28th August 1812: General Maitland reports Luddites from Lancashire & Derbyshire taking the oath of Allegiance

Wakefield
28th August
1812

My dear Lord

I this morning had the honor to receive Your’s of the 26th and should not trouble You to day there being no Post, were I not sure it would give you great satisfaction to know that the Spirit which has manifested itself at Mottram is beginning to extend. I understand about 40 yesterday from the Neighbourhood of Ashton made their confessions at Manchester, and I understand too many have gone out of the corner of Derbyshire to Chapel Le Frith for the same purpose.

It is sincerely to be hoped, that the present Spirit may be kept up, it is the only sure and pleasant Mode of getting rid of the whole Thing and you may rely upon it, that no exertions on my part shall be wanting to keep it a going

Ever

Your’s My Dr Lord

T Maitland

[To] Lord Viscount Sidmouth
& &c &c

5th July 1812: Captain Francis Raynes almost triggers a riot near Mottram in Cheshire

Captain Francis Raynes and his Special Forces detachment were busy suppressing the local population of the area surrounding Mottram, in Cheshire. In his memoirs, he gives an account of how on Sunday 5th July 1812 his unit enforced the licensing restrictions brought in across the North and Midlands because of the disturbances:

Part of our duty was, to enforce the shutting up of the public houses at nine o’clock, and to see that no person remained there after that time. Too often were these houses made the place of resort of the Luddites, for the purpose of conducting their illegal plans; consequently, our appearance was not very agreeable to the landlords, and we frequently received much abusive language from them, which obliged me to make formal complaint to the magistrates, who generally punished them by suspending their licenses.

On one occasion, I believe, but for the steadiness of my men, much mischief might have ensued. We were quartered in a house where upwards of three hundred persons were assembled (as they said) for charitable purposes. At this alarming crisis, danger was to be apprehended. I, therefore, endeavoured to prevail on the landlady, a widow, to dismiss them quietly, desiring her not to draw any liquor, and to plead to the company, the magistrates’ order for so doing: instead of which, she encouraged their continuance. The consequence was, we were obliged to use coercive measures, to get them out, and, at length, succeeded, but with some difficulty. They assembled on the outside of the house, forced the sentinels, and endeavoured to break open the street door. When I found matters were likely to become serious, I ordered the soldiers out, and threatened to fire upon them, if they did not disperse: for they began to be very tumultuous, and were closing in upon us. We primed and loaded, and absolutely presented, before they would disperse; and many, even then, did not move. We, however, secured several of them, which intimidated the rest: but it was not till past twelve o’clock, that all was quiet.--The parties taken up, were sent before the magistrates at Stockport, to answer for the offence of rioting and breaking the peace.

The mistress of the house did not escape the notice of the magistrates on this occasion. Having accurate information of a man of the name of Soloman Low, who had been conspicuously active in the riots at Ashton, immediately on the above commotion being settled, we went in pursuit of, and apprehended him.

24th June 1812: General Acland gives orders to the special forces detachment of Captain Francis Raynes

(Confidential.)

Captain Raynes will proceed with the detachment under his command, this day, to Dukinfield; where he will endeavour to procure the best information in his power, respecting the state of the country, and the meetings of the Luddites: he will act according to circumstances, and quarter himself where he may chuse: he will remain no two nights in the same place; but is to keep in a constant state of movement; dividing his party, or keeping it together, as he may find it expedient: in short, the party is to be fixed no where. With a view to enable Captain Raynes to disperse any thing he may meet assembled, for any purpose connected with the present disturbances, one or two special constables are ordered by the magistrates, to attend Captain Raynes; which will be sufficient to enable him to act.

The site of Captain Raynes’s movements, will be from Ashton-under-Line, to Mottram and Stockport; and he may move whenever he has intelligence of a meeting, provided he has a constable.--The success of this measure, will consist of its secrecy and activity.

Captain Raynes will never state where he is going, and should always move in the night; and will, in a great measure, conduct his movements in such a manner, that the country may be strictly and regularly patroled within the circuit of his movements.

Captain Raynes will never let the officers, special constables, or any of his party, know where or when he intends moving.

He will communicate frequently with Major-General Acland, and particularly as often as he obtains any particular intelligence, or when any extra occurrence arises. Officers senior in rank to Captain Raynes, are directed not to interfere with him, in the execution of the duty entrusted to him. And officers and non-commissioned officers, having cavalry under their orders, are directed to furnish Captain Raynes with orderlies, for the purpose of communicating with head-quarters.

W. P. ACLAND, M.General.

Manchester, 24th June, 1812.

22nd June 1812: General Maitland gives orders for the use of Special Forces on the borders of Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cheshire

Buxton
22nd June 1812

Dear Acland

We must certainly try some thing in the subject of that part of the Country above Ashton, I am entirely against sending the Captain of the Stirling (Raine) to remain any where, but having thought it over I think the advisable measure on the whole would be to send him out, with general Instructions to act, & to quarter himself as he may choose, to remain no two Nights in the same Place, but to keep in a constant State of Movement, dividing his Party if he chooses, or keeping it together as he may judge fitting, in short to be a Body in constant motion, fixed no where.

With a View to enable him to disperse any thing he may meet, assembled for any purpose connected with the present disturbances, it would be advisable, he should have always a Magistrate when he moves, but if this is impossible to be had, which I fear it is, I am instructed that the presence of a Special Constable is sufficient to enable him to act, & I should fancy there would be no difficulty in getting some one, to go with him, for the time, the special Constable ought not to be a Military Man.

The Site of his movements should be from Ashton under Line, to Mottram, & Stockport, & he may move wherever he has intelligence of a Meeting, provided he has a Constable, the success of this Measure will consist, in its Secrecy & Activity & I think ten days of it, will clear the whole of the Country where these Practices are now carrying on—

Write to me daily, & watch Raine closely.

Ever Your’s

T Maitland

Raine ought never to state where he is going, & should always move in the Night. You must make Mackay give him the necessary Routes, Blank, which he can fill up

Major Genl. Acland
&c &c &c

14th June 1812: Luddites drill in the daytime near Ashton-under-Lyne

Although Luddites were well-known for conducting meetings and drilling under the cover of darkness in the night-time, on Sunday 14th June 1812, they demonstrated their audacity and confidence by drilling during the daytime on the borders of Lancashire and Cheshire near to the town of Ashton-under-Lyne.

Whilst Sunday morning church services were taking place nearby, a group of  around 500 people assembled on a hillside near the town at 11.00 a.m. and, at the signal of a gunshot, a flag was raised, and then drilling commenced, with the group forming themselves into a line. After 20 minutes the whole group dispersed (again at the signal of a gun) before any military could arrive (one account has repeated assemblies and dispersals at the signals).

There were rumours that another assembly would take place the following day, and the general feeling was that the area was 'on the eve of rising'.

20th April 1812: Colonel Clay informs the Home Office of the state of Manchester & the surrounding towns

Manchester
20. April 1812
½ past 11 o’clock. P.M.

Sir

In consequence of information I received from the Police Office at a late hour last night, I occupied the points previously agreed on for the protection of the Provision warehouses before seven o'clock this morning, which had the desired effect. The Town has, however, been in a most disturbed state all day; so much so, that it became necessary to read the riot act this afternoon; & towards Evening, to call out the whole Garrison for the purpose of dispersing the mob & clearing all the Streets; which has been attended with some difficulty, but affected without material injury to any one.

In the midst of the tumult here, expresses arrived from Ashton, Middleton, & Eccles — with requisitions for Troops—. At the former place the mob plundered several shops in the town & demolished the windows of the Inn — at the latter, the people had assembled & evinced a disposition to Riot; but at Middleton, the mob made a most daring attack on the works of Mr. Burton, who has nobly defended them, & shot five of those wretches on the spot. I sent immediate assistance to him, & have since heard that all is quiet there: but to Ashton & Eccles I could not spare a man; as I am fully aware that the disturbances in the neighbourhood are principally intended to draw off the force from hence.—

I have also been informed that the People at Worsley have been very riotous today; but I have nothing official from thence.

A great number of people have also been levying Contributions on different Gentleman's families at their Country Residences in the Vicinity of Manchester this morning.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most Obedient
Humble Servant

JG Clay – Colonel
Commanding at Manchtr

The Right Honble
The Secretary of State
Home Department
&c &c &c

20th April 1812: Serious rioting across the North West of England

On Monday 20th April 1812, serious rioting broke in many towns across the North-West of England. Much of it bore the character of food rioting that was by then into its second day in Manchester.

In Oldham, the Adjutant of the Local Militia, William Chippindale, had observed large groups of people assembling in the countryside the previous day, and had heard rumours that they would be collecting in town the following day. He had only a handful of men to guard the Militia's armoury, which was a regular dwelling house, and he set about fortifying it which was complete by 12 noon. When disturbances began in earnest later, Chippindale apportioned blame to people coming into Oldham from Saddleworth ('rude uncultivated savages') and Hollinwood, the latter group being mainly Colliers. Warehouses and shops were plundered, and the crowds engaged in autoreduction. Sections of the crowd began to assess the possibility of attacking the armoury but decided against it. Chippindale then saw the crowds head en masse to nearby Middleton.

At Rochdale, large crowds came into the town from the direction of nearby Oldham & Royton, and the clamour amongst them was to carry out the autoreduction of prices that was a common theme elsewhere. There were at least two arrests and it seems a stand-off situation existed in the town for many hours before windows began to broken at around 8 p.m. The Cumberland Militia was eventually called out and the Riot Act was read by a Magistrate, William Horton. The crowds were eventually dispersed by the military and the streets locked down by 11.00 p.m.

At Bolton, crowds had also gathered to enforce autoreduction early, and Colonel Ralph Fletcher was at the forefront in calling out the military for 8.00 a.m. A 60-strong detachment of the Scots Greys was called out, along with 80 of the local Yeomanry Cavalry under Major Pilkington and 50 of the Bolton Local Militia under Fletcher himself. These were all in use to guard the market place. The guard continued until around 7.00 p.m., when even greater numbers had collected in the streets. Fletcher then decided to read the Riot Act, the streets were cleared and Public Houses shut.

The story was similar in Ashton-under-Lyne, with provision shops and warehouses being into and the produce seized. An arrest was made, with the prisoner being held at the Globe Inn in town, with crowds demanding his release. When this was refused, the pub had most of its windows put through. A Manchester Magistrate, The Reverend William R Hay was in town on other business at the time and wrote to the Home Office to explain the authorities were unable to intervene due to the lack of military. He even swore in 60 members of the Local Militia as Special Constables.

The crowd then moved through Dukinfield and on to Stalybridge, where the Granary, Corn-Mill and Warehouses of the Huddersfield Canal Company were attacked by a large crowd of people. As well as goods being carried away, at least 1000 bushels of flour and meal were destroyed, their rage being so great.

Between 1.00 and 2.00 p.m. a flour Mill at Worsley was attacked by a large mob. The machinery was damaged and much of the flour carried away. In nearby Eccles, all the shops were shut up, and the Liverpool coach heading through the town had stones thrown at it.

Much later in the afternoon, the same crowd that had assailed the Mill at Worsley arrived at Barton-upon-Irwell. A provision shop was attacked, with autoreduction being in evidence. A hundred people entered the local Mill of Messrs Gilbert, Marsdens & Co, attacking the machinery with staves and clubs: outside the crowd called out "Now or never", a by now popular slogan seen in evidence 12 days before in central Manchester and parts of Yorkshire but a few days ago. Most of the flour, either loose or in sacks, was carried away.

At many of these locations, arrests took place, with prisoners later being committed to either Chester or Lancaster Castles, depending upon which County the riots took place in.

19th March 1812: An Ashton man overhears a conversation about oaths and a planned uprising

On Thursday 19th March 1812, Joseph Taylor of Hurst, near Ashton-under-Lyne, was standing near to his house watching the world go by. Across the way there was a labourer steadily building a wall and he noticed a man approach him and stop to talk.

Taylor was close enough to recognise the man as a local weaver, William Bardsley, and he could also hear their conversation:

"I though you would have been over the hills by this time, as you talked of when I last saw you?" said the labourer,

"I thought you would have been gone too, I haven't seen you for so long" replied Bardsley. Taylor assumed they meant Yorkshire.

"It's a wrong place for you to go into at this time, they seem to be very uneasy in that County"

"Aye, and it will be here before long!" said Bardsley

The labourer then asked Bardsley why he said that, and Bardsley related that two 'strange men' had come into his workshop in the last week. They had asked him how weaving was going, and would it not like it go better? Bardsley has said that he would, and they then the two asked if he would risk his life to make things better. The men said they wanted to 'twist in' local people who were interested in coming forward, and that hundreds of people in Stockport and Ashton had taken an oath. They talked about having a plan to seize the arms of the Local Militia.

Taylor was shocked. He felt it was his duty, as a Sergeant in the Middleton Local Militia, to go as soon as he could to the authorities to report what he had heard.