19th February 1818: Charles Mundy says Francis Ward was central to Nottinghamshire Luddism

Bath Febry 19th. 1818
Thrusday

My dear Sir

I have just recd a letter from Mr. Lockett desiring me to give you the best account I can, from memory, of the statement made by William Woodward a [illegible] [illegible] who recd sentence of death at Leicester at the [last] Lent assizes for a Highway robbery but was reprieved for transportation for Life, respecting the plan laid at the summer assizes preceding (namely 1816) for assassinating Mr. justice Baron Graham before whom James Towle was tried & convicted for the outrage at Heathcotes factory at Loughbr’o.

Woodward having lived for some time at Lambley in Nottinghamshire, he & his Wife being both framework knitters, had contracted an intimacy with the Blackburns who livd at Lambley, & through them with many of the most notorious of the Luddites, but I believe were never concerned in any of the framebreaking jobs.—Woodward’s wife was a material evidence against the Luddites who were tried at Leicester at the same assizes when her Husband as tried for the Highway robbery. After Woodwards condemnation I had frequent interviews with when he did not entertain the slightest hope of mercy. He told me among others things that he had been applied to, I now forget by whom, to join in an attempt to shoot the judge in the court at Leicester in august at the summer assize 1816, & to rescue James Towle & John Slater from the Bar. that several persons from Nottingham also went to Leicester for that purpose. that the Court was so guarded by Special Constables the day Towle & Slater were tried they could not get in in sufficient numbers to attempt any thing.—after Towle was convicted & condemned to death Woodward went to a publick House in Leicester near to the Court where he found Francis Ward of Nottingham & many others from Nottingham, among them were William Towle & William Withers who were afterwards executed for the same offence for which James Towle had that day been convicted. he mentioned Ward said something must be done to put a stop to judges and magistrates going on in this way, that they had nothing for it but to make an example of the judge before whom James Towle had been convicted. that it would be easy to way lay him & shoot him the next day on the road between Leciester & Hinkley. that plenty of money would be collected & that he would give a good medal (meaning as Woodward suppos’d a Guinea) over & above to the man who should do it.—afterwards Ward said he would give ten pounds out of his own pocket rather than it should not be done.—many of the party said they thought it too dangerous an undertaking; & began to leave the room.—Ward then askd Woodward if he did not think he could get some men to come from Barwell, a large manufacturing place between Leicester & Hinkley & a great escort of bad characters of which place, I think, Woodward was a native, & where he had, I know, resided for some time.—Ward told him he would provide plenty of money for the purpose, that they might way lay the judge in a hollow part of the road about a mile from Leicester, & shoot him. Woodward undertook to go to Barwell. Ward paid for the liquor that had been drunk by the party. Woodward went to Barwell, but the people to whom he applied thought the scheme too hazardous and would not undertake it.—Joshua Mitchell, William Towle, & William Withers previous to their execution, separately, gave nearly the same statement.—Joshua Mitchell & Thomas Savage repeatedly told me that F. Ward was the head manager of all the outrages (usually call’d Ludding. Mitchell repeatedly said to me “you may take my word that so long as Frank Ward is at Liberty outrages of this sort will never cease.” Mitchell also said that a few days after James Towle & John Slater were apprehended in 1816 because he went from Nottingham with Frank Ward to Wimeswold near Loughborough, to meet one Francis White, a lace maker from Loughborough, to arrange about a subscription for the defence of the men in custody. Ward askd who the magistrates were that had the thing in hand. & on being inform’d, he added “a stop must be put to their going on taking people up men in this manner. you should right write to them to threaten their lives or those of their families, & if that does not keep them quiet we must see about stronger measures.”—

Savage told me Ward White was the first man who proposed to him the destruction of Heathcotes factory & desird him to communicate to Frank Ward the wish of the Loughborough men that it should be done & their willingness to sucscribe.—White absconded a few days after Savage & Mitchell were committed & is now in France.—Savage told me Ward was, in his opinion, the most dangerous man in Nottingham next to Grosven Grosvenor Henson who he said was his superior in abilities & education & who, to use his own expression, was a perfect Robespierre.—

The above is all I can recollect of my conversation with Woodward & is, I think I can say, pretty accurate.—

I wrote as you recommended to Mrs. Blackburn. I fear by what I learn from Enfield this hypocritical scoundrel Ward will slip through our fingers.—I hope to be able to return to Weymouth early in nest week. illness has detain’d me here. I propose being in Leicestershire but the middle of March if possible.—

I remain dear Sir
Ever yours faithfully

C. G. Mundy

[To] H. Hobhouse Esq

Since writing my letter I have recd the [illegible] by which I find the subject of this Honest Industrious serious person who maintains his mother & sisters & Wife & children by hard Labour is disposd of in the House of Commons..—

4th August 1817: Charles Mundy sends an update on the Informers Blackburn & Burton to the Home Office

Burton August 4.th 1817
Near Loughborough

My dear Sir

Blackburn & Burton have both decided that they should like to go with their wives & families to America if any mode can be pointed out of their earning a living there. This decision was not finally made until a day or two immediately previous to Leicester assizes. the letter from the Gaoler informing me of it did not reach me so soon as it ought to have done owing to my being it at Derby in attendance to give evidence before the Grand Jury in the Reason Bills. & on my return home I found Mrs Charles Mundy whom I had left ill still so & all my three children in a state of the utmost danger. this prevented my attending the assizes at Leicester I wrote to Mr. Lockett who I knew was there to beg he would see Blackburn & Burton & tell them to remain quietly in Leicester Gaol till I rec.d directions from Lord Sidmouth respecting their wish of going to America.

unfortunately, Caldwell had having pleaded guilty & Lockett having no other business there he was gone home to derby before my servant got to Leicester with my letter.―In consequence of these accidental circumstances Blackburn & Burton heard nothing from me.

The undersheriff, (Mr. Miles) & some others I believe went to the men, and as they describe it told them some one thing & some another” & puzzled them till they did not know what to do―The High Sheriff went to Mr. Justice Bailey & stated that two men were in Gaol without any charge & commitment but justice Bailey conscientiously felt himself justified compelled to ordering them to be discharged the day he left the Town & at ten OClock at night they arrived at my House without money or place of refuge. I determined then after consulting with them what would  be best for them to do till I could hear from Lord Sidmouth respecting their going to America they determined that Blackburn should remain here all night & set out early in the morning for Kettering in Northamptonshire & stay with his father there and that Burton should go on in the dark to his Wives father at New Radford, Nottingham: this subjected to us thinking it a dangerous plan for Burton but he was bent upon it and said he would get there in the night & remain concealed till I send to him.

I gave them a pound note each for their present support but I own I feel nervous about them especially Burton. as soon as Lord Sidmouth determines in the mode of conveying & providing for them I shall be glad to be inform’d.―

Would Lord Sidmouth now think it worth while to set John Blackburn to work to find his Brother Christopher and try to persuade him to surrender & to give evidence against Frank Ward as an accessary before the fact of the Loughborough Job? Frank Ward is now in custody under Lord Sidmouths Warrant on suspicion of Treasonable practices but we have nothing to support any charge. he is such a rascal & so mischievous a fellow it would be a good thing to transport him.―

I remain dear Sir
Ever yours faithfully
C.G. Mundy

If the Sheriff & Mr. Justice Bailey would have been quiet the two men would have remained quietly in Gaol they had both signd their consent to remain there.

[To] H. Hobhouse Esq

25th April 1817: Charles Mundy writes to the Home Secretary about the wanted Luddite, Christopher Blackburn

Private

Burton April 25th 1817
near Loughborough

My Lord

I have the Honour to state in addition to what your Lordship will have received in a letter from Mr. Allsopp written while I was with him yesterday some circumstances of difficulty that we feel ourselves plaid in respect respecting Christopher Blackburn who it is ascertained is now in the neighbourhood of Nottingham.—I understand that while when John Blackburn was first taken in the attack on my Lord Middletons gamekeeper he was detained for some days at the House Lord Middletons House before he was removd to the House of Correction of Nottingham & that a promise was there made to him by Lord Middleton and Mr Rolleston that his brother should not be included in the consequences that might result from any discoveries he might be disposed to make.—I have always understood from Savage & John Blackburn that Christopher knew more of the planning of the Ludding mischief than any one else & that he was also privy to a great deal of political mischief.—There is no doubt but he might be made an evidence against Frank Ward, Frank White, Jewkes & Neale as accessaries to the Loughborough outrage & probably against Benjamin Badder also, who is as bad a character as any of the others. it is not impossible but he might furnish something against Gravener Henson. Withers, whose sister he married, told me he thought he was concerned in every thing, and John Blackburn says that Christopher was to have conducted the proposed attack on the barracks at Nottingham.—

The difficulty that we feel is this, if he is apprehended & it turns out that he cannot give the evidence we want that we cannot support him so as to give effect to his testimony, how shall we dispose of him so as to keep good faith with his brother? The Bill is found by the Grand jury against him as against the others for the Loughborough outrage.—I was not aware that he had been included in the Indictment till I was so informed by Mr. Lockett to whom I went on Wednesday last to ascertain that point. I had always understood he was to be left out.—It might possibly be the best way to try to open a communication with him & endeavour to persuade him to surrender himself voluntarily, this will be difficult as his brother John is too great a rascal to trust at large for such an Employ, added to which he would be afraid of going to Nottingham. It would be the greatest of all objects as far as the Ludding system goes to conflict Frank Ward & Badder and if White, Jewkes & Neale who have absconded could be discoverd & taken it would be a great object to convict them especially the two former. This with the punishment of some of the perjured Alibi witnesses following so close on the late Executions would bid fair to annihilate the system.—as White Jewkes & Neale have all friends & close connexions in and about Loughborough it is probable that if your Lordship thought it right to examine letters at the post office the place of their retreat might be discover’d.—I had much conversation with Mr. Alsopp on the subject of the statement made by Savage and as to the possibility of dealing with Burton of Sandy Lane as recommended in the last letter I had the Honour of receiving from your Lordship.—When Mr. Hooley returns, who is better acquainted with the [stocking] manufacturers than almost any body, the attempt must be set on foot. I find this Burton has been long in the habit of travelling the Country selling Political Books &c.—and is probably well acquainted with the members of Committees & the delegates or missionaries in different parts of the kingdom.—

I can I feel a strong desire to obtain by some means an interview with Christopher Blackburn if it could be arrang’d.—it is very probable he might furnish a Clue to more things than the mere concerns of Luddism.—

I believe Mr. Alsopp will have the Honour of waiting on your Lordship in few days.—The death of a near relation of Mrs Charles Mundy for whose widow & children I have much business to transact will compel me to leave Burton on Monday Morning next for a few days. should your Lordship have any Commands for me I will beg the favour of their being directed to Washenborough near Lincoln.—the distance from Nottingham is little more than thirty miles.—I hope to be at Burton again by the end of the week of which I will have the Honour of informing your Lordship.—I do not exactly know when Mr. Hooley is expected to return.—

I have [etc]

C. G. Mundy

[To] The Right Honourable
Viscount Sidmouth

17th April 1817: Charles Mundy sends Thomas Savage's statement to Lord Sidmouth

Burton April 17th. 1817.
near Loughborough

My Lord

I have the Honour to enclose for your Lordships information the statement made to me by Thomas Savage who is this morning to be executed at Leicester I saw this unhappy man yesterday when he inform’d me he had nothing to add to what he had before stated to me. William Towle persists in stating that a man of the name of Lee now under sentence of transportation from the last assizes at Nottingham is innocent of the crime of which he has been convicted. namely a most outrageous robbery in a Booth on a Cricket ground near Nottingham William Towle declares he was there himself but that Lee who had been drinking with the party before they set out to commit the crime & who was with them next morning when they were spending part of the Booty was not at the Robbery and that he was not privy to it in any way either before or after.—I mentioned this circumstance to Mr. Baron Richards at Warwick who had not then time to refer to his notes of the trial.  but said as far as he could recollect that the evidence was very clear.—not knowing how to direct to Mr. Baron Richards I take this opportunity of mentioning that from every enquiry into the former conduct of James Crofts whom Mr. Baron Richards has respited from death having been convicted of a Highway robbery it appears that though Crofts has without doubt been concernd in robberies yet that he has never been guilty of violence & there is instance on record in the Police Book at Nottingham of his having dissuaded his associates from carrying pistols.—This man seems inclin’d to give some information that may prove important respecting a Burglary accompanied with great violence that took place at a farm House near Loughborough last summer. He was concernd in it but has heard those that were talk of it—I beg to know your Lordships intentions wether the whole of the prejudiced witnesses who appeared at the Leicestershire assizes last August on behalf of James Towle and Slater should be prosecuted or only those of the most notorious character. The expence of this prosecution I presume is to be carried on by the County but I shall hope for your Lordships Commands on this Head & also whether as it is a prosecution growing out of the former ones the same attorney should be concerned

I have [etc]

C. G. Mundy

[To: Lord Sidmouth]

16th April 1817: Charles Mundy informs the Home Secretary of the preparations for the executions the following day

Leicester April 16 1817

My Lord

I have the Honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordships letter of the fourteenth & to say that although I did myself the Honour of calling at your Lordships Office on Tuesday last I thought the day of the week might probably have caught your Lordships recollection. I shall have the Honour by tomorrows post to transmit to your Lordship the statement of Savage of the substance of which I made your Lordship acquainted on Saturday last. I perfectly coincide in your Lordships opinion that painful as it is a striking example must, for the public good, be made of the unfortunate men now under sentence of death here. but I thought it my duty to make your Lordship acquainted with every circumstance respecting them that came to my knowledge, which occasioned my letter respecting Amos.—I arrived here last night Nottingham & am informed by the High Sheriff that the execution will certainly take place tomorrow.—a vast crowd was assembled here on monday in expectation of the execution being about to take place. they even climbed on the Tops of the Houses near to the Gaol & on the walls of part of the prison itself, & calld to the condemned men. Two Troops of the 15th Lt. Dragns who are quartered here are to attend the execution and & transmit the unhappy men from the old Gaol to the new House of Correction where the drop is erected—& two Troops of the yeomanry Cavalry are to be in the environs of that part of the Town.—

Mr. Allsopp communicated to me at Nottingham the contents of a letter he had receivd from your Lordship. it seems to me to be advisable that in making selections for any future prosecutions attention should be paid to how far deeply the persons implicated may be supposed to be connected either in the Ludding or Political conspiracies.—I have communicated my ideas on the subject to Mr. Rolleston & also, on the former subject, to Mr. Enfield whom I know Mr. Rolleston will confer with.—

I had the pleasure of an interview yesterday at Nottingham with Mr. Hooley & Mr. Smith and am particularly glad to be in communication with two Gentlemen who seem to be so well dispos’d. I find Mr. Hooley purposes writing on your Lordship shortly I have the Honour to remain My Lord

your Lordships most Obedient very Humble Servant

C.G. Mundy

[To] The Right Honourable The Secretary of State
for the Home Department.

8th April 1817: The statement of the Luddite, Thomas Savage

Thomas Savages account taken by Mr. Mundy

April 8th 1817

The Week Savage was taken up early in Febry last a meeting took place at the House of Major Cartwright in London a missionary went from Nottingham with one Bembow a missionary from Manchester to Major Cartwrights.—Bembow did not go to the Majors he went to a Committee somewhere in London.—Major Cartwright wrote to one of the Nottingham committee to say Sir F. Burdett and Cobbett had met the man at his House and desiring the missionary might stay longer.—The Nottingham missionary engaged one *Bonnington whom he met in London, portrait painter, to attend the chamber of Deputies in London. The object of the Nottingham missionary was to ascertain the opinion of Major Cartwright Sir F. Burdett and Cobbett as to a revolution this missionaries name is Robert Wain of New Radford he is a framework knitter.—Savage being taken up at that time knows nothing of what pass’d at Major Cartwright’s House.—A missionary from Arnold took a letter from Mr. Dennison to Major Cartwright. This Deputies name is Gibbons of Arnold this was at the same time.—The chief members of this Committee are as follows.

**Thomas Burton of Sandy Lane Nottingham framework knitter.—Greaves of Turn crofts alley Nottingham framework knitter.—Simpson of Gregories Buildings framework knitter—Rhodes near the Horse & Trumpet Shoe Maker (his Wife lives at Ilkeston in Derbyshire) this man & Burton are dangerous characters.—Holmes of Fishergate Nottingham framework knitter. All these live in Nottingham Grosvenor Henson is the Head man of the whole One Adam Macree a Scotchman and Anderson another Scotchman both living in Meadow Platts Nottingham framework knitters are the bosom friends of Gravenor Henson.—There are two Leicester men living at Nottingham by name Witts and Palmer leading men.—Schoults or Schults a native of London is a very good orator.—Southern of Fishergate Framework knitter is one of the Hambden Club men & a very active man.—The Committee sat at the Cross keys in Mary Gate Nottingham.—The secretary is one Smith. Savage does not know him well. —

The secretary is one Smith Savage does not know him well nor where he lives.—The Object of Bembows mission was to prepare things for a revolution. he stated he had been round the country & that he could answer for a Hundred thousand in the Potteries of Staffordshire. Savage had this from Bembow, he stated that the Committee at Manchester were men that had be tried for a Conspiracy about 2 years since—Savage says Thomas Burton knows every thing.—Savage heard Gravenor Henson say about a year and a half since that the depot at Derby might be taken & that he along with Witts had laid the plan, & that one Hill (not the Ludd) went to Ilkeston in Derbyshire to tell them to prepare but Hill getting drunk & talking of it, it was delayed & the arms were removed from the depot in the night. Henson also spoke of attacking the Barracks at Nottingham & said three hundred men would be sufficient.—Witts was to go to Leicester to some Gentleman there for money. Savage never heard his name.—Witts was to go over to Leicester & get some of the men belonging to a militia stationed there to join their party.—Henson went to Sheffield two years since to form Committees.—

Savage thinks as soon as Henson heard of the suspension of Habeas Corpus act. he would cause all the correspondence & other documents to be destroyd.—

Frank White is a workman at Laceys factory at Loughbro’ first proposed to Savage the destruction of Heathcotes machinery.—Neale gave him £20 at the Green man Christopher Blackburn was present. Savage also saw Jewks in the business.—White drew a plan of Heathcotes factory. Savage thinks it was delivered to Christopher Blackburn to convey to Frank Ward. Benjamin Badder had the core of it who burnd it up as soon as James Towle was taken up.—Savage does not know of any collusion on the part of any of Heathcote’s men but has understood that ***Ironman gave himself up very easily. Savage never went beyond the Gate where the dog was.—Savage says Ludding & Politicks are closely connected.

*Bonnington is son or nephew to the late Gaoler for the County of Nottingham
**Savage thinks this man might be dealt with—& this man said Disney word to get away from Sheepshead when he heard of the apprehension of the Ludds at Nottingham.—

***The regular Watchman at the factory

4th April 1817: Charles Mundy tells the Home Secretary that Thomas Savage is disclosing more information

Private

Burton April 4th 1817

My Lord

Since I had the Honour of addressing your Lordship this morning I have been to the County Gaol at Leicester and have had an interview with Thomas Savage at his request. He states that he is intimate with Grosvenor Henson & all the principal malcontents at Nottingham including Frank Ward. he says at the time he was apprehended he was perfectly in possession of the knowledge of where their correspondence might have been got possession of between Grosvenor Henson, Major Cartwright Mr. Dennison and my unfortunately misguided relation Sir Francis Burdett. Many of which letters especially those between the former of the three Gentlemen & Grosvenor Henson go as Savage states to a treasonable extent. he likewise states in general terms that he could give very useful information to Government on all these points. that the object of these people is nothing short of a Revolution & that it is his opinion a strong attempt will be made at it. that many of the persons styled religious missionaries are in fact delegates from seditious associations. He says he thinks Grosvenor Henson equal to the perpetration of any thing that even Robespierre committed.—

Savage is a sensible well educated man talks cleverly & well calculated for a leading man in a committee of working manufacturers.—he has been chiefly a committee man we have no account of him as an executive man in any other outrage that at Loughborough which like all others he says was plannd by Frank Ward. I did not think proper to encourage him too much for fear of raising false hopes in the mind of this poor man. I shall therefore wait your Lordships instructions before I proceed further in talking with him he says it is very possible that the purpose to which he alludes may be removed since he was taken into custody.—as the usual day of execution at Leicester if no alteration takes place would arrive on monday the fourteenth of this month I have thought it best to lose no time in making this communication to your Lordship I therefore avail myself of Captain [Giradot] of the Coldstream Guards who is going to Town to convey this letter to your Lordship as the post has been gone many Hours & there is none tomorrow. thinking it right to lay the contents of this letter before your Lordship though it is probable you may be in possession of all this man can communicate from other quarters.

I have [etc]

C. G. Mundy

[To] The Right Honourable
Lord Sidmouth

15th March 1817: Charles Mundy informs the Home Office that Blackburn & Burton have been moved to Nottingham under escort

Burton March 15th 1817
near Loughborough

My Lord

I have the Honour to inform your Lordship that I have made arrangements with the commanding Officer at Leicester & the High Sheriff for the County Nottingham for the removal of the two prisoners Blackburn & Burton from Leicester to Nottingham and under an escort of the 15th Light Dragoons this day. I anticipate that they will return on Tuesday or Wednesday.

I have [etc]

C. G. Mundy

[To: Lord Sidmouth]

8th March 1817: Charles Mundy is concerned for the safety of the Luddites-turned-infomers, Blackburn & Burton

Burton March 8th 1817
near Loughborough

My Lord.

I take the liberty of addressing your Lordship on account of the uneasiness I feel for the safety of the two prisoners John Blackburn and William Burton who are as your Lordship is perfectly aware the mainspring of the case against the Luddites now in the Gaol of this County. I find that both those persons will be necessary as Kings Evidence at Nottingham assizes the former in the prosecution for the attack on my Lord Middleton's gamekeeper the latter in the attack on one Kerry’s House & shooting at him & wounding him in the Head. As Nottingham assizes unfortunately take place previous to those at Leicester there is every possible inducement for such of the Gang as are at large & their very numerous friends to attempt the lives of those men, for if they were disposed of the whole case for the prosecution for the outrage at Loughborough falls to the ground with the exception of one prisoner (Thomas Savage) The removal of these persons from Leicester to Nottingham will be attended with danger as will also their appearance in Court at the latter place. I should hope the High Sheriff & the magistrates for that County will take ample precautions and that the police of the Town will likewise be called into service on the occasion. If I might venture to offer an opinion I should suggest that a very large number of Special Constables should be appointed, & selected from the most respectable classes & well arm’d. I will say to your Lordship (privately) that I fear they are hardly sufficiently alive to the danger and that a jealousy of acknowledging the justice of the bad character the population of the Town & neighbourhood have acquired induces them to under rate the probability of any attempt of the kind I allude to.—Respecting the mode of conveying these two men from Leicester to Nottingham I conceive that best mode will be to take them in chaises under an escort of dragoons two troops of the 15th Lt [Dragoons] are at Leicester but I believe none at Nottingham the distance from Leicester to Nottingham is twenty five miles. In my opinion the best method would be to bring send an escort from Leicester to Loughborough the day before the men set out which would be ready, with their Horses fresh, to take charge of them from the escort which brings them from Leicester & convey them to Nottingham and remain in the Barracks (which are out of the limits of the Town) to convey the men back again, the Escort which brought them to Loughborough remaining there to receive & convey them to Leicester. This arrangement will of course require all your Lordships interference respecting the escort. I should think sixteen men would be sufficient—probably infinitely less would be sufficient for real security but the terror of the two men especially Blackburn, is so great that I am sure you Lordship will see the necessity of inspiring them with confidence. I should hope either a Military Guard or a strong party of well armed Constables will be retaind in the County Gaol at Nottingham during the time these men are there. If this plan should be adopted by your Lordship I would order chaises from Nottingham to meet them at my House which is in the most direct road from Leicester to Nottingham; some distance would be sav’d & the Town of Loughborough avoided. The escort from Loughborough would take charge of them here with less tumult than at Loughborough.—An attempt at a correspondence between Savage & some friends at Nottingham has been discovered to the Gaoler through the means of a prisoner charged with sheepstealing. the Object of it is that a party from Nottingham are to be ready in the vicinity of the Gaol on a certain night the prisoners at Locking up time are to rush on the two Turnkeys & either murder them or force them into one of the Cells & lock them in while others secure the Gaoler & get possession of the keys. Let themselves out into the street where their friends are to be ready with tools to take off their irons & a change of Cloaths to facilitate escape. I have procured a Guard of the 15th [Light Dragoons] every night from Locking up time till after they are let out of the cells in the morning.

I suspect they have some plan in agitation from which they expect success otherwise I cannot account for their encreased spirits & appearance of confidence knowing, as I do, that their [illegible] gives them no hopes of acquittal. As the assizes for the County of Nottingham are very fast approaching I have thought it right to lose no time in stating the circumstances to your Lordship.—I have the Honour to remain

My lord, your Lordships most Obedient very Humble Servant

C. G. Mundy

I should add that the prisoners now in the Gaol of this County for trial at the next assizes amount to no less than fifty four.—

[To] The Rt Honble Lord Sidmouth &c &c &c

4th February 1817: Charles Mundy informs the Home Secretary that 9 Luddites have been committed for trial

Burton february 4th 1817

My Lord

I have the Honour to inform your lordship that yesterday the following persons were finally committed for trial. Savage Thomas Savage, Joshua Mitchell, John Slater, John Crowther alias Crowder. John Amos William Withers William Towle, Samuel Caldwell, alias Calder, on the deposition of John Blackburn, William Burton & John Blackburn were of course committed on their own confessions. the moment the very long deposition of Blackburn (which is now more fully made out than the short one on which I have hitherto acted & which I had the honour of transmitting to your Lordship) is copied I shall have the Honour of laying it before your Lordship.—The confirmatory evidence will be extremely voluminous & more strong and perfect in a complete chain than I have ever recollected to have met with under similar circumstances.—This I shall do myself the Honour of  transmitting to your Lordship as I collect it if it is your Lordships pleasure I should do so. it must, as I observed before, be collected by degrees: with great caution.—a prosecution of this nature cannot be carried on with any hope of success without very considerable expence. the evidence going to be searched for at Nottingham & the adjacent villages. on all roads leading from Nottingham to Loughborough, and at Loughborough & the villages contiguous thereto. many witnesses must also be brought from Tiverton in Devonshire to which place Heathcote and Boden have removed with most of their confidential workmen. I take the liberty of naming these circumstances to your Lordship is a question naturally arises as to the means whereby these expences are to be defrayed.—as far as the business has gone I ventured to act [given] the importance of the case & the necessity of prompt exertion I have of course been obliged to apply for information and the means of obtaining [confession] of the persons of the prisoners to the very active & will well [arranged] police at Nottingham. I am speaking merely of the Police & have receiv’d the most active & zealous assistance from Mr. Enfield the Town Clerk who is officially the superintendent of it. Mr. Lockett of Derby who is agent & solicitor to Heathcote & Boden I was likewise necessitated to apply to for various documents in his possession and it is impossible for any thing to have exceeded his seal & activity in this business since his arrival. I shall be oblig’d to seek assistance from Mr. Cradock of Loughborough in the progress of the collecting the evidence. Hitherto I have I have performd nearly the whole of the business with the evidence in the neighbourhood of Loughborough myself but some assistance will certainly be required between in this time & the assizes.—It is for this reason that I presume to state to your Lordship the necessity of it being known whether any pecuniary assistance is to be expected from his Majesties Government. and also whether my [illegible] for the apprehending such as the Gang as one not at present in custody should be held out

Hill & Disney are notorious persons as Luddites and it would be an object to get hold of them the others are perhaps of less consequence. the man calld little Sam will easily be discovered being gone under escort to the depot at the Isle of Wight. your lordship will see when the whole of the information derivd from Blackburn & Burton is laid before you that the persons now in custody and those who have absconded have been the leading people in all the destructive practices, known in this part of the kingdom by the title of Ludding, for some years.—

I have [etc]
C.G. Mundy

[To] The Right Honourable
The Secretary of State for the Home Department.

2nd February 1817: Charles Mundy sends John Blackburn's confession to the Home Secretary

Burton Febry 2nd 1817

My Lord

I have the honour to transmit a copy of the confession of John Blackburn taken by Mr. Rolleston agreeable to your Lordships commands.—This is the only deposition that has as yet been taken of the statement of this man & your Lordship will observe that it agrees with that of Burton in every instance where they have spoken of what they were both eyewitnesses to. though they differ in some points where the information of one or perhaps both has arisen from hearsay.—they have never had any intercourse & were but little acquainted. circumstances occasioned Blackburn to be the first to confess & therefore we were as your Lordship knows glad to avail ourselves of the only opportunity that then appeared making discoveries at all.—it is now to be lamented that the first to discover the guilt of his accomplices was not one like Burton less deeply implicated than John Blackburn at the same time I doubt not but the latter will be able to give us much more information of other depredations of the kind than Burton as he declares he never was concerned in more than one job as it is termed besides the Loughborough transaction of which I shall get a particular account from him & transmit to your Lordship. at present I have been too much engaged in collecting evidence to inform the accomplices & in which I have further been very successful.—as all the witnesses are unwilling either from fear of this Gang or from friendly feelings to them the collecting Evidence is a most difficult as well as the Laborious business. it is necessary to act with great caution & to apply to them privately & with [regard] to proper opportunity much injury would arise from an injudicious approbation.—Blackburn is to be brought here this morning on his way to Leicester & tomorrow I proceed thither to commit for trial. I have delay’d his letter to the last moment in the hope that Blackburns arrival would enable me to transmit to your Lordship a more particular copy of what he says but as one of the Officers from Nottingham is just arrived & says Blackburn will not be here if at least an hour I am under the necessity of sending this deposition as it is directly from fear of losing this days post. I have the Honour to remain

My Lord Your Lordships most obedient
very Humble Servant
C.G. Mundy

[To] The Rt Honourable
The Secretary of State for the Home Department

23rd January 1817: Charles Mundy sends William Burton's confession to the Home Office

Burton January 23d. 1817
near Loughborough
Leicestershire

My Lord,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordships letter of the 22nd. The expression of the approbation of his Majesties Government of my feeble exertion contained therein call for my humble acknowledgements.—I have the Honour to transmit to your Lordship a Copy of a full, & perfectly voluntary, confession made yesterday by William Burton. I have written it in his own words. The poor young man seems deeply penitent for the crime into which he has been drawn by the acts of a set of villains declaring he joined the party more from a foolish than any evil desire to do mischief & that while waiting in the Lane previous to going to the factory he saw by the arms & preparations how serious an affair he was engaged in & wished to have escaped but that the old Hands as he termed it watched the young man so closely it was impossible.—The County Gaoler, a very intelligent man, is quite confident he saw William Towle in the crowd during the trial of James Towle at the last assizes at Leicester. the Gaoler is not privy to any part of Burtons confession.—I have made some progress this day in procuring evidence to confirm the statement of John Blackburn none of them are as yet committed except for further examination.—no more are as yet brought to me but I understand that Caldwell taken at Tewkesbury on another charge is arrived at Nottingham.—

I am sorry to state to your Lordship that as soon as the arrival of the mail in Loughborough was made known the event of the trials of Watson [&] others the Bell man was sent round to proclaim a meeting of the Hampden Club in a field near Loughborough on Monday next—it is said an immense number are expected to assemble it is said four or five thousand this will probably prove an exaggerated statement.—I saw the president of the Loughborough Club in Nottingham on Tuesday last and a most notorious character from Nottingham came to Loughborough yesterday—the committee sat late and early this morning the Nottingham man went by a stage Coach for London. I think I may say that nearly all the manufacturers are members of these clubs & I am sorry to say very many tradesmen & shopkeepers of considerable substance. I think it has not much sway among the farmers and agricultural labourers.—I find William Towle is a member of one of these clubs & probably all the others.—I can perceive an increased degree of insolence of manner & marked disrespect in the classes of persons I have alluded to when before the magistrates & a decided contempt of the Laws and of their the punishments exclaimed by them. this has been observed by many other magistrates.—It is proposed that the trip of yeomanry cavalry residing in this neighbourhood should have a common exercise day at the usual place near Loughborough on Monday that they may be at Hand in case of anything occurring during to the meeting I have mentioned above.—I hope I may be excused if I observe to your Lordship that with the exception of one troop of Light Cavalry at Leicester and a regiment of Infantry at Nottingham there are no troops anywhere in this neighbourhood and that Infantry would move too slowly from Nottingham to be available for any purpose in this vicinity: and that as the residence of the men belonging to the yeomanry in their different villages is well known nothing could be more easy supposing any simultaneous movement of the evil disposed to be effected than for them to seize and disarm individuals belonging to the yeomanry cavalry at their houses.

I have the Honour to remain
my Lord, your Lordship's most Obedient Humble servant
Charles G. Mundy

20th January 1817: Charles Mundy reports that the suspected Luddite have arrived at Leicester Gaol

Burton January 20th 1817
near Loughborough
Leicestershire

My Lord

I have the Honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordships letter enclosing a copy of the Statement given by James Towle to the High Sheriff for this County for which I beg leave to return my most grateful acknowledgements. It arrived at the same time with the Nottingham Police Officers, who brought Savage, Mitchell, Slater, Amos, Crowther, Withers & Burton taken very directly & quietly in the course of the preceding night at Nottingham, they are all now in the Gaol for this County for further examination.—Coldwell, discribed in Towles narrative as having been a Dragoon, is taken at Tewkesbury, I suppose I may expect him tomorrow or next day. Burton is a very young man, much agitated, & will I doubt not soon confess. I have ordered him to be kept separate from his companions & alone & shall visit him tomorrow. Another confession may be of service as the manifestations of the Luddite system are so various it is not to be expected one person should be able to lay open the whole. Of course I shall take care to make no promises.—Your Lordship may rely on my omitting no opportunity of obtaining information & immediately having the Honour of transmitting it to your Lordship either from the quarter from whence my former information was derived or from any other that seems worthy of credit.—I am sorry to say that the aspect of affairs in this part of the Kingdom wears a very serious appearance & the immense number of persons out of employment & of course in the utmost distress affords an opportunity to the evil disposed which your Lordship is well aware they will not fail to avail themselves of.—

I have the Honour to remain
My Lord
your Lordships most obedient very Humble Servant
C. G. Mundy

[To] The Rt Honble the Secretary of State for the Home Department

18th January 1817: Charles Mundy informs the Home Office that he has issued 14 arrest warrants for Nottinghamshire Luddites

Burton January 18th, [1817]
near Loughborough
Leicestershire

My Lord

I take the liberty of applying to your Lordship in consequence of being informed by Mr. Pochin the High Sheriff of this County that the statements made by James Towle to him respecting the destruction of the Lace manufactory at Loughborough in June last were transmitted by him your Lordship. I understand from Mr. Pochin that there were several particulars of importance containd in that statement which Towle omitted in the conversation I had with him in the night previous to his execution, the only interview I had with him after his trial.—This statement may now be of great importance in furnishing circumstances from whence information, may be produced. The evidence of John Blackburn the person now in custody at Nottingham in consequence of whose confessions & of a letter which Mr. Rolleston a Nottinghamshire magistrate, informd me he had the honour of receiving from your Lordship on the subject, I have issued a number of warrants for the apprehending of a number of the Gang amounting to fourteen & am in Hourly expectation of the arrival of the Nottingham Police Officers with some, at least, of them in custody.

The nature of my application which I now take the liberty of making to your Lordship is, that you would be pleasd to order copies of the statement of James Towle transmitted to your Lordship by Mr. Pochin to be furnishd either to Mr. Rolleston or myself, or to Mr. Enfield the Town Clerk of Nottingham who officiates on behalf of Messrs Heathcote & Boden, the prosecutors, in the absence of their attorney Mr. Lockett of Derby.—

In addition to the information I thought it my duty to have the Honour of laying before your Lordship some days since I have now to add that another numerous Club, a branch of the Hampden Club establishd at Loughborough, is now found at Wimeswold a manufacturing Village in this County on the borders of Nottinghamshire.—

Wimeswold contains about two thousand inhabitants for the most part stocking makers out of employment, & of course dissatisfied.—

I have [etc]

Charles. G. Mundy

[To] The Rt Honble the Secretary of State
for the Home Department