4th July 1812: The Gaoler of Lancaster Castle informs the Home Office that one of the 'Manchester 38' may be an Irish Rebel

Lancaster Castle 4 July 1812

Sir,

One of the thirty eight Persons committed to this Prison for being present at the Administration of an Oath in a Public House in Manchester, by the name of Daniel Gibbons, has I am informed connexions in London and Dublin, which, on account of the present state of the Country, you may find necessary to make some Inquiry.—I understand, from a person who knows Gibbons, that his real name is Jevans and that he has a Brother in London who is a Gunsmith—Also, that this Jevans married the Daughter of Mr. Watson, Tin plate worker and Founder, Cox’s Court, Michael’s Lane, Dublin, who was concerned with McIntosh and a Mr Costigan of Pimlico in making Gunpowder for the Rebels previous to the Insurrection in July 1803. I understand McIntosh was executed for the offence. From Connexions of this discription there is a probability that Jevans may be deeply concerned in the disturbances now on Foot in this County, especially as he is by Trade a Machine Maker, closely connected with his Brother in London and his Relations in Ireland. It may be proper further to add that Jevans joined the Rotunda Corps of Yeomanry, with a view to avoid suspicion. I am Sir, with great Deference

Your most obedient Servant

John Higgin,

John Beckett, Esqr,
Under Secretary of State &c.—

A man has been found named Isaac Javens working at the Shop of Mr Farnley in Castle Court Whitechapel who says he was form Birmingham but served his apprenticeship, to a Gunsmith in Dublin, that he has a Brother named Daniel Javens in custody at Manchester, that his said Brother was [born] in Phenix Street Dublin and served his apprenticeship to a Mr Smith a Coach-smith in Strand Street Dublin, that he married the Daughter of Mr Watson of Michaels Lane Dublin Tin plate worker and came to England about seven years ago, Isaac Javens says he had been in England about ten years that he married his wife Margaret Rossiter in Saint Patrick Street Dublin says that his Brother Daniel and himself were volunteers some years ago with the Ritundife Division in Capt Johnson’s Company that their Father Job Jevans lives at No 16 Michaels Lane Dublin & is by trade a Silversmith Isaac Jevans says he has received two Letters from his Brother Daniel since his confinement at Manchester which Letters and now at his House and he has no objection to shew them

J. Read

10th July 1812.*

*Although Higgin's letter alludes to the information contained in the note by J Read, Read's note appears to post-date Higgin's letter. I can't find an explanation for this!

20th June 1812: The Framework-knitters of Dublin refuse to back the Midlands framework-knitters Bill to Parliament

1812. June 20

Dublin

Sir

We the Framework knitters of the City of Dublin are happy to have it in our power to Acquaint you that Mr. Gravesnor Henson arived in this City on the 15th Instant P:M: and on the 16th made known the Object of his mision to the Master and Secy, of trade on which a general meeting of Trade was convened where He most abelly Submitted his important business, Sir, While we deplore the numberless Calamitys which has Befallen our trade in the Sister kingdom we cannot Avoid expressing our general astonishment at they people who framed the Bill that is now pending before the Committee of the House of Commons, Sir, they had no Right to incorporate Great Britain and Ireland we never Sought for this incorporation we are already a Corporate Body we do not practice any of those evils which you so loudly and Justly complain of. No Sir, we have no cut up work or fraudulent work made of any description the evil Originated with your Selves We have no Coults nor Women working with us, each Man must Serve his Regular Seven years before he will be Allowed to get Journey work, therefore Sir, we have nothing to petition for as Mr. Henson so Streanously Sought for, we have our full prices as contained in the Book of Rates delivered to Mr. Henson of which you are to get a copy from him Sir, we Request you will Write off to London [with] all possible Speed to have the word Ireland expunged from the Bill if not we must immediately have Resourse to our Representatives in the Imperial Parliament that we have nothing to do in the Business as we do not feel ourselves agrieved by our employers as you are by yours So I Remain

Yr. Humble Servt.
Richd. Gray Secy.

[To Thomas Roper, Nottingham]

16th June 1812: Gravenor Henson travels to Ireland to lobby the Framework-knitters there to support the Bill

1812. June 16

Dublin
Dr sir

I arrived here yesterday at 2 oClock from Holyhead by the Express Boat, George I had considerable difficulty during the afternoon in finding the Persons I wanted, owing to the Difference between the Pronouncing the Street I wanted and the Spelling of it, it being wrote Malpas, and pronounced Maypas, I was taken to Marlborough Strt (prod. Maybor) and Mapert Strt, and at last I was forced to be drove to Frances Street, I there found a Person that knew me, There is a general Meeting here to night which I have every Reason to think will be well attended. They labored here under some false impressions as to our object which I hope I have removed, There is a Corporation of Hosiers (Framework-knitters) in Dublin, granted by James the 2nd similar to that in London with this Difference there is a great Number of Persons in the Business who compose the Company about Twenty of whom are operative Framework-knitters, the Concerns of the Company is wholly managed by the Hosiers who are the Master, Warden, and Assistants, though there are Assistants as well as Freemen, who are not in the Trade. The Workmen of Dublin are divided in their opinion respecting the interference of this Company, I think it would be better only for the operative Workmen to Petition; as several of these Hosiers are employed in selling not making fraudulent Work, The Hands of Dublin have not and will not make fraudulent Goods

The Petition will undergo some little alterations to suit the case of Dublin, I have bought Parchment and will get it engrossed while the Sheets are signing that no time may be lost when I arrive in Town, I shall endeavor by every means in my Power to obtain a Copy of this Charter or at least a sight of it. The summonses of the Company to meet speak of an Act of the Irish Parliament, confirming their Charter I will use every effort to obtain it; The Framework-knitters here are not much benefited by this Charter as it is like the English Charter in a dormant state: The Frameworkknitters of Dublin have very good regulations among themselves, but they are most shockingly oppressed by bad English Goods 10 years since there were 700 Hands here now there is not above 200 They very much wish for this Bill, as hose are sold in Dublin, for [obscured] they have for making, the Price here [obscured] much higher than in England, I think I shall be able to leave Dublin tomorrow night if the Wind is fair, your Petition and Sheets as well as our Circular have never been received nor any Letters but those sent to Frances Street They did not know that we had presented our Petitions, they had some confused Reports but nothing for certain. Give my Respects to my Friend Large as I suppose he is in Town

I remain sir as ever
Your most obt servt
Gravener Hcnson.

[Addressed to:]
Mr R Toplis
Globe Coffee House
Fleet Street
London

17th April 1812: Colonel Fletcher's Manchester spy, John Bent, meets an Irish Rebel, Patrick Cannovan

On Friday 17th April, Colonel Ralph Fletcher's spy in Manchester, the cotton dealer John Bent or 'B' submitted another report.

Two days earlier, he had met with a man called Smith from Northenden. Smith was an activist who had been travelling as far as Congleton to further 'the business', and his group was receiving help from Stockport and were familiar with the use of arms.

Bent remarked that he felt the country was in a bad state: people openly damned the government, and that discontent was widespread, so much so that no one is surprised when such sentiments are expressed.

On the 16th, he had met a man called Eastwood from Burnley. Eastwood had observed that 'jacks' (i.e. Jacobins) were beginning to take an interest in affairs given the atmosphere. He and Bent discussed the situation at Accrington, noting that many of the 'bad set' of shawl printers in that town had left because business was so bad. They had gone to Scotland, where the trade was less mechanised.

At 7.00 p.m., Bent was passed a note, informing him that the Irish delegate, Patrick Cannovan, had arrived in Stockport, and he made his way there to meet him. They met with some others at an un-named public house on Edward Street, and Cannovan proceeded to relate to them his travels in Scotland and Ireland and dealings with underground Committees in Belfast and Glasgow. He related the numbers enrolled in 'the business' in each town that he learned about and spoke about the Belfast Committee in details and at length. The committee gave Cannovan £6 towards his expenses and pledged their support for anything that might occur in England.

Bent stayed at his sister's overnight, and went to meet Cannovan again the next day, this time alone. They met at the Brown Bull on Hillgate, and talked in detail about Cannovan's dealing with a secret Committee in Dublin, who pledged their support for fellow Committees in England and Scotland. They talked of how the authorities in Ireland had seized arms and how they were hard to come by, which meant that Dublin castle would have to be seized to gain control. The Dublin Committee were so impressed with Cannovan that they gave him a silver medal with the word 'integrity' emblazoned on it. They met in a 'genteel house' on St Stephen's Green in the city where 'no one would suspect' them.

Cannovan told Bent he was due to leave for London on Monday 20th and planned to travel via Birmingham and return via Derby to take in as many towns as he cold before returning to Stockport.

In his report, Bent described Cannovan as "one of the dengerst men I heaver was with in all the that I have Been Concerned with", and revealed he had been an officer under General Holt in the 1798 rebellion in Ireland. He gave a physical description too: he stood 5 feet 10 inches high, with a wound on his left arm above the elbow, which he had shown to Bent. He was aged about 40, had a dark complexion, dark eyes and was slender, with a genteel appearance and a sharp nose, well-dressed in Black with Hessian boots. Bent said he spoke good English and was "free from the Irish Twang as maney of the Irish Make use of in their discors".

28th March 1812: The Manchester spy 'B' meets a contact from Leeds and Irish rebels in Stockport

Colonel Fletcher's spy 'B' filed another report for his master on 28th March 1812.

On 25th March, after a meeting with another agent L.F., he was visited at home by a man called Welch from Leeds. B tried to get as much information as he could from Welch, establishing that there were 3 grand committees or 'heads' in the British Isles: London, Glasgow and Ireland, who communicated by delegates and had the final say on any plans. They were secretive and cautious - new recruits could only join if 2 existing members proposed them, with one of those members being prominent. They also had an oath which was sworn on the Bible:

I do most solemnly promise and swear that I will be faithful and keep all things entrusted to me on the business now carrying on and I furthermore do swear that I will do all in my power to forward the same and that neither hope fear or reward shall induce me to declare the same directly or indirectly but rather have my head cut off with both my hands and all my family served the same if I have so help me God

Welch told B that Jacobins ('old jacks') were not permitted to be involved, as they had been 'suspected' of late, and also favoured rash action.

B then asked Welch about Leeds and the surrounding area. Welch estimated that about 700 people could be counted on to act in the event of any uprising, but admitted they were very careful about recruitment. Meetings were not convened in public houses, as private houses and even fields were preferred if the weather was clement. Leeds was waiting for orders from London.

On the afternoon of Friday 27th, B went to Stockport to meet with his contact Wilson. At 8 p.m. they went to nearby Edgeley and met a dozen Irishmen, and proceeded from there to a field in Cheadle. Five of the men kept watch while the others held a discussion. B was expecting the men to all be part of the Stockport Committee, when in fact only 4 of them were. They had concerns that 'the business' was being conducted too openly, which they found alarming. Their meetings were announced at short notice, no more than five days. Wilson revealed that their delegate who had been to Ireland had been in touch, and he planned to visit more towns than had been the plan. He had managed to recruit 50 'converts'.

B also learned that the Stockport men also had an oath and did his best to make it plain than he could be of use to them. They told him that 700 were sworn in the area and they had links with London, and a regular correspondence with the 'Knights of the thimble' (i.e. Tailors) there. B gave his impression of the Stockport men for Fletcher:

"I find these men most of them dengers dering fellows and no Les than fore of them had be[en] in the Rebellion in Ireland and no doubt but the[y] wish to be at the same game again"

On the 28th, B had gone to Hollinwood to see his contact Taylor, but he was not at home, having gone to Oldham. B couldn't find him there, but spoke to other contacts he knew about 'the business' there.

B had missed the meeting of the Manchester Committee of Trades, which had supposed to have taken place on Tuesday 24th March as 'the Masons' had their usual room on that night. B heard the meeting had been adjourned to another venue, but did not know where or what had been discussed.

17th January 1812: The Manchester spy, B, meets another Irish contact & visits Stockport

Colonel Fletcher's spy, 'B', filed another report on the 17th January.

Commencing on the 14th January, B explained he had a met a man called Brannigan from Ireland, and they discussed 'the Business' there. Once again, a state of non-sectarian unity was described to B, with 'knobs' (i.e. noblemen) being involved. Brannigan said large numbers of people - 400,000 - were said to be involved, and that Catholics in England may also rise, a line which no doubt leapt out at the recipient of the report, the Orangeman Colonel Ralph Fletcher. Brannigan's destination was Birmingham, and B posited that this was where the Irish were getting their arms from.

B reported that on the 16th January, the Mottram delegate has returned from his trip around Yorkshire, the North East and Cumbria. Some places had links with Scotland, and many were willing to correspond, while others at Northallerton felt this was too risky. B had tried to find out the name of the delegate, but the Committee was sworn to secrecy.

On Friday 17th, B had been to Stockport and explained that the Committee there was growing and that they had delegates from an area up to 6 or 7 miles wider than previously.

B gave an account of the disarray the Manchester Committee appeared to be in. The President had gone to the Derby Quarter Sessions and not returned. B did not know when they were to meet next. Another Committee member, called Washington, was described as  being "in darby jail for a bastard Chield". B described Royton as being "in a dengrous state", as well as Saddleworth.

Finally, B stated he was due to attend a meeting in Newton, near Hyde, Cheshire on 22nd January where delegates from many of the surrounding villages would be present to give reports and give account of the numbers involved and their plans.

27th December 1811: The spy 'B' reports about a planned strike in Stockport and of travelling delegates

Colonel Fletcher's agent, 'B', compiled another report for his employer, commencing the 23rd December.

He reported that on the 24th December he had met a committee delegate from Mottram, who said their local committee had heard from the delegate they had sent into Yorkshire, specifically Doncaster, Rotherham & Sheffield. The report from there stated they were in need of leadership, and their shortcomings in that department had led them to turn down requests for help from Nottingham.

'B' had himself been to Stockport the same day, and reported that there was pressure for a strike from the weavers, to gain an increase in wages - "Even the single man Cannot Live on his Earnings Let alone men with famileys". 'B' noted that their poverty was so dire that they could not afford to make contributions towards the committee.

On Friday 27th December, 'B' had run into his Irish contact Cannovan. He had been as far South as Bristol where the "business" was "flat", but reported that the underground in Birmingham wanted to procure arms. He also remarked that although he wanted to visit Nottingham, it was "dangerous to do so", commenting that he thought the Luddites there "had taken a rong step should have waited a proper time".

Once again, Cannovan was disappointed with what Bent told him about progress in Manchester.

Cannovan was headed for Dublin, via Liverpool, although he said he may have to go to Scotland soon, but did not know when he would be in Manchester again. He rebuffed 'Bs' offer to send him news to his address in Dublin, saying "danger might atend such Corryspondance".

'B' completed his report with the news that the Manchester committee had not met in the last week, and was unaware when they would again, noting the disquiet that the more radical countryside delegates felt about this inactivity.

3rd December 1811: The Manchester spy 'B' writes of Irish contacts and 'Jacks'

Colonel Fletcher's undercover agent 'B' was again writing his regular reports again about his contacts in underground politics.

At 1 p.m on Tuesday the 3rd December, he had met up with another Irish contact, Cannovan, who spoke at length about the apparent simmering discontent in Ireland and Scotland but also amongst sailors in the Navy. Cannovan seemed to have recently spent a lot of time at ports on the South Coast of England, gauging the discontent and painted a very vivid picture that included 200,000 Irishmen 'willing and able to come forward' as well as promises of men and arms from France.

Cannovan told 'B' that he had recently spent 5 days in Liverpool, some of the them with a small secret committee that nevertheless could be 'depended on'. 'B' related to him the incident of the funds of a Stockport committee being stolen that he had related to Fletcher in a previous letter - Cannovan agreed it could ruin 'the business' there and threatened to shoot the men if he ever came across them.

'B' said that Cannovan declined an invitation to visit the Manchester secret committee that night, expressing disappointment that the committee were concerning themselves merely with petitioning the Prince Regent and if this was to be worthwhile, it needed to be done 'with arms in (their) hands'. Cannovan promised to call on 'B' again soon, but he would be away for 3 weeks.

'B' reported that only 5 delegates had attended the Secret Committee meeting on the evening of the 3rd and had therefore decided to postpone meeting again until 11 a.m. on Wednesday the 11th December at the Exchange Building.

Lastly, 'B' remarked that many 'Jacks' (i.e. Jacobins) had been enquiring of the progress of the Committees, being as disappointed as Cannovan was that not much was happening around Manchester to 'move the Business forward'.

16th November 1811: Fletcher's spy 'B' hears of an Irish Rising and meets a Nottingham Framework-knitter

In Lancashire, Colonel Fletcher's informant 'B' began to write another report on the 11th November about the underground in Lancashire and Cheshire. But he started his report with news of Ireland from an Irish contact. The contact explained that 200,000 Catholics and Protestants were ready to rise in either April or May 1812, with religion and sectarian division seemingly having as loose a grip on society than ever before, & that they expected to receive help with arms and troops from the French. As a member of the Orange Order, this no doubt horrified Fletcher more than anything else.

The meeting of the Trades scheduled for Wednesday 13th was brought forward to the Tuesday, as a General meeting was scheduled for Thursday 14th. The Trades meeting discussed petitioning the Prince Regent for a reform of Parliament and an end to war, and scheduling a meeting 'of towns of Manchester' to enable this.

The General meeting on the 14th was described by 'B' as being packed, and proceeded to ratify the plans laid by the meeting two nights before and set up a committee to organise a Requisition. 'B' describes how a 'publickation ... from Glasgow' was read to the meeting, but the he apologised to Fletcher for not obtaining it, expressing fears that his life would be in danger should he be discovered to be spying.

'B' went on to relate how, on Saturday 16th November, he had met a man called Williamson from Nottingham, who he describes as some kind of Master Framework-knitter travelling to market his wares. Williamson describes how not only Nottingham, but also the surrounding area is 'ready' and waiting for a leader to emerge and that they 'was for a revelaiton and nothing Else as nothing Else would do'.