Friday 31 August 2012

31st August 1812: Arms raid & shots fired at Brighouse

Between 11.00 p.m. and midnight in the evening of Monday 31st August, Luddites launched raids at Brighouse in the West Riding.

At Thornhill, 3 houses were raided for arms by 40 Luddites, and 4 guns taken from them.

At 2.00 a.m. on the 1st September at Brighouse itself, shots from a blunderbuss and other weapons were fired into the home of a Mr Waddington, a corn-miller. Seven bullets were found lodged in his bedroom ceiling, with a musket being discharged into his parlour. The Luddites had managed to avoid a patrol of soldiers that had just passed by.

As reported in the Leeds Intelligencer of 7th September 1812. Details can also be found in a letter from Edward Reeves to General Acland at HO 40/2/3.

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