5th December 1811: Frame-breaking at Ilkeston - anatomy of a Luddite attack

In the early hours of Friday the 6th December, Derbyshire Luddites again attacked frames at Ilkeston. Amongst their targets that night were the workshops of Thomas and Christopher Harrison.

At 1 a.m., 30 to 40 Luddites, their faces disguised with cloth masks or handkerchiefs, broke into the workshop of Thomas Harrison. One of the Luddites stood guard outside armed with a musket with a bayonet attached. The frames were broken in the shop itself, with Thomas Harrison staying in his bedroom during the attack. Five frames from his shop were destroyed before the Luddites left and moved on into the village. The group returned after 15 minutes, with one of them ordering a halt near Harrison's house. They then formed into ranks and marched off in a military fashion.

Elsewhere in Ilkeston, Christopher Harrison could not sleep. Following the attacks in Ilkeston on the 1st December, he was afraid his stocking frames would be next, and had already removed several in case of attack. At about 2 a.m. he was peering through a window in his house when his fears were realised - he saw 30 men gathered outside his house, with raised voices they threatened to kill anyone who opposed them. This was enough for Christopher - he opened another window and jumped down, making his way to a vantage point where he could watch what took place in safety. The Luddites had posted guards outside the house, and then began to smash the two remaining stocking frames that were there. But the Luddites seemed to know he had taken some of his frames away, and they threatened a girl present in his house with violence unless she revealed where the frames had been taken. In the end, the threats were empty, and they left without hurting anyone.

5th December 1811: Frames broken at Basford & in Nottingham

Little more than a day after the meeting of the manufacturers, Luddites struck in Nottingham itself, at a workshop in Tyler Street 'which was working goods to an inferior price'.¹

On the same evening, 4 frames were broken at Basford.²

5th December 1811: Luddites soliciting contributions in Osgathorpe, Leicestershire

On Thursday the 5th December, framework-knitters in Leicestershire received visits from Luddites soliciting contributions for the cause.

William Brown Junior of Osgathorpe was making his way through the village near to the home of a Joseph Woodcock when a fellow framework-knitter Thomas Maton Harris beckoned him inside to meet three strangers. Harris explained that he wanted Brown to gather together the head stockingers and bring them back to Woodcock's house, with a veiled threat that if he did not he "would be worse for it."

Brown collected his father, William Brown Senior, as well as William Hardy and William Davenport Senior and headed back to Woodcock's house for 5 p.m. to find others from the neighbourhood gathered there, including a Hosier, Thomas Gilbert. When there, Thomas Maton Harris took the three men into the parlour and presented them with a letter from Ned Lud, which read:

“Gentleman all — Ned Lud’s compliments unto you and hope you will give a trifle towards supporting his army as he well understands the act of breaking up not just frames: if you comply with this it will be well, if not, I shall call upon you myself. Edward Lud”

Hardy had no money on him, and had to borrow a shilling from Maton Harris, contributing sixpence. Davenport had a number of frames in his workshop, and fearing they would be broken by Ned Lud's army if he refused contributed 1 shilling sixpence for himself and another shilling for his son. William Brown Senior gave 2 shillings. Hardy noticed that in total, 7 shillings and 6 pence had been laid upon the table by those present. Maton Harris asked Gilbert if he would like to contribute as well, but Gilbert said nothing and promptly left the house.

Hardy returned home and never saw the 3 strangers again. Gilbert however, returned later to Woodcock's house to find Maton Harris still present. Maton Harris told him 'in an apparent friendly way' that his frames, along with those of Messrs Johnson were to be broken by the Luddites.

5th December 1811: Nottingham under Curfew

TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM.

THE MAGISTRATES, effectually to prevent the People of the Town from being liable to be confounded with those who may come from the Country to commit Outrages upon the Property of its Inhabitants, feel themselves under the Necessity of commanding, that ALL PUBLICANS shall shut up their Houses, and not permit or suffer any Guests to be or remain therein after Ten o'Clock at Night. And they do further direct all Persons, within the Town, to keep within their Houses, and to enjoin upon the Individuals of their Families, their Servants, and Dependents, the keeping at home after Ten o'Clock at Night, during the present Disposition to Tumult.

The Magistrates suppose that few Persons are ignorant, that to forcibly to enter a House in the Night-time, in order to demolish a Frame, amounts to the Crime of BURGLARY; which, by Law, is punishable with DEATH. But, from recent Circumstances, which have come to their knowledge, they think it incumbent upon them thus publicly to declare, to all Persons employed in the Manufacturing of Stockings and Lace, and entrusted with the Care of the Frames or other Property of their Employers, that in case of any such Property being destroyed in their possession, all those Individuals, who shall appear to have left their Doors open, in order to admit Persons to come therein for the avowed Purpose of destroying Frames or other Property or who shall wilfully decline to call Assistance for preventing their Destruction, or who shall aid or assist the Persons demolishing the same, in their escape from the Civil Power, will be deemed Accomplices with the principal Felons, and will be proceeded against as such, with the utmost severity of the Law.

By ORDER of the MAGISTRATES,

GEO. COLDHAM, TOWN CLERK.

Nottingham, 5th December, 1811.

4th December 1811: Military called out to protect factory in Loughborough

Following the Luddite attack in Loughborough the previous night, what Conant & Baker called a 'spirit of commotion' existed, to the extent that the Magistrates there called out the military to guard the local factory of Lacy and Heathcoat.

Luddites 200 Organising Forum change history at the People's History Museum

During our little action at the People's History Museum in Manchester yesterday, we made a video to preserve our attempt to re-orient history and rescue the Luddites from the "enormous condescension of posterity" as EP Thompson would have put it.

4th December 1811: Attempts to negotiate a settlement

On Wednesday 4th December, official moves were made in Nottingham to try to begin to resolve the dispute between the manufacturers and workmen. The hosiers and lace manufacturers met at the Shire Hall, along with both the County and Town Magistrates. On their part, the manufacturers were clear that the frame-breaking had to stop before they would negotiate, although Conant & Baker state that the magistrates had suggested that they might receive separate deputations from both the workers and the manufacturers.

Handbills were subsequently printed by the Hosiers and the Magistrates, and also reproduced in the local newspapers. Reproductions are below:

AT A

NUMEROUS MEETING

OF

THE HOSIERS AND LACE MANUFACTURERS,

OF

THE TOWN OF NOTTINGHAM,

Held this Day,

IT WAS RESOLVED,

THAT when it shall be clearly manifested that the PEACE of the COUNTY and TOWN of NOTTINGHAM IS RESTORED, the Trade in general are willing in desirous to receive and consider PROPOSALS from their WORKMEN, for the Purpose of removing any Grievances which may appear to exist; and that such Proposals may be transmitted to

MR.C.D.SHILTON, Attorney, Nottingham.
Clerk to the said Meeting.

Nottingham, Dec. 4th, 1811.

---

THERE has now existed in the neighbourhood of NOTTINGHAM, for a considerable Time, and most outrageous Spirit of Riot and Tumult. – – – Houses have been feloniously broken into, and a great number of Stocking Frames has been finally broken and destroyed by an armed Multitude, accompanied with Menaces to the Lives of those, who should endeavour to interfere in preventing the Mischief; various threatening Letters have been sent, Arms of being feloniously demanded and seized, Stacks have been fired, and private Property destroyed, and Contributions have been levied under the Pretence of Applications for charitable Relief, but under the real Influence of Terror; these are acts of so flagrant a nature, and leading to Insurrection and such fatal Consequences, that the Magistrates of the County and Town of NOTTINGHAM, as the legal Guardians of the public Peace, have the Duty incumbent upon them, of suppressing the Evil by the civil and military Force of the Country, and by putting the Laws in execution on the Offenders, many of whom have committed Crimes, for which the law demands on their conviction, the Forfeiture of their Lives.

The Magistrates require that the Public peace shall be kept, and that if any violation of it shall take place, to the great disgrace of the County and Town, all Persons shall exert themselves in detecting and bringing to justice the Offenders; they feel themselves also bound distinctly to state, that the Persons who are Collecting Money, under whatever pretence, for the manifest purpose of supporting a system of outrage, under the influence of terror, are guilty of Felony: And that all those who Contribute, under any such impression, are Accessories to the Offence, and guilty of a high Misdemeanour against the Public peace. Having expressed this, they call upon all Persons of every description, firmly to refuse and discountenance Contributing to purposes so wicked and illegal; and it is their firm determination to Prosecute for every contempt of this Notice.

By Order of the Magistrates for the County of Nottingham, GEO. SCULTHORPE.

By Order of the Magistrates for the Town of Nottingham, GEO. COLDHAM, Town Clerk.

4th December 1811: Nathaniel Conant to Home Office

Nottingham Wednesday night
Decr. 4th 1811

Sir,

I arrived here at noon today — but the County Magistrates had no meeting about the Riots today and Mr. Sherbrook the Chairman lives 13 miles off. I have sent your letter to him and offer’d to go over to him if he is not coming here today. I have seen the Mayor and Town Clerk and also Col. Elliott and Dr. Rector of one of the Parishes who are both very active County Magistrates — they all seem perfectly satisfied that a Commission would not be expedient. I am happy to say that there is no appearance of panic among them — but a well regulated zeal to do whatever arises that is judged expedient. I cannot hear of any new matter they have, beyond the depositions they sent up. They seem much set upon having a Regiment or Party of Foot — I told them I knew the Berkshire Militia were ordered. The fact is that Mr. Sherbrook not having been here since Monday — They are not informed to particulars from your late letters which probably have been sent to the country to Mr. Sherbrook.

So far as I can judge by appearances and the conversations above referred to — There is nothing to be apprehended from disturbances or much Mischief in this Town. The defence is sufficient; and the chance of detection and provisions of the civil power in the Town such as will prevent. The frames are here and there for ten miles round which are all open to the depredators — who take their own time and in five minutes destroy the Frame and disappear. Something, of the sort happened so late they say as this morning 4 miles off. — But the result in my own mind is, that much mischief is not to be apprehended.

The Magistrates that I have seen seem strongly sensible of the assistance the Government affords them.

I beg you to excuse the haste in which I write.

Yours [etc.]

N. Conant

3rd December 1811: The Manchester spy 'B' writes of Irish contacts and 'Jacks'

Colonel Fletcher's undercover agent 'B' was again writing his regular reports again about his contacts in underground politics.

At 1 p.m on Tuesday the 3rd December, he had met up with another Irish contact, Cannovan, who spoke at length about the apparent simmering discontent in Ireland and Scotland but also amongst sailors in the Navy. Cannovan seemed to have recently spent a lot of time at ports on the South Coast of England, gauging the discontent and painted a very vivid picture that included 200,000 Irishmen 'willing and able to come forward' as well as promises of men and arms from France.

Cannovan told 'B' that he had recently spent 5 days in Liverpool, some of the them with a small secret committee that nevertheless could be 'depended on'. 'B' related to him the incident of the funds of a Stockport committee being stolen that he had related to Fletcher in a previous letter - Cannovan agreed it could ruin 'the business' there and threatened to shoot the men if he ever came across them.

'B' said that Cannovan declined an invitation to visit the Manchester secret committee that night, expressing disappointment that the committee were concerning themselves merely with petitioning the Prince Regent and if this was to be worthwhile, it needed to be done 'with arms in (their) hands'. Cannovan promised to call on 'B' again soon, but he would be away for 3 weeks.

'B' reported that only 5 delegates had attended the Secret Committee meeting on the evening of the 3rd and had therefore decided to postpone meeting again until 11 a.m. on Wednesday the 11th December at the Exchange Building.

Lastly, 'B' remarked that many 'Jacks' (i.e. Jacobins) had been enquiring of the progress of the Committees, being as disappointed as Cannovan was that not much was happening around Manchester to 'move the Business forward'.

3rd December 1811: Luddites raid Crich - anatomy of an attack

On the evening of Tuesday 3rd December, Luddites raided Crich in Derbyshire. 6 days later, Thomas Stafford of Holborn Hill in London, a former resident of Derbyshire, forwarded to the Home Office an extract of a letter from a friend in Crich who had witnessed the attach and raised other concerns. The extract read as follows:

I suppose you have seen one [illegible], from your papers, the accounts of rioting and frame breaking, in the neighbourhood of Nottingham, and I am sorry to say they are now spreading their very alarming depredations to our County, and even within a few houses of mine. On Tuesday evening last a number to the amount of 50 or 60 with fire arms, faces blacked, and otherwise disguised, came, called up every family, where they supposed any work was going on contrary to their plan & demanded the doors to be opened to them. If refused they directly used force, and would not suffer more than one person to come down stairs to them; they then examined the frames and if they were of the obnoxious sort, immediately broke them to pieces; in some instances they divided whatever they found of valuables in the houses. A neighbour of mine being asked for some drink for them, he told them that he had nothing better than water, and if they pleased, he would fetch them some from the spring; he was actually going, when their leader, who styles himself Secretary Lund, put a pistol to his head, and told him, if he stirred out of the house, he would blow his brains out. So alarmed are some of our neighbours that they dare not go to bed at all. I think it is a great misfortune that some speedy method is not tried by government to stop them, as other companies are also forming to destroy Locks upon the Canals, to prevent the boats taking the corn down from these parts, as also to destroy every sort of machinery that is calculated to reduce labour.

Mr Joseph of Butterley has been threatened by having a threshing machine. It appears that if a speedy stop be not put to them, that many such disposed persons will take advantage of these practices, and commit all sorts of depredations under the color of frame breakers. —Highway robbers, are become very numerous as such as House breakers; and I much fear we shall have a dreadful winter, if something is not hit on, either to give us a trade, or stop these evil disposed miscreants.

3rd December 1811: A narrow escape for Luddites in Nottingham & frames destroyed in New Radford

At 9 p.m. on Tuesday the 3rd December, Luddites were in the process of destroying a stocking-frame in Rutland street in Nottingham when a magistrate leading a party of soldiers turned up at the entrance to the workshop, having been alerted to their presence. The group fled through window at the back of the workshop onto the roof next door and descended into the yard of the same building. Although the authorities gave chase, the Luddites forced their way into another house and out into the street before making their escape.

On the the same evening, 4 stocking frames were destroyed in New Radford.

3rd December 1811: Luddism comes to Leicestershire

20 stocking frames were destroyed at Shepshed in Leicestershire on this night, the first known incident of Luddism in the County. 3 Midland Counties were now directly affected by Luddites.

An open letter to the Director of the People's History Museum, Manchester

Dear Katy Archer,

We, participants in the workshop on the Luddites' 200th Anniversary at the Manchester and Salford Anarchist Bookfair, wish to protest about the People's History Museum’s (PHM) exclusion of the Luddites from its scheme of working class history. Not only does the museum have no plans to celebrate this important anniversary, but the Luddites are absent from the timeline of 19th-century working-class history in the lobby, and from the Museum’s permanent exhibitions.

This exclusion of the Luddites is absolutely unacceptable, and we cannot believe that it is accidental. In our view it is no better than Stalin's removal of Trotsky from early group photographs of the Russian Communist Party. It is absolutely contrary to any museum's duty to present an unbiased historical narrative.

We would guess that the reason for this is that the PHM shares the popular and outdated misconception of the Luddites as ‘reactionary’, as well as somehow not ‘really’ being part of the organised working class, despite the efforts of Marxist historians like EP Thompson and Eric Hobsbawm to situate the Luddites firmly within working class and trade union history. We agree with EP Thompson's view that the Luddites were a crucial stage in the formation of the English working class, and we are inspired by their example of workers and communities rising up against oppression. We believe that the Luddites' example and philosophy are increasingly relevant in the current crisis of industrial capitalism. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this issue, it is not the job of the PHM to pass judgement and then pretend that a major historical movement for workers’ rights never happened.

For this reason we have taken the opportunity to correct the timeline in the lobby, and we demand that you do so on a permanent basis. We also insist that the museum create a section in its permanent exhibitions devoted to the Luddites. Finally, we ask you to organise events over the next few months to commemorate the anniversary; we will be happy to work with you on this.

Yours,

David King (Luddites200 Organising Forum)
Richard Holland (ludditebicentenary.blogspot.com)

3rd December 1811: Troop Movements

The Berkshire Militia left Ipswich on a forced march to Nottinghamshire. Ipswich is over 140 miles distant.

2nd December 1811: Frames broken in Nottingham, Sneinton & New Radford

Luddites continued to make incursions into the Town of Nottingham on another night: 2 frames were destroyed in Currant Street, Turn Calf Alley & 1 frame in Warren Court, Old Street.

Outside the town, 2 frames were destroyed in Sneinton and another 5 in New Radford, for the second consecutive night.

2nd December 1811: Duke of Newcastle to Home Office

Clumber
Dec. 2 1811

Sir,

As I in my letter of yesterday informed you I should do, I have attended the meeting of the Magistrates held this day at Nottingham. I have there learnt that the disorders and tendency to tumult which exist are certainly of a very serious nature. The rioters have adopted a system by which they levy contributions on the villagers, and actually subsist themselves on the produce of their plunder. They contrive in such manner to overawe the inhabitants of the villages, that they are afraid of giving intelligence of the proceedings of the rioters, by which means it is certainly very difficult to act against them.

The rioters sometimes collect in great numbers in the villages about Nottingham and march to a considerable distance where they commit what depredations they please and levy contributions.

When I became yesterday acquainted with the extent of the mischief and dangerous length to which these disorders have been allowed to attain; I could not help seriously reflecting on the apparent remissness or want of activity on the part of the Magistrates in the neighbourhood of Nottingham; however such arrangements appear to have been made this day as will be likely to ensure in a greater degree the public tranquillity. Constables have been sworn in for every village, these will form a night patrole and troops are to be placed in every village ready to assist the civil power when called upon. No one is to be found out of his house after 10 o’clock under pain of arrest and any meeting of persons to be instantly dispersed by the civil or military power.

If energy and activity are used in putting these orders in execution, I trust that we shall soon feel the beneficial effects of such measures.

The Magistrates seem perfectly aware of the danger which may arise from delaying any longer to act with vigour, and to endeavour by force or otherwise to put down the present commotions as promptly as possible.

I have [etc.]

NEWCASTLE

2nd December 1811: Derbyshire Hosiers concede to Luddite intimidation

Following the frame-breaking and show of force by the Derbyshire Luddites of the previous night, it appeared that the Derbyshire Hosiers were now only too ready to concede terms.

The Nottingham Review¹ reported that a printed bill dated the 2nd December had been drawn up by various Derbyshire Hosiery firms for the express purpose of attaching to specific frames in workshops bearing the following message:

"THIS FRAME IS MAKING FULL FASHIONED WORK, AT THE FULL PRICE."

In their report, Conant & Baker² took a retrospectively dim view of this, stating it "could not fail to give the most damning encouragement to the Spirit which dictated them."

The Derby Mercury of the 12th December states that Luddites who had visited Pentrich on the 1st December visited again "the following evening" but left without taking any action "finding in the mean time that the prices had been raised", although it did go on to say they had broken a frame each at Oakerthorpe, Wessington & South Wingfield Park.

1st December 1811: Derbyshire Luddites spare Pentrich frames from destruction, this time...

On the same evening as Luddites were taking action in other parts of Derbyshire, a group made a visit to the Derbyshire village of Pentrich. Their actions that night suggested they were not wholly familiar with the area, because they insisted upon inspecting frames in several of the houses there. The Derby Mercury of 12th December 1811 carried a particularly vivid description of events:

"Soon after midnight ... the Frame breakers, armed with weapons, arrived at Pentridge, and proceeded to the house of Mr. B. Topham; banging at the door, they demanded the key of his workshop ... On opening his door, they presented three guns ... threatening to blow his brains out if he did not comply with their demands. He told them he had no Frames of the description they were in search of (for cut up work,) nor were there any in the town, and having somewhat appeased them with conciliatory language they left his house, one of them (thanking) the man who sent them thither. After going to a few other shops in the village they departed, without doing any mischief, but threatening to return some future night and destroy those Frames that were worked at an under price, or by those persons who are termed Colts."

This activity suggests that the Derbyshire Luddites were not only conducting an audit of the Pentrich frames and working practices, but had realised that an intimidating show of strength may be sufficient to bring hosiers into line. The Luddites would return to Pentrich sooner than many that night may have thought.

1st December 1811: Mass framebreaking in Derbyshire

On the Sunday evening, Luddites launched concerted raids in Derbyshire. 50 frames were destroyed in Ilkeston and Heanor. According to the Derby Mercury of 12th December, Derbyshire Luddites seemed less fussy than their Nottinghamshire counterparts:

"Frames of all descriptions have been destroyed without discrimination."

The Nottingham Review of the 6th December also reported that 1 frame had been broken at Wessington & 1 at South Wingfield.

1st December 1811: Frame-breaking at New Radford & Nottingham demonstrate Luddite methods

On Sunday evening, 8 frames were broken at New Radford¹, the second consecutive night of frame-breaking there. A report in the Leeds Mercury of 7th December gives a good example of how the Luddites operated and picked their targets in an ordered and disciplined manner:

"They broke only the frames of such as have reduced the price of the men's wages; those who have not lowered the price, have their frames untouched; in one house, last night, they broke four frames out of six; the other two which belonged to masters who had not lowered their wages, they did not meddle with."

In Nottingham itself, 2 frames were broken, 1 at Bullers Court, Narrow Marsh and 1 at the back of South Street².