14th February 1814: A Horbury Constable is rewarded for suppressing Luddism

On 14th February 1814, the Leeds Intelligencer reported that a Constable from Horbury, John Race, had been rewarded by 'the inhabitants of Horbury' (i.e. the bourgeoisie of Horbury) with an inscribed silver bowl for his role in suppressing Luddism. The inscription read:

"a tribute of gratitude for his distinguished services as Constable of that place, during the disturbances of 1811 and 1812"

23rd July 1812: The trial of the Horbury food rioters at York Summer Assizes

The Leeds Mercury of 25th July 1812, carried the details of the trial 3 women, accused of rioting in Horbury on 17th June 1812. The trial took place on Thursday 23rd July 1812.

BETTY WOOD (aged 60), MARY ELLIS (aged 24), and MARY WRIGHT (aged 20) were charged with Highway Robbery, in putting in bodily fear, and stealing by force and violence from the person of Benjamin Byrom, a quantity of potatoes and onions. This case may be stated in a few words.

On the 17th of June, Benjamin Byrom, a hawker of potatoes, went with his cart to Horbury, where a number of women and children made an assault upon him, and threw his potatoes into the street; some of the rabble run away with a few of them—but nothing of this kind was proved against the Prisoners. The law in this case, as stated by the Judge, ought to be known. If the intention of the mob is to steal, or to convert to their own use, any part of the property, every person in the mob is answerable for the acts of that mob; and if property is taken away, every individual in the riot may be prosecuted for the robbery, and may be capitally convicted, as the case may be, though such individual may have taken no part of the property. But if the intention of the mob is to destroy the property, and a few in the mob deviate from such intention, and steal part of it, their acts affects only themselves, and does not implicate any other person. The Jury, without hesitation acquitted all the Prisoners.

22nd June 1812: Reward Notice for suspect in Horbury Riot

Riot at Horbury.

Whereas JOHN HEPWORTH, Waterman, of Horbury, near Wakefield, was a principal Cause of a RIOT at Horbury, on Wednesday last, and has hitherto escaped the Vigilance of the Constable—a Reward of TWENTY POUNDS will be paid to any Person or Persons who shall apprehend the said John Hepworth and deliver him to the said Constable.

The said JOHN HEPWORTH is a Dark-complexioned young Man, with a Scar or Mark on one Side of his Face, which makes him have a singular Appearance with that Eye, is 21 Years of Age, and stands about five Feet four Inches high.—The Reward will be paid by the aforesaid Constable.—Horbury, June 22, 1812.

17th June 1812: Food riot at Horbury, West Yorkshire

On Wednesday 17th June 1812, Benjamin Byrom, a hawker of potatoes & onions had set up his cart at Horbury on market day. At some point during the day, a crowd gathered and set about upsetting the cart, tipping the contents into the street. Some of the crowd took produce away, and at least one woman was subsequently arrested.

6th June 1812: Shots fired close to the owner of Foster's Mill, near Horbury

At 11.00 a.m. on Saturday 6th June 1812, apparent shots from a musket were fired at Mr. Foster, the owner of the Mill attacked by Luddites almost two months previously. The shots passed very close to Foster.

Foster saw the culprit, Joseph Naylor a tailor, and wasted no time in applying to a magistrate for a warrant to apprehend him. Naylor was later examined by the Reverend Mr Taylor, who found that Naylor had fired a double-barrelled gun loaded with musket balls, but that he could not have seen Foster. Consequently, Naylor was discharged with a reprimand.

30th May 1812: Special Constables take arms from the public in Horbury

On Saturday 30th May 1812, the Chief Constable of the Horbury District ordered Special Constables to collect arms from members of the public who were prepared to surrender them, following a series of arms raids by Luddites in the area. The authorities were greatly alarmed, as reports were being received that every article made from lead that could be carried - principally pumps and water-spouts, were disappearing from the area, and there were rumours that someone was employed in melting them down and casting bullets.

The Constables were apparently openly mocked, 'hooted and abused' according to the Leeds Mercury, whilst they went about the task, with one man taking musket balls from his pocket and throwing them into the air, remarking "here are hailstones for you."

28th May 1812: Arson at Horbury

On Thursday 28th May 1812, a shed adjoining a barn belonging to a Robert Waltshaw of Horbury was set alight. The fire was discovered and extinguished before it progressed to the Barn.

28th May 1812: Arms raid in Horbury

Thomas Milnes lived at Storrs-Hill, Horbury. At midnight on 28th May 1812, he was asleep when he was roused by the raised voices of men from outside, demanding entry. He did his best to ignore them, but they threatened to break his door down if he did not open it soon, and so he let them in.

The men he let in were not in disguise and immediately demanded his guns, but he eventually managed to convince them he didn't have any. The men were not satisfied, and demanded food, drink and money. Milnes gave them some bread, cheese and beer and some silver coins. The men asked him to provide some food and drink for others who were watching outside, and he gave them more provisions to take away. When the men eventually left, they were civil with him, bidding him goodnight.

11th April 1812: Colonel Campbell warns General Grey of a planned attack on Bradley Mills in Huddersfield

Leeds 11th April 1812

Sir

I am sorry to say that the Mills at Horbury S.W of Wakefield were on Thursday night attacked by an armed body of 300 men. Very considerable property and machinery was destroyed & many persons very ill treated.

This is the place to which I referred in a former report made to you as having been menaced.

I have learnt from a respectable quarter that these disturbers of the Peace were met on the road between Wakefield & Horbury in the night of Thursday, marching in regular sections armed, preceded by a mounted party of ten men with their swords drawn & an equal number mounted forming a rear guard. It is believed that by a preconcerted plan they had assembled from Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Guildersome, Morley, Wakefield &c &c

From the great intercourse between this Town & Huddersfield information is conveyed which altho’ not at all times correct frequently proves too true.

I hope I shall be acquitted of presumption if I suggest to give the necessity of the office in command of the troops in Huddersfield being very much on his guard, for the destruction of the Bradley Mills in that neighbourhood it is believed is determined upon at all risks

I have the honor to be
Sir, your most obedient
humble Servant

Char Campbell
Colonel

To General
The Honorable H G Grey
&c &c &c
York

10th April 1812: 'Constitution of the United Britons' found near to Foster's Mill at Horbury

On 14th May 1812, the Reverend William Robert Hay, Chairman of the Salford Quarter Session and a rector at Pontefract, came into the possession of some items supposedly recovered from the roadside alongside the wrecked Mill belonging to Joseph Foster at Horbury. They were a booklet and card containing the constitution of the United Britons.

Hay wrote to the Home Office 2 days later, enclosing the items without any comment other than how he came by them.

The United Britons, or United Englishmen, were a secret organisation of Jacobins. The recovery of their paperwork from near to the site of what is arguably the West Riding Luddites' greatest triumph has been commented on by several historians, and used as evidence to illustrate the complex composition of the Luddite movement, which contained some whose motives were not limited to industrial matters. And yet it seems rather convenient that un-named individuals should pass on documents they happen to find at the roadside - it's equally possible that this could be the work of scaremongerers with motives. Hay was right-wing Tory Loyalist, one of the magistrates on duty 7 years later at the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. Like Ralph Fletcher's use of the reports of spies and informers, there could have been ulterior motives at work to achieve different ends.

Huddersfield radical historian Alan Brooke has written a guest blog about English Jacobinism leading up to this period, which can be read here.

The horror of Foster's factories, 21 years later in 1833

In 1833, the government conducted an inquiry into the working conditions for children employed employed in mills and factories throughout the country, which resulted in the 1833 Factory Act. The Foster family by then operated 2 mechanised factories at Horbury, and supplied answers to the questions put to them by the commissioners, which can be found below. For working-class people, this was the price of capitalist 'progress' that had broken the collective power of the cloth workers throughout the North of England by 1813.

Answers of Messrs Thomas and John Foster, Horbury.

QUERY 1.—What is the manufacture or description of work performed at this mill?

Worsted.

Q.2.—What is the date of its erection, or application to its present purpose?

Erected in 1792, applied to its present purpose in 1814.

Q.3.—Is the power employed steam or water, or both? If water power, state the name of the river or stream producing it.

By steam.

Q.4.—What is the power of the engine or wheel? Do you employ the whole power, or is part of it let off to other, and what purposes?

Fourteen horse engine. We employ the whole.

Q.5.—How many persons employed in your mill, (exclusive of those in the counting house and warehouse department) distinguishing them into the following classes?

Forty-four persons; viz.

Males

under 10 years of age: 3
10 and under 12 years: 4
12 and under 14: 4
14 and under 16: 3
16 and under 18:  none
18 and under 21: none
21 and upwards: none

Females

under 10 years of age: 3
10 and under 12 years: 5
12 and under 14: 8
14 and under 16: 4
16 and under 18: none
18 and under 21: 3
21 and upwards: 3

Q.6.—What is the average of standing weekly wages of those who are paid by time, according to the following classes?

The standing weekly wages are: –

Males

under 10 years of age: 2s.6d.
10 and under 12 years: 3s.
12 and under 14: 3s. 6d.
14 and under 16: 4s. 6d.
16 and under 18: –
18 and under 21: –
21 and upwards: –

Females

under 10 years of age: 2s.6d.
10 and under 12 years: 3s.
12 and under 14: 3s. 6d.
14 and under 16: 4s. 6d.
16 and under 18: 5s.
18 and under 21: 5s. 6d.
21 and upwards: 6s.

Q.7.—What number and description of persons are paid by peace-work, and what is the average amount of their weekly earnings in a regular week’s work, according to the following classes?

Three females, eighteen and under twenty-one years of age, earning 7s. in a regular weeks work of seventy hours.

Q.8.—What number and description of persons are employed in your mill, whose wages are paid by the work people under whom they work?

None.

Q.9.—Is the pay of those who received standing weekly wages, same per hour for over-hours, as during the regular time? If not, state the difference.

Yes.

Q.10.—At what hour does your regular day’s work begin? and when does it terminate? If the regular hours are different at different times, distinguish the periods of alteration, and the reasons of them.

Begin at six o'clock, and terminate at seven.


Q.12.—Is the regular day’s work less on a Saturday, than on the other days of the week? If so, is the time made up in any manner on the other five days, and how?

Only ten hours on Saturday, and not made up.

Q.13.—What time is allowed for each meal, and at what hours are they usually taken? If any persons take their meals at a different time from the others, state the number, and why.

The engine does not stop, except from twelve to one o'clock. The men and children are allowed sufficient time for breakfast and drinkings. Breakfast hours at eight o'clock, drinking hours at four.

Q.15.—Explain your practice with regard to making up the time lost by reason of accidents to the machinery; or in water-mills by defect or excess of water, or injuries to the dam or watercourse. Is it allowed and paid for to the workpeople? is it lost to you and to them? is it made up by working extra hours? and if so, at what rate are the hands paid for that extra time?

If we are busy, we work half an hour later; if not, we deduct the lost time.

Q.16.—Is any time allowed to the hands during sickness, or absence from the mill arising from accidents? Explain your practice in this respect.

We do not give wages during sickness. In case of accident, we pay the doctor.

Q.17.—How many regular holidays and half-holidays have your work people in the year besides Sundays?

Two holidays and five half holidays.

Q.18.—Explain your practice with respect to allowing holidays. Are the workpeople paid for any part of their holiday time? Is that time made up at any other time? If so, in what manner?

They are not paid for any part of the holidays; sometimes they are made up by working half an hour later.

Q.19.—Explain your rules with respect to fining for absence or irregularity, or to enforce obedience. What interval is allowed to elapse beyond the proper time of attendance, before the fine is imposed?

We do not impose any fine; if they are not regular, we dismiss them.

Q.20.—Do you work more than one set of adult hands? If so, explain the succession and intervals of their labour.

No.

Q.21.—Have you ever employed more than one set of children to relieve each other during the labour of the same set of adult hands? State the objections to such a practice.

No.

Q.22.—Are corporal punishments sanctioned? If so, to what age are the children considered liable to it?

The corporal punishment is very slight. If they won’t attend to their work, we dismiss them.

Q.23.—Does the nature of your work require the employment of children under twelve years? State the processes in which the greatest number of young children are employed in your works?

No; the greatest number of children are piecers.

Q.24.—During how many days of the week has your machinery been at work for the purpose of your manufacture, during each quarter of the years 1830, 1831, 1832, beginning respectively 1st of January, 1st of April, 1st of July, and 1st of October? How many of these were Saturdays? N.B. This question has no reference to the hours of work, but the days only.

We have not taken particulars.

Q.25.—During how many hours has your machinery be so at work in each quarter of the years 1830, 1831, and 1832?

Cannot say.

Q.26.—Have any alterations taken place in this mill since 1st January 1830, (except in the answers to questions 5, 6, 7, 8,) other than you have mentioned in your answers?

None.

Q.27.—State any remarks you may be desirous of making on the subject of regulating the hours of factory labour by act of parliament.

Our children are very healthy: we, therefore, cannot see why they should not work twelve hours for the five days, and 10 for Saturday. If the time be decreased, we shall be compelled to lower their wages proportionally.

THOMAS & JOHN FOSTER.


Answers of Messrs. Josiah Foster, William Foster, and George Foster, Horbury.

QUERY 1.—What is the manufacture or description of work performed at this mill?

Woollen cloth, worsted, and lambs’-wool yarn.

Q.2.—What is the date of its erection, or application to its present purpose?

About 1791.

Q.3.—Is the power employed steam or water, or both? If water power, state the name of the river or stream producing it.

By steam only.

Q.4.—What is the power of the engine or wheel? Do you employ the whole power, or is part of it let off to other, and what purposes?

Power of the engine, twnety horse. Two horse power let to a manufacturer of lambs’-wool yarn.

Q.5.—How many persons employed in your mill, (exclusive of those in the counting house and warehouse department) distinguishing them into the following classes?

One hundred and ten persons, viz.

Males

under 10 years of age: 1
10 and under 12 years: 21
12 and under 14: 29
16 and under 18: 4
18 and under 21: none
21 and upwards: 27

Females

under 10 years of age: none
10 and under 12 years: 7
12 and under 14: 6
16 and under 18: 13
18 and under 21: 2
21 and upwards: none

Q.6.—What is the average of standing weekly wages of those who are paid by time, according to the following classes?

10 and under 12 years: about 2s. 9d.
12 and under 14: about 3s.
16 and under 18: about 5s. 6d.
18 and under 21: about 6s.
21 and upwards: about 26s.


Q.7.—What number and description of persons are paid by peace-work, and what is the average amount of their weekly earnings in a regular week’s work, according to the following classes?

Twenty-seven males, twenty-one years of age and upwards, earning 26s in a regular week’s work of eleven hours.

Q.8.—What number and description of persons are employed in your mill, whose wages are paid by the work people under whom they work?

None.

Q.9.—Is the pay of those who received standing weekly wages, same per hour for over-hours, as during the regular time? If not, state the difference.

The same per hour.

Q.10.—At what hour does your regular day’s work begin? and when does it terminate? If the regular hours are different at different times, distinguish the periods of alteration, and the reasons of them.

From six in the morning to seven in the evening; half an hour allowed for breakfast, one hour for dinner, and half an hour for drinkings.

Q.12.—Is the regular day’s work less on a Saturday, than on the other days of the week? If so, is the time made up in any manner on the other five days, and how?

The day's work is one hour and a half less, without any deductions from the wages stated.

Q.13.—What time is allowed for each meal, and at what hours are they usually taken? If any persons take their meals at a different time from the others, state the number, and why.

Half an hour at eight in the morning, one hour at noon, and half at hour of four.

Q.14.—Does the moving power stop during all or any of the meal-times? If not, mention the processes in which those engaged who take their meals whilst at work.

The moving power stops one hour at noon. The children do not work during the other meals, unless their victuals are not ready at the proper times.

Q.15.—Explain your practice with regard to making up the time lost by reason of accidents to the machinery; or in water-mills by defect or excess of water, or injuries to the dam or watercourse. Is it allowed and paid for to the workpeople? is it lost to you and to them? is it made up by working extra hours? and if so, at what rate are the hands paid for that extra time?

Lost time is deducted from their wages, if the time exceeds a quarter of that day; at some times, lost time is made up by working extra hours.

Q.16.—Is any time allowed to the hands during sickness, or absence from the mill arising from accidents? Explain your practice in this respect.

What we consider good characters, we pay their wages in sickness and accidents.

Q.17.—How many regular holidays and half-holidays have your work people in the year besides Sundays?

About eight days in the year, besides Sundays.

Q.18.—Explain your practice with respect to allowing holidays. Are the workpeople paid for any part of their holiday time? Is that time made up at any other time? If so, in what manner?

We pay no wages on holidays.

Q.19.—Explain your rules with respect to fining for absence or irregularity, or to enforce obedience. What interval is allowed to elapse beyond the proper time of attendance, before the fine is imposed?

If the children are much beyond the proper time of attendance, without any just cause, they are generally sent home for the half day.

Q.20.—Do you work more than one set of adult hands? If so, explain the succession and intervals of their labour.

We only work one set of hands.

Q.21.—Have you ever employed more than one set of children to relieve each other during the labour of the same set of adult hands? State the objections to such a practice.

We never employ more than one set of children to one set of adult hands. If such a practice was enforced, we could not obtain the required number of children, there not being a sufficient number in the neighbourhood.

Q.22.—Are corporal punishments sanctioned? If so, to what age are the children considered liable to it?

If the children cannot be governed without corporal punishment, they are dismissed from our service.

Q.23.—Does the nature of your work require the employment of children under twelve years? State the processes in which the greatest number of young children are employed in your works?

The nature of our work does require the employment of children from ten to fourteen years. The greatest number of children are employed in pieceners of cardings and worsted,—very easy employ.

Q.24.—During how many days of the week has your machinery been at work for the purpose of your manufacture, during each quarter of the years 1830, 1831, 1832, beginning respectively 1st of January, 1st of April, 1st of July, and 1st of October? How many of these were Saturdays? N.B. This question has no reference to the hours of work, but the days only.

We cannot correctly reply to this question. We never work longer hours and states in Question 10.

Q.25.—During how many hours has your machinery be so at work in each quarter of the years 1830, 1831, and 1832?

Answer in Question 24.

Q.26.—Have any alterations taken place in this mill since 1st January 1830, (except in the answers to questions 5, 6, 7, 8,) other than you have mentioned in your answers?

None.

Q.27.—State any remarks you may be desirous of making on the subject of regulating the hours of factory labour by act of parliament.

It has been the opinion of our family, and our father before us, that eleven hours per day was quite sufficient. We never at any time had any complaints from the work people, complaining of the length of time; viz. sixty-four hours and a half work per week

JOSIAH FOSTER.
WILLIAM FOSTER.
GEORGE FOSTER.

9th April 1812: Attack on the Mill of Joseph Foster at Horbury, near Wakefield

Up until the 9th April, Luddite attacks in the West Riding of Yorkshire had been aimed at smaller establishments, in particular cropping shops owned by the smaller masters and worked by only a few workmen. Were it not a one-off up until then, the attack on the premises of Francis Vickerman of Taylor Hill on 15th March could have suggested a shift in pattern to attacking larger establishments. That trend was affirmed on the night of 9th April when large numbers of Luddites attacked the extensive Mill complex of Joseph Foster at Horbury, near Wakefield.

That night anywhere between 300 to 600 Luddites had assembled on the road between Wakefield and Horbury. They had come from different locations, such as Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Gildersome, Morley & Wakefield. They were organised into sections, and moved off, with 10 Luddites mounted on horses at the front and 10 at the rear, all carrying drawn swords.

They reached the Mill at midnight on the 10th April, surrounding it and the family residence owned by the Fosters. All the routes into and out of the Mill were secured with guards, although the chances of them being disturbed were slim, as the nearest military units were stationed 11 miles away. Most of the Luddites carried weapons, reportedly hatchets, clubs and fire-arms, and all of those seen by the witnesses were disguised.

Joseph Foster himself was not resident at the adjoining house that night, but 5 of his sons were - James, Thomas, Joseph Bedford, John and Josiah were asleep as the Luddites assembled outside.

The four sons were soon awakened by noise: they lay in bed in terror as they heard the breaking of windows and doors coming from the weaving shop next door. They could soon hear more breaking noises coming from inside: the mill contained a blacksmith's shop, warehouse, press shop, scribbling mill, fulling mill and a dye house and the noise was coming from all of these locations.

James Foster, who was the foreman of the Mill, lived in a separate house adjoining the main dwelling and the Luddites smashed his windows and soon broke down the front door. He had not dared to stir, but the Luddites were soon in his bedroom demanding the keys to the premises. He did not have them, and the Luddites were soon moving to the next house where the 4 other brothers lay terrified in bed. Another door was broken down, and the Luddites first confronted Thomas & John Bedford Foster demanding the keys - Thomas indicated they were kept in the next room, where John & Josiah slept, and the Luddites forced the two brothers out of bed, finally obtaining the keys. John & Josiah noticed that the upstairs rooms and staircase were full of men who were either masked or had blackened faces. Still in their underwear, they were hurried downstairs and out into the yard between the houses and the Mill - the yard was packed with Luddites, "almost impassable" in the words of Josiah.

The Luddites made Josiah open the door to the scribbling mill, demanding to see the machines. In his fear, Josiah led them to where the scribbling mill was kept, but the men were soon expressing their displeasure, this machine not being that they had in mind - they had come for the shearing frames. They frog-marched Josiah to another door, but the keys had been left behind, so the door was smashed asunder. Everything inside was to be destroyed, shearing frames and conventional hand shears, 2 gig mills and even some cloth. At the same time, John & Josiah were ordered out into the yard, and to lie down. While the destruction took place they were tied up, bound together, with one Luddite posted as a guard. Someone had started a fire in the warehouse.

Excitement and noise was in the air, and shots from guns rang out from time to time, although the guns weren't aimed at any of the Fosters. John & Josiah's guard urged them to stand up, as best they could. When their work was over, the leaders formed the huge group into three units, which took some time. The Luddites left at around 1.00 a.m., leaving behind the man left to guard John & Josiah. After a while, the solitary Luddite urged the brothers to get up and go inside, following them to the door. With that, he wished them "good night" and moved with haste back to the yard, where the darkness swallowed him up.

The brothers waited a short while and Thomas and Joseph Bedford joined them, and then James from next door, untieing their bonds. Their first priority was to put the fire out, which they soon managed, helped by the fact the wind was not helping to fan the flames on this night. In the distance, they could hear distant noises and voices from different directions. The brothers later thought that the Luddites had dispersed in various columns towards Wakefield, Leeds, Halifax and Huddersfield.

Reports later reached the press and authorities from various quarters that many of the Luddites had headed across the Huddersfield Road on Grange Moor, where they were observed at 3.00 a.m. Some others went through Horbury on the Wakefield Road - passing another house belonging to Joseph Foster, they fired a volley of shots into the air. The elderly Foster was apparently present and heard and was shocked by the shots.

The raid on Foster's Mill had been a huge success, and an operation equalling the military in planning and coordination. The Luddites must have taken huge confidence from it and already had other targets lined up. It was now only a matter of time before another large establishment was attacked.