1st May 1812: Reward notice for Isaac Rayner assassination attempt

Whitehall, May 1, 1812.

Whereas it hath been humbly represented unto His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that on the night of Thursday the 23d April last, about nine o'clock, as Isaac Raynor of Linthwaite, in the West Riding of the county of York, was returning home from Milnsbridge in the said Riding, in an inclosure called Rycroft Edge, he saw three or more people near the road, and upon his going towards them, one of them presented a gun or other fire-arms, and discharged the contents thereof at him, that he heard something whistle past him, and upon getting home found that a ball or some such substance of passed through his hat;

His Royal Highness for the better apprehending and bringing to justice the persons concerned in the said felony, is hereby pleased, in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, to promise His Majesty's most gracious pardon to any one of them (except the person who actually fired off the said gun or fire-arms) who shall discover his or their accomplice or accomplices therein, so that he, she, or they may be apprehended and convicted thereof.

R.RYDER.

And, as a further encouragement, a reward of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS is hereby offered to any person making such discovery as aforesaid (except as is before excepted), to be paid on the conviction of any one or more of the offenders by Joseph Radcliffe, Esq; of Milnsbridge House.

23rd April 1812: Attempted assassination of an employee of Joseph Radcliffe, Isaac Rayner

Isaac Rayner was a husbandman employed by the Huddersfield magistrate Joseph Radcliffe. At 9 p.m. on Thursday 23rd April 1812, he was returning home after a long day working at Milnsbridge. He decided to cut through a plantation at Ryecroft Edge. Soon he became conscious of at least three figures near the road, which seemed to him to be odd, and he made his way towards them. At this point he saw one the figures there present a gun, and next heard the shot being fired and the flash from the muzzle, and in an instant, something passed very close to his head.

He turned and ran through the plantation, and did not stop until he reached home. Lighting a candle, he took his hat off and placed it on his table. In the soft light of the candle he noticed a hole in his hat that wasn't there this morning: the shot from the gun had missed his head by inches.

Three days later, Rayner formally related the incident to Radcliffe, who sent his deposition to the Home Office, offering to post a reward of £100 if a Royal pardon could be given to any accomplice that would come forward.