25th March 1815: Sunderland Magistrates update the Home Secretary about the recent riots

My Lord

The Magistrates of this Town & district apprised your Lordship on the 21st Instant of the Riot, which had taken place on the preceding Evening. The Revd Mr. Boundling and I were sent for on the following day, and have joined the other magistrates but the spirit of insubordination has not so far subsided as yet, as to admit with safety the setting about the reconstruction of the Staith Machinery and wooden bridge which crosses a deep ravine adjacent to the River, a most serious, and daily loss to Nesham & Co whose Colliery is thus cut off from the River, whilst the contingent [expenses] at the Engines, & pits continues. It seems proper that your Lordship should be informed that this Colliery has been brought down to near the mouth of the river by a rail way for which great way leaves are paid by the Co. and that Ships receive the whole or a considerable part of their cargoes from spouts, without the intervention of Keels or Casters (i.e.) Coal heavers.—There are several on the Tyne, which have existed some years: but this from its vicinity to [Sunderland] and the apprehension that other Coal-owners would adopt the same machinery has occasioned great jealousy on the part of the Keelmen & Casters; & unless they are subdued in this first instance, the Evil will proceed probably to the Tyne; & may be carried from the combustible nature of the Staiths, spouts &c to an alarming length.—Your Lordship should be informed that, besides the mischief to the Staiths &c on Monday, Mr. Robinson and this Son, and Mr Biss a brother in Law, & Partner, having attempted personally to interfere, were beaten, & wounded with bricks & other missiles, and that threatening letters have been sent, of which copies are enclosed; by which the Rioters have endeavoured to intimidate the [company] from restoring their works, & the magistrates from doing their duty.—Messrs Nehsam, & Robinson as Partners, & Dr. Gray, as Lessors of way leave are interested, & therefore, particularly marked by the Rioters.—We have hopes that the Keelmen may go to work to day: altho’ they still shelter their ringleaders, against some of whom we have issued warrants: but we find great difficulty in procuring informations, as the majority of those concerned in the Trade are afraid of rendering themselves conspicuous; and some of them, as rivals in the Trade, do not perhaps see the evil, which has befallen Nesham & Co in its proper light.—If your Lordship should think it proper to offer recommend it to Government to offer a reward on the subject of the threatening letters; or for discovery of the ringleaders it might add to the weight of the offer of Reward from the [company] and [Gentlemen] in this Town, who have offered each 100 [Guineas] for discovery of the ringleaders on conviction—

Your Lordship will perceive that we concur with the opinion contained in the letter of the 21st respecting the military force.—

Any Communication with which your Lordship may honour the Magistrates may be addressed to their Chairman here.

We have [etc]

R. Burdon
R: H: Brandling
Robt Gray
J Hampson
John Davison
G Stephenson
James Jackson

Sunderland 25th March
1815

[To] The
Lord Visct
Sidmouth
&c &c

P.S. Dr Gray requests that in any publication of the Threatening letter the names may not be published, the effect of which would be to connect them permanently with the object of Jealousy

R. Burdon

Burdon also enclosed copies of threatening letters received, as follows:

It is to be a expected the interested Part of the people in Sunderland Will have more Respect to there own personal safety [illegible] that of there property than [we] very violent measures to oppose The oppressed part of the People Which have been driven into Riot by Oppression But should you think fit to mark out A few individuals the rest will arise to there rescue your Own Safety [Cries] Alone

For Silence

[To] Mr Robinson

Sir

I think proper to inform you of the Ringleders intention that is if the Hors is cald on to thro them with a Chene Cable and take their Harnes from them and then Reve the Chene thro the Dors of and Winders of the Tones Hal and pul it down the Ringleders is Thos Boys Houlden Wardle Waywayman and Daron the pitman Jhon Davison

To tell my name will be death

Mr Robinson
Justis of Pece
Sunderland

23rd March 1815: Threatening letter from 'a Keelman' at Sunderland

1815

March 23

Revd Sir

We the Kellmen humbly Request that you will speak in our Behalf as we are all from one Common Parent and the poor you have always with you and to all apearnce if the waggonways come down our Famleys and the Town at large will be starved—

We therefore inform you that if the men are Liberated and a Stope are put to aney more ways comming down to Sunderland we will go peacebly to work if not the most resolute have sworn they will shute George Robinson and all those we are concerned in if and also that if Dr. Grey promises them to carrey the way a Cross the Gill the will do the same to to him likewise, we hope there for you will represent this to thos Gentlemen

yours a Keelman

NB. We trust you will keep your self from arme

21st March 1815: Thomas Thompson of Sunderland writes to the Home Office about the riots

My dear Sir

We were last night thrown into the greatest states of alarm, the Keelmen casters & others working in the wear assembled in a large Body and about 4 o Clock in the Afternoon placed the Keels a little above the Bridge in such a situatn as to completely impede the navigation of the River, after this, they proceeded to pull down the Arch thrown across the Rector’s Gill by messrs Nesham [Goodchild] & Co: for bringing the Newcastle Coals to the Staiths for Shipment into the Vessels, and after they had finished this work of destruction they set fire to this Staith Depot, the Conflagration was dreadful and had it not been a mild night I dont know where the mischief might have ended the damage as it is well be about Six thousand pounds.—Robinson, & Biss, went while the mob was at work to remonstrate, but they were thrown down & much beaten.—We had no military here but are an express about six in the [evening] was sent to Newcastle and between one & two o Clock this [morning] a troop of Horse arrived, and every thing is again tranquil. The Respectable Inhabitants had been sworn in Constable and hand Bills are circulated for any Rewards for detection of the Ringleaders.

We had in my opinion a foolish [meeting] the other day to petition against the corn Bill which only [means] to inflame the minds of the lower orders of society, but and in some measure to this do I ascribe the late Unfortunate [business]; but the immediate object these poor deluded men who have done this mischief had in view was to destroy the works of the proprietors of the Newbottle Colliery, in order to prevent coals being [illegible] down by the waggon way which dispenses with their services as Keelmen.—A Letter has been written to my Lord Sidmouth by the magistrates soliciting military Aid to prevent a repetition of mischief a copy of which Letter I am requested by the magistrates and Inhabitants to send you and which I herewith enclose, and I am also desired to solicit your interference with his Lordship in arguing the necessity of some military constantly to be stationed here.—Our Barracks are very commodious & fit for the Reception of soldiers, and I am well persuaded unless we have military constantly here [always] again look for scenes similar to those we had the last night, may I therefore solicit you to forward the Views of the Gentleman of the Town by representing our [obscured] to Visct Sidmouth. I am my dear Sir

Your very obedt & faithfl St

Thos Thompson

Bishopwearmouth
21 March 1815

21st March 1815: Sunderland magistrates request troops to quell riots

Sunderland 21st March 1815.

My Lord

We the undersigned Magistrates acting for this Town and district feel it our duty to inform your Lordship, that a very serious Riot took place here last Night, conducted principally by the Keelmen and Casters on the River who directed their mischief against the Staith and other Works (part of which they destroyed by Fire) belonging to Jno Douthwaite Nesham Esqr &c Coal owners and effected the destruction of a Bridge over which Coals pass, which, we are assured, cannot be repaired but at several Thousands of Pounds Expence.

As there is no military of any description here, application was made to Sir Thomas Bradford at Newcastle who immediately sent a Troop of Horse, now here. As the Men still continue to assemble and express threats of serious and alarming Nature, the apprehension of the Inhabitants of the Town is considerably excited, and we the Magistrates feel no hesitation in stating that it is our deliberate and decided Opinion, that no effectual Security can be given to the Town and Neighbourhood, considering the great population, but by the immediate and permanent Residence of some military force in the Barracks.

We have [etc]

Robt Gray
John Davison
Jno D: Nesham
G Robinson
G Stephenson
James Jackson

20th March 1815: Keelman & Casters at Bishopwearmouth destroy new Colliery equipment

The Durham County Advertiser of 25th March 1815 carried news of a riot by Keelmen and Casters at Bishopwearmouth on Monday 21st March 1815, and describing events of the following days:

RIOT AT SUNDERLAND.—It is with feelings of the most poignant regret that we announce to our readers a riot of an alarming and disgraceful nature, which took place near Sunderland on Monday last. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, a party of keelmen, estimated a little short of one thousand, embarked in their keels and set sail of the River Wear, towards the inclined plane lately erected by the proprietors of Newbottle colliery, for the conveyance of their coals to the spouts at which vessels lay to receive them. Having arrived at this spot, the party landed, and, as they had previously agreed, immediately commenced the work of destruction. With the assistance of axes, saws, &c.they demolished in a few hours the work which had required months to bring it to perfection. The magistrates, who merit every praise for their alertness and decision, did every thing in their power to put a stop to the unlawful proceedings; but the keelmen, in defiance of the laws of their country, would not be interrupted. After destroying the inclined plane, they set fire to the machinery, and about 7 o'clock, having completed their diabolical purpose, they dispersed, shouting in the most disgraceful manner as they passed through the streets. A young man, called Bennett, a carpenter, about 18 years of age, who had undertaken to set fire to the building in which the machinery was contained, by attaching a burning tar barrel to the roof, fell whilst in the act, and was so severely bruised he died the next morning, very fortunately for himself; for had he survived, he must doubtless have suffered a disgraceful and ignominious death, as an atonement to the offended laws of his country. A troop of cavalry, which arrived from Newcastle about midnight on the day of the riot, and another troop on Thursday, have since succeeded in maintaining order. On Tuesday night, a keelmen, of the name of Davison, having assaulted the patrole, was taken into custody, and on Wednesday was committed to Durham gaol, (he is believed to be one of the ringleaders,) since which the rioters have moored their craft in such a manner, as to completely impede the navigation of the river, and their threatenings are dreadful; another man, named Clarke, has been apprehended; the police, with the soldiery are in quest of some more.—These riotous proceedings appear to have originated in a report that more waggon ways were about to be formed, similar to that which has been destroyed. These it was supposed must necessarily do away the use of keels, and therefore the mob took the law into their own hands, and committed the outrage we have repeated. We should recommend these deluded men to return to their duty, for they may rest assured, they will gain nothing by a perseverance in their ill-judged conduct, which will only subject them to the severest punishment, and the loss of friends.—Honest industry will always find employment, and if one branch fails, there are plenty others to resort to.