Wednesday 7 May 2014

7th May 1814: The Hosier, Thomas Hayne, writes to Louis Allsop about the Hosiers plans to defeat the Frameworkknitters

London
7th May 1814.

Mr Dr Sir

I have had occasion to see Mr Beckett on the subject of Frame breaking; he says the laws are not strong enough agt Combinations of Workmen, which I told him was the origin of the other. I have now got a Chair to their Committee & find the parties I suspected are the Men. I have called a Meeting of the Hosiers here & we have formed a Society for the protection of Frame Makers, most of the Houses have subscribed £100; Mr Gregory of [illegible] Chandler's Lane Hall Maiden Lane is appointed to be [Secretary] for the London committee; & they have named You as [Solicitor] & [Secretary] for the Nottm Committee if You approve of it.—We are going to examine all the Acts respecting Combinations of Workmen—Mr Beckett promises they will take the matter up, if we can suggest any thing that may be serviceable—Mr Hooley is a Subscriber & will solicit Subscriptions at Nottingham; We should be prepared to offer Rewards for Information &c very soon I will furnish You with the particulars, at the same time We shall be glad to have any [illegible] & Information from you; Mr Jessop of Derby is proposed to have the Derby District & someone yet to be appointed for Leicester. It is wished that the Communications shld be made to the Sec of each department to avoid [illegible], but You may give me your Sentiments on the business. The Trade here seem very unanimous on the Subject—They are laying very deep Schemes agt us, & it will require activity & Firmness on our part to resist it—We must endeavour to suppress the Committees, Gravener Henshaw is their leader, they meet 200 at a time, Ray’s hands are stopped by order of the Committee; Beardmore’s will be the next—

Yrs [etc]
Signed
Thos Hayne

To
L Allsopp—

This letter can be found at HO 42/139.

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