14th May 1816: Major Marrie writes of arson attacks in Suffolk

My Lord

I had hoped that the disturbance would have subsided ‘ere now, but I am sorry to find that on Saturday night and on Sunday at 3 oClock in the afternoon, other Fires more dreadful have taken place, that at Lawshall was during the time of eveng service I yesterday sent a Servant over there and I enclose the answer of the Farmer for your Lordships perusal which I only received last night at ½ past 10 oClock

I have been informed this morning that the Clergyman of the Parish (who is a magistrate) has left his house with his Family in consequence of the threat mentioned in the note enclosed. I am happy to remark that the Man who had written the Papers one of which I enclosed to your Lordship has been fully committed (with two others) to Bury Gaol, but that I'm afraid will throw no light upon the Firing system.

I was rather surprized that the magistrates meeting on saturday, when Mr. Wilson informed me of my having written to your Lordship on this subject; with submission to your Lordships better judgment, perhaps  it would be as well upon any partial communication that the name might be kept secret, as should it become known, generally, some other mischief might arise from it – as revenge seems to have actuated the present convulsion. I have seen this morning the person who dispersed the mob, at Rattlesden, he is worthy the [illegible] of at least the Country Gentleman; and I have suggested to Mr. Grisby of Drinkstone, the necessity of making him a Compliment for his spirited exertions, he certainly risqued his life alone, when they assembled nearly 200 to destroy his premises I hope your Lordship will strike out some plan to relieve this County from the calamity & fatigue which we labour under, in watching day & night, some clever persons disguised as labourers, might be the means of discovering the incendiaries—

I have [etc]
Faithful Hbl Servt
[Major] Marrie

Brittenham Park
near Bildeston
14th May 1816

[Enclosed letter]

Sir

According to your Request I have Sent you an Answer there has been a Letter found by a boy but not now in my possession but a very threatening one, it were, it Specified there where three Farm houses in this parish to be Burnt and the parson to be Burnt in his bed, I have Insured, my Loss 4 Horses 6 Calves about 50 Combs of Wheat Barley and Oats about 12 [illegible] the house with great Difficulty was Saved

Yrs Humb Servt

[Thos] Bradley

Lawshall
May 12 1816

7th May 1816: Major Marrie writes to the Home Office about more arson & the Rattlesden incident

Brettenham Park
(near) Bildeston
May 7th 1816

 My Lord,

since I had the Honor of addressing your Lordship last I have seen three fires the last two, were on Friday and Saturday nights. I have taken every pains in my power to obtain information, and to get at the names or designs of the partie’s concerned, but without success. 29 men have been committed to Bury Goal for the destruction of a draining Plough. They were most spiritedly attacked by the owner, altho’ near 200 of them of both sexes – you wrote over several of them and at last when they were a little dispersed he took down 30 names 29 of which his son informed me are now confirmed.

I hope my Lord that it may end here, and perhaps it may, as all the Farmers are now satisfied, that they must watch night and day, to protect their property. Should any thing come within my knowledge of any importance I shall take the earliest moment of acquainting your Lordship of it—

I have [etc]

[Major] Marrie

May 1816: A panicked letter sent to the Home Office about the situation in Suffolk

My Lord

From the remote situation of this part of the Country from the metropolis I am confident you are not aware of the great disorder that prevails & the spirit of insurrection that hourly shews  itself—apparently without any immediate remedy—as the evil  increases—& the mob is daily added unto—every night, we have the horror of observing a fire from some part of the County—& we have  no rest in our Beds but are kept watching till Break of Day the Servants & Labourers are with ourselves quite exhausted—nothing will quell this tumult but some regiments being sent into this district,—& if possible some officers of police for we cannot depend upon one of our own people—even the constables chosen by parishes which I dwell are suspicious persons—& would head the mob rather than disperse them—these villains meet at a public house in Hitcham the Sign of the [Buckie] Lions—the names of them are White, Deacon, two the name of Baker, one Wilding,  [illegible] Brett—&c—but an officer of police from London would very soon detect some of these ring leaders which from being unknown he might do better than any other way—& a troop being stationed in the environs of Bildeston would soon disperse these wretches! pardon my Lord my daring to hint the means of checking this rise of misadventure but I am certain if you will condescend to attend to my proposals it will prevent much harm—to the Country. God knows only if not stopped what will be the event, to Town & Country—they threatened to burn the Clergy in their Beds—the Clergy are all magistrates—& they have gained from some quarter an idea that the high Tythes are the cause of their low wages—in the Parish of Kettlebaston which is the worst in England for  civilization, there is neither magistrate nor Parson—the Rector having another living never visits the Parish—but on an hour on a Sunday, so they are left to their own wicked devices, & all look like Savages—in the next parish viz. Hitcham the magistrate is a Clergyman now absent for two months so that the poor labourer in that village are all in a State of rebellion & threatening to burn every Stack & Barn—then the mills we shall then say they be all equal.

for God’s sake my Lord think of some expedient immediately if not, I predict it will gather Strength—we are all so tired with watching & want of Sleep that we must give up the contest—otherwise the ground can not be tilled—& then a famine inevitably will ensue—send some Troops directly  & some police Officers to the Villages of Kettlebaston Hitcham & Bildestone this will Strike [terror] in the rest—I was in Town when the mob rose on the Corn Bill—I saw the good effect that the Soldiers had immediately in quelling riots.

we are without magistrates & without Rectors & [more/none] that are resident—are in danger from the exorbitant Tithe demanded.—

I am
your Lordships
Ob.nt Servant
J Nicholson

[Undated - May 1816]

29th April 1816: The Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk writes to the Home Secretary about the disturbances in the County

Newmarket
April 29. [1816]

My Lord

In consequence of the communication I had with your Ldship upon the representation you received, from a gentleman in Suffolk, a riotous disposition which had shewn itself among the lower orders of people in the neighbourhood of Bildeston, in this County, I have now the honor of enclosing, for your Ldships information, two reports, the one from the four Magistrates acting in the Division in which Bildestone is situated, the other from the Magistrates assembled at the Quarter Sessions at Bury St. Edmonds this day.

It will be painful to your Lordships to know, from such authorities, that the distress of the common people of that part of Suffolk is so great, as to have led them to the commission of certain outrages; but I trust your Lordships will be assured, from the tenor of the documents which I have enclosed, that the utmost vigilance will be used by the magistrates in suppressing riotous combinations wherever they may be discovered, & in apprehending, so that they may brought to trial for their offences, any promoters of mischief, or disturbers of the public tranquillity:

I have the honor to be
your Lordships
most Obet
& faithful Sert

Grafton

[To] Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c

26th April 1816: Major Marrie sends news of Bildeston to the Home Office

Brettenham Park 26th Apl 1816

My Lord

I am sorry to have the unpleasant task of again addressing your Lordship on the melancholy picture before me, I am now writing this letter in view of a Farm house, where the stacks Barns and building have been set on Fire (as supposed) at 8 this morning, the land adjoins mine about a mile from hence. I have sent all my people from the different occupations they were employed in to lend their aide, one servant has returned, and says that there are some hundred [illegible] of Corn in the flames and no chance of saving a single grain really my Lord, under these circumstances it is dangerous to remain in the Country, but I do not like to desert it unless from circumstances I am forced to quit it. There are so many reports and so many agitators, and I hear deep schemes laid, that if something is not done, immediately the consequences may be dreadful, and we may experience by our own hand what Bonaparte long wish for (our destruction) from some propositions made to some of the Farmers by the mob assembled yesterday. I judge there is more intended, than simply the employment of the poor, they (the mob) said if you will join us we will lower the Tithe, and their Corn will be cheaper, and we shall get Work — I fully believe that my night watch may be of little avail as from compositions (which now appears, all the Country people are aware of). They can do any damage they please even in the daylight by laying the [train] at every opportunity – I have not understood that any plan has been spoken of nor do I see any disposition in those who have property to protect it. lights are seen in Cottages all the night tho’ which cannot be kept up without great expence if it is not paid for by secret agents as I am sure the poor cannot find sufficient food to eat, nor half of them gain employment—

Whatever your Lordship  and His Majesty’s Government mean to do, with submission, should be promptly and instantly done, for if a few examples were made, it would no doubt check the ardour that seems to subsist amongst all the Labouring classes, a very considerable occupier and owner of Land called upon me this morning for Taxes and he informed me that he had a paper in his possession which was taken up in the Church, and which he would send me, but it not having arrived I am obliged as the Post will so go out from the neighbouring Town to send my letter without it, but I shall take the liberty of sending it tomorrow on Sunday should I receive it for your Lordships inspection — I beg to intreat an early attention to my communications, as I am convinced that nothing but my own personal attendance with all those whom I can trust, has prevented some of my extensive premises of being destroyed. I have all armed and set spring guns in every direction to intimidate intruders. I again beg your Lordships attention to some measure to put a stop to the present appearances of disorder, and distruction.

I have the Honor to be
your Lordships most obt Hbl Servant

[Illegible] Marrie

½ past 3–

The inclosed is the paper mentioned and I understand there are many more of the same handwriting, but to different purposes – all threatening lives &c—

25th April 1816: Threatening letter left at Bildeston church

Gentlemen

I could wish you to be very carefully about you buisness for endeed things are getting to a very bad pass now for there is a great number of us thinking about making a bussel amongst you Gentlemen

an so I Remain to
R Xmple
are 3 parishes join
I our warning
729 men

25th April 1816: Major Marrie sends another worried letter to the Home Office from Suffolk

4. oClock

Brettenham Park
Bildeston Suffolk
Apl. 25th 1816

My Lord,

I have the Honor to return my best thanks for answer to my letter, on subject of the 22d Instant, I have further to form your Lordship that I have seen one premises on Fire on the 23d at Night and I understand that another took place last night about 9 miles from hence.

The People to the amount of 45 of one Parish (Wallisham) have come down to the next parish Hitcham and are endeavouring to persuade those who are disposed to be peaceable to join with them, this has occurred to two Men who at present have refused to go, and whom I have now in my employment but from what I can collect from them, if speedy measures are not taken they will be obliged to go with the Tide, various written Papers have been dropped, and some posted up with a list of Names, threatening vengeance for higher wages. The greatest part of the Corn in this part of the Country having been carried to market at a low rate, and several Occupiers at this time having none upon their premises, they all appear disposed in a degree to sanction the disposition to riot. One Farmer, has openly said (I am informed) that he is ready to join the mob and that if the Clergy do not lower their tithes or attempt to gather it up, they will burn them in their Beds. There does not appear to be the least motion in the magistracy one of them called at my House in my absence this morning & said they must wait for some act to take the rioters up, my opinion is that 5 fires, and threatening letters besides the gathering together of the people, both night & day in a riotous manner are sufficient cause for them to act, by swearing in constables or otherwise as circumstances require to keep the peace, for with subscription to your Lordships Knowledge of the state of the Country, prevention is better than cure, in my services I happened to be in a ship in the meeting at the Nore – & had the Captains only acted with firmness upon that occasion many ships would have remained with Lord Duncan, on his post of the [vessel] instead of going into [illegible] Roads where they were deserted by their Captains only. In this neighbourhood the magistrates I may say certainly Clergy & I do not hear of one of them stirring in this affair. For my own part I have not been in my bed for the last four nights, nor my servants, but we have been expecting to be attacked and the premises set on fire, I am determined to defend my property with my life, but I assure you Lordship that I think it rather hard after 16 years service to be obliged to watch an enemy who I am in the habit of supporting year after year on my Farm. This way I have done every thing as far as possible to support the poor at a Parish meeting – they are greatly distressed and every thing to make them happy and quiet should be done, although it is impossible for the [hundred] intent to hear, the poor rate, and high tithes

I hope you Lordship will excuse this long detail, & I have written in haste that I might be in time for the post, which is 9 miles off

I have, the honor to be
your Lordships Obedt Servant

[Illegible] Marrie

—with submission, would not some of the police officers be of Service in finding out this business. I understand there are many persons lately or now in this place who are suspected of these affiliations – and who are strangers in this County—

22nd April 1816: A panicked Major Marrie writes to the Home Office from Bildeston, Suffolk

Brettenham Park
near
Bildeston Suffolk

22d. Apr. 1816

My Lord,

I am induced from the disturbed state of the Labouring classes &c in this part of the Country to address your Lordship, thinking it a duty I owe to my Country and to society in general.

Nightly meetings have already taken place and are still accumulating, they have already burned several Threshing-Machines together with their Barns, [Cows] implements &c—&c— and are dropping threatening letters in the yards and other enclosures of the different persons of property and yesterday one of their papers were dropped in the Parish Church of Hitcham and carried to the Church Warden – they complain of want of work and higher wages – which according to the situation of most of the Farmers here is impossible to grant as they are already too much distressed and having carried all their Corn to Market at so low a price many of them are as unable to bare the pressure of the times as the Pauper – if something prompt is not done, this may lead to serious consequences – I therefore have taken the earliest moment to represent it to your Lordship, as I have been accustomed from my earliest age do my duty. I much regret that a reduction has taken place in all departments, as from reports I have heard several parishes have been taking Oaths to stand by each other as in the meeting at the Nore. I beg your Lordships early attention to my representation, I have armed all my Servants and keep up a patrol for the security of my property & Family

I am, your Lordships obt. Sert.

[Illegible] Marrie

Should your Lordship think proper to [answer] this Letter please direct to

Major Marrie
Brettenham Park
Bildeston
Suffolk