit the fax to the consideration of Government.

Mr Justice Grose, strongly commended the prosecution, & allowed 53£ towards the expence of it, to be defrayed out of the Borough Rate, but this leaves a surplus of £112..5s..8d still due – which the Magistrates think ought to be paid by the Treasury. They have directed me to request that you will be kind enough to lay this statement before the proper department & favor me with the directions which may be given upon it.

I have [etc]

Tho: Burbridge
Deputy Town Clerk

[To]—Beckett Eqre
&c &c

22nd July 1812: Thomas Allsop is acquitted of writing a threatening letter at Leicester Summer Assizes

On Wednesday 22nd July 1812, the Secretary of the Leicester Committee of Framework-knitters, Thomas Allsop, was acquitted of sending a threatening letter to Henry Wood at Leicester Summer Assizes.

There appears to be no record of the trial, other than the outcome. The Home Office papers do have some records which are of interest. In June, the under-secretary of State for the Home Office had sent a note to persons unknown, pointing out the potential problems with the prosecution:

The evidence against Allsop, tho’ such as leaves no doubt in the minds of the Magistrates as to his guilt, is certainly not sufficient to convict him. It consists of evidence arising out of a comparison of his hand-writing in several letters acknowledged to have been written by him with the threatening letter. There are many characters in these letters so exactly similar to those in the threatening letter as to leave no doubt of them all being written by the same hand – This added to a few collateral circumstances is the evidence on which he is committed — but in order to convict him before a Jury it will be necessary to have witnesses, who have seen him frequently write, to swear that they have no doubt the threatening letter is the Prisoner’s hand-writing — Such evidence, is during the existence of the present system of terror & intimidation is difficult to obtain There are however strong hopes of procuring it between this & the Assizes.

The Prisoner is a bad character — & from his abilities (for he is a very clever fellow) a dangerous man; as well calculated to be a General Ludd as any man can be — & from some letters of his which had been produced he is evidently a rank Ludd.

I am in possession of additional evidence which has been given to me confidentially, & with a most sacred promise not disclose it, which, however, I hope I shall be able to prevail upon the parties to permit me to bring forward.

Please to keep this very secret.

J.B.

The failed prosecution was expensive: in November,  the Deputy Town Clerk of Leicester, Thomas Burbridge, sent a letter to the Home Office requesting they meet the surplus costs - £112, 5 shillings & 8 pence - to the £53 they had already agreed to pay.

What could have been an explosive and powerful precedent had turned into a costly mistake for the Leicester magistrates.

18th June 1812: Doubts about Thomas Allsop's guilt from a Post Office spy

Gratian Hart was sent to the Midlands by the General Post Office to  watch over the mail and try to detect communications between Luddites. Here, he gives his opinion of the handwriting of the threatening letter to Henry Wood of Ann Wood & Co & that of Thomas Allsop who had been arrested on suspicion of writing it.

Leicester June 18. 1812

Dear Sir.

I beg to return my best thanks, for the leave of Absence granted me. Should circumstances permit I hope to take Town in my Route Home.

I sent to You a Printed incendiary paper some little time since: I now enclose a fac Simile of the Original letter; with the utmost Satisfaction I inform You, the Author was committed to Jail last night, and this day is fully committed for Trial: I fear there will be some difficulty in proving the Hand Writing so as to fully conflict the Mans cunning and versatility of writing raising many Obstacles: I cannot for my part trace the Similarity between the Threatening letter and the Writing of some Papers I have seen belonging to them, that others do: however evidence is strong, and I hope it will silence the Leicester Chronicle which has most impudently advocated the cause of this their Brother in Creed.

The Man acted as Secretary to the Stocking Makers Committee who are acting on behalf of the Whole Body to form regulations between themselves and the Masters of Hosiery — the Capability for Mischief his correspondence evinces is very great, and the good consequences of his committal great: the better part of the Frame Workers began to suspect this Man of other Views than those of the Committee, and actually voted his discharge from the Chair, when the Arm of the Law was over them.

More good News: the Villains who have been burning the Stacks of Corn in the Neighbourhood of Loughboro, are brought in and committed: we begin to hope a better days.

I am [etc]
Gratian Hart

Francis Fraling Esq
&c &c &c

17th June 1812: Leicester Framework-knitters leader, Thomas Allsop, is arrested for writing a threatening letter

On Wednesday 17th June 1812, Thomas Allsop, the Secretary of the Leicester Committee of Framework-knitters was arrested, charged with writing a threatening letter to Henry Wood signed 'N. Ludd': the insinuations contained in the handbill put out by the  Leicester Hosiery firm Ann Wood & Co had worked. He would be tried at the forthcoming Leicester Summer Assizes.

15th June 1812: The Mayor of Leicester writes an alarmist letter to General Dyott

Leicester, June 15th 1812

Sir,

I take the liberty of requesting that you will, if it be possible, increase the force of this Garrison. I understand there are only about 158 Soldiers in the place.

It is not possible, in the compass of a letter, to explain to you all the reasons which induce me to apprehend for the safety of the Town—. I will state a few – but beg you to give me credit for more— Letters threatening assassination have been sent here to several persons— It is pretty clear that these have been sent by the Committee of Frameworkknitters who have as complete an organization of the whole Body as you could have of a Regiment. The Leicester Chronicle has been for some time employed in familiarizing and justifying assassination. It has advertised a Subscription for Bellingham's Widow. The system of terror is here almost as complete as at Nottingham; and do not forget that the Press is here more devoted to Revolutionists than in any other part of the Kingdom. I received by the Post lately the following letter—

“Sir, excues the libberty of the poor woman but I am very sorry to inform you that their is moast dreadful work carring on wich they say things is quite in their favour they did not think you would have let the Sussix gon but Sir if it is in your power you had much better get them to return on some more boath your sake and some Hundreds wich is in great danger Sir rewards is of no youse I should like to say a great deal but durst not as I overheard last night but I beg you will be as caushas as possable you can for they are a great hopes to have it done in avery short time they say — know. so I concluded with wishing all may be well for their is too many Luds — Lester 11th June.”

The letter wears all the appearance of being the genuine effusion of an honest person of low condition—Since the receipt of this the keeper of the very house in which the Committee of Frameworkknitters meet called privately on the Chief Constable and told him he is very miserable—That there will certainly be dreadful work and soon— that he has overheard some of the Frameworkknitters talk of such things as make him shudder &c, the Chief Constable bid him keep his ears open and inform him from time to time. Now, Sir, with a Committee organized by Nottingham men, holding constant communication with them and having very great correspondence in other places, headed by a clever man who has threatened assassination, and assisted by a Press which justifies it, and which is conducted by a man who has confessed privately that he should like a Revolution, can you suppose that if there be a general rising there is any place where more vigourous measures will take place on the part of the Insurgents than this?

I beg you to consider, Sir, that I can not state to you all that leads me to this apprehension— much is derived from the general character of affairs — but if there be ground for fear any where there is at Leicester. If a blow is struck any where it will be here struck with the relentless fury by the heads of the organization. It is a part of Nottingham in its system. They are jointly soliciting a Bill — delegates from both places are together in London and others conferring here — continually — There is a perfect identity between them, and here the press is more in their favor than at Nottingham or any where.

You may depend upon it that this Town would be the head quarters of the Insurgents for a considerable district, and it ought, therefore, as I am persuaded you will think, to have a force equal to the importance of it. It spreads over a space larger than Nottingham. Many inhabitants have expressed their surprize to me that we have so few Troops in the Town—. I know your readiness to listen to my requests and I beg to assure you that I am,

Sir [etc]
Jno Stevenson, Mayor
[To] Major Genl Dyott &c

6th June 1812: Gravenor Henson writes to Ann Wood about the reward handbill

Following the publication by the Leicester Hosiery firm, Ann Wood & Sons, of the handbill offering a reward for information about the threatening letter to Henry Wood of that firm, and the direct link drawn between that letter and the Leicester Framework-knitters Committee Secretary, Thomas Allsop, Gravenor Henson wrote to Ann Wood to express his concerns:

1812 June 6

London

Madam

I hope you will excuse my Freedom in writing to nominate unpleasant circumstance that occurred in your Family, but the Interests of the Trade of Framework-knitters (whose Deputy I am) being so strictly concerned in an Hand Bill published by your House in which you state that "a Copy of which is been sent to the Secretary of State and also to every Member of Parliament"; compels me to point out that I think you have acted rather prematurely without reflection. With respect to the threatening Letter I always held such Attempts to disturb the Peace and Tranquility of Families in the utmost Abhorrence, I think that no Individual is or can possibly be justified in such diabolical actions Though at the same time I cannot but observe that this Letter is coupled with a Request signed by Mr Allsop that the Hosiers of Leicester would meet to consider the Framework-knitters Bell, I have examined them both carefully, and I cannot see any Analogy whatever between the Letter signed N.Ludd and that signed T.Allsop Secy, The one is a glaring outrage on Humanity and Social Order, the other is a mere notification of an intended Meeting to discuss a very important measure; I am certain Madam that those Persons who advised you to insert them in one Hand Bill was no Friend either to you, the Trade of Leicester or the Community at large; I am very willing to make any allowance for the agitation into which the diabolical Letter in question might have thrown you, I am also well aware that Persons in that Situation are apt to take rash and violent measures; My correspondent Mr Large states, that the Hand Bills the moment the Meeting had met were handed round the Room I know not by whose Orders that was done, but it certainly had the appearance of Design to throw an Odium on the Persons who are making the present Application; I believe it had in some measure that effect; I am perfectly astonished at your Motives for intending to send a Copy of your Hand Bill to every Member of Parliament, to send it to the Secretary of State for the Home Department was a very proper measure, but to send it to every Member of Parliament, could have no other object than to prejudice the Minds of the Members against the Bill. If you are really a friend to Peace and good Order in Society, you certainly took thewrongest step for that purpose, you could possible devise Nothing is so much calculated to restore the distracted Peace of the three Counties, than the Bill which will be presented to the House in a few Days The Regulations of which will do away altogether those Disputes which have for years existed between the Hosiers and their Workmen, it will tend in a great measure to restore several Branches of the Framework-knitting Trade to their once flourishing state and give employ to Thousands; Twill Benefit all & injure none; There is not an Honest Man or Fair Tradesman in the Business that can come forward and say this Bill will injure one; I feel extremely sorry that any thing of this unpleasant kind should have occurred at Leicester, as the Hosiers at Nottm and Derby are on such good Terms with their Workmen: I felt extremely happy yesterday when I found that your Hand Bills had not been received by the Members and so I can assure you did the Hon Members who compose the Committee; Rely upon it Madam, there is no Person would use his utmost endeavors to discover the Incendiary who sent that Letter than myself  As I conceive him to be an Enemy to me, to you and the whole Framework-knitting Trade

I am positive Madam when you and your Sons properly understand the Bill that you will give it every encouragement in your Power, as its tendency is to destroy the Pretence that any Person can have for these Outrages on Humanity

I am sure it must be far from your Intention to do any thing to obstruct any measure that would in the least tend to allay the dreadfull spirit that at present exists in the Bosoms of too many Men in this Country The Committee of the Framework-knitters have done every thing in their Power to restore the Peace of the Counties of Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester, and you must confess Madam, that their Labor has not been entirely lost, I feel confident that you would not by any Act of yours, cause an Event that might produce those dreadfull Outrages in Leicester that too long existed in Nottingham and its Vicinity

I wish you to endeavor by every means in your Power to discover the Author of the Letter that has thrown the Town of Leicester in such Confusion but I could wish at the same time, that you would not throw any obstruction in the Way of the present Application of Parliament; as your Interest must always be strictly connected with the Interests of the Workmen whatever is for their Benefit must be ultimately for yours I trust that you will have the candour to perceive that this Letter is written without any Acrimony, and with no other View than to explain the true Sentiments of the Frameworkknitters Executive Committee In whose Behalf I beg leave to subscribe myself

Madam Your most humble and Obt Servt

Gravener Henson
10 Leigh Street Red Lyon Square

PS If you should wish any further information, either now or at any future Period, I shall feel myself extremely happy to give it you; on the other Hand if you have any communication to make I shall feel myself much honored by your Correspondence.

3rd June 1812: Leicester Hosiery firm, Ann Wood & Sons, issue reward for threatening letter

On Wednesday 3rd June 1812, the Leicester Hosiery firm of Ann Wood & Sons issued a Hand Bill, seeking a reward for information regarding a threatening letter that had been sent to Henry Wood of the firm 5 days earlier. The reward notice unsubtly links the threatening letter with a notice received from the Secretary of the Leicester Framework-knitter's Committee, Thomas Allsop, suggesting a connection between Luddite tactics and the more reformist union. This insinuation would bear fruit 2 weeks later.

400 Guineas - or £420 - is the equivalent of £282,000 using average earnings from 2009. The Handbill can be found at HO 42/124.