In October 1816, the Home Secretary was approached by a William Playfair, who claimed he had devised a plan to bring an end to framebreaking. Playfair was evasive about what his plan constituted, and sought guarantees that he would be remunerated. The Home Office papers contain copies of the letters he wrote, plus correspondence and a brief report by Sir Nathaniel Conant, the Bow Street magistrate who was tasked to correspond with Playfair.
Although I cannot yet verify it, it's possible that Playfair was the Scottish engineer and political economist, best known for inventing the bar chart. Playfair's ODNB entry notes that in 1816 he attempted extortion on at least two occasions, and this may well be another attempt that failed. But as his attempts to entice the government to pay him for his 'plan' foundered, we'll never know what the substance of it was.
The documents below appear in the order they appear in the Home Office files:
24th Oct. 1816
Report
I wrote to Mr Playfair that in Consequence of his Letter to Lord Sidmouth I had his Lordships directions to see him—And I should be glad if he could do me the favour to call at my home before 11 in the morning the following day, or if more convenient on wednesday between 11 & 2 [o'clock.]
He sent me the enclosed note & the annexed paper yesterday.
N Conant
24th Oct. 1816
- - - - - -
London 22d October 1816
The Offer which W: Playfair has the honour now to make and which he before made to the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Sidmouth is as follows—
That he will deliver in writing to his Lordship a Plan by which at a very Small Expense without any Bloodshed or Severity of Punishment An End will be put intirely or very nearly to the Practice of Frame Breaking or the destroying of other machinery employed in Manufacturing but more Particularly Knitting Frames on the Condition that if the Plan succeeds he shall Receive such a Reward as to every two Gentlemen shall be thought proper proportioned to the service performed
The Principle on which the Plan aluded to proceeds is one that will not only prevent crimes in Respect to Breaking Machinery but will produce a Beneficial Effect by Increasing the Reputation & ameliorating the quantity of various British Manufacturers
William Playfair
[on the reverse]
Proposal Relative to
The Prevention of Frame Breaking
For
The Right Honorable
Lord Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c
- - - - - -
16 Union Court Holborn Hall
22d October 1816
Sir
I was last night favoured with your letter at the Request of Lord Sidmouth
I must have explained myself very badly to his Lordship otherwise he could not have taken that way of answering my letter
I however could not wish for any person more proper to Explain the Business to his Lordship than one Who’s Integrity, Intelligence and zeal for Public good stands so high as yours do
I beg therefore, that you will be so obliging since his Lordship has Employed you in this business, to Read the Inclosed Paper & deliver it to his Lordship—It only contains more Explicitly & Greater length the Offer I already had the Honour of making to his Lordship & to Mr Beckett before I knew that he was absent
Were I to have the Honour of waiting on you I should only have the same thing to communicate & it so happens that at the very times you mention tho’ you had the goodness to mention two I am obliged to be Elsewhere by Previous Engagement
You will have the goodness to say to his Lordship that the Plan I have is no Loose desultory one and that it is not because it is not Ready that I do not communicate it but for the Reason given in the Paper. I am now no longer young & I have a daughter who is Blind & unprovided for & I cannot think but that if I Prevent Expense & bloodshed I shall derive some Remuneration
Twenty years & Upwards & his Lordship knows its have I to the best of my abilities supporrted the measures of government without asking or receiving any Reward and as I know the Frank and Honourable nature of his Lordship I think it Right to say—"That if I had not heard from him I did not mean to press the matter but that the object being a very vital one I intended to get the same proposal made to Parliament when it meets"—So well am I convinced that I can accomplish what I have in view
I have the Honour to be
Sir
your most obedient
& most humble Servant
William Playfair
[To] Sir Nathaniel Conant Rt
&c &c &c
- - - - - -
16 Union Court Holborn
11th October 1816
My Lord
Not knowing that Mr Beckett was out of Town (which I find he I wrote to him to say that I had thought of a mode by which without Expence or any disagreeable proceedings a stop maybe put to Frame Breaking or the destruction of every sort of Machinery for manufacturing—I Requested Mr Beckett to inform your Lordship & it was only on Receiving no answer that I inquired & found he w not in Town—I mentioned to him that if on trial it succeeded I should Expect such Remuneration as your Lordship & he might think deserving and of course nothing without [illegible]
I have the Honour to Repeat the same offer to your Lordship I am
with great Respect
My Lord
Your Lordship’s most obedient
& most humble Servant
William Playfair
[To] The Right Honble
Lord Visct Sidmouth
&c &c &c
- - - - - -
11 Portland Place
24th Oct. 1816
Sir
I should have been glad to have seen you on the subject you proposed to the Secretary of State; but my directions being chiefly to say to you that if you thought proper to communicate the Remedy you name, and it should be found effectual to the Public; Lord Sidmouth would take care that you should receive an adequate recompence; but his Lordship must reserve to himself the entire right of judging what the recompence should be.
I am Sir
Your most obedient
Servant
N Conant
To
W. Playfair Esqr
These documents can be found at HO 42/154.
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