17th March 1813: Cases at the York Lent Assizes

The York Lent Assizes for 1813 concluded with sentencing on Wednesday 17th March, but by then, several cases connected with the Luddites had been before the Court.

Two teenagers from Huddersfield - Joseph Sykes, a 15 year-old cropper and John Thornton, a 14 year-old wool-sorter, had been accused of breaking into the house of Abraham Horsfall (most likely William Horsfall's father) in Huddersfield and stealing spirits and other articles. They were found Not Guilty.

Various manufacturers whose premises were attacked by Luddites had brought compensation claims against the local authority. The Leeds Intelligencer covered what happened:

Thirteen different actions were brought by manufacturers and others, against the Hundred or Wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley, to recover compensation for damages done to their machinery and buildings by the Luddites. The business was to have come on, on Tuesday, when Mr. Parke, counsel for the Plaintiffs, stated his objections to the court, against their proceeding. Five of the actions were ordered to stand over till the next assizes; and the records on the remaining eight were withdrawn, under the expectation that Government will make the requisite compensation to the sufferers.

Finally, a case left over from the York Special Commission was also heard. Again, the Leeds Intelligencer had the details:

James Starkie, who was held to bail, to appear at the present Assizes, on a charge of conspiring to affect the demolition of Rawfolds Mill, did not appear when called on. One of his bail said that Starkie had acted under the advice of his attorney.

Mr Parke said, the Defendant had been ill-advised; it was his duty to have appeared personally in Court to answer to this indictment, as it was impossible that he could know what course might have been adopted respecting him. But it was not his intention to insist upon his appearance. If the Defendant had been tried it late Special Assize, I should have thought it my duty, in the then state of the County, to have laid evidence before his Lordship and you on the subject; but, in consequence of the present happy and tranquil state of the County, the result of those severe but necessary examples which were made on a late occasion, I have determined to lay no evidence before you, and to consent to the acquittal of the Prisoner. And I hope this will be considered as a further proof that Government wish to do nothing oppressive to any of his Majesty's subjects, and that their only anxiety has been to restore tranquillity and good order.

The Jury of course acquitted the Prisoner.

12th January 1813: The prosecution moves to rapidly conclude the York Special Commission

By 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday 12th January 1812, the prosecution had finally sated it's appetite for Luddite convictions. The 5 trials that remained were rapidly dispensed with.

David Moorhouse (a 26 year-old stonemason) and John Smith (33, a Butcher) were charged with a burglary at the house of William Savage of Kirkburton on 11th June 1812.

James Alan Park for the prosecution addressed the Court saying it was not necessary to read the indictment as the Crown did not intend to give any evidence. He explained this was because that although there was a strong suspicion that the two men were guilty, that conviction was only probable.

Sir Simon Le Blanc directed the Jury to find the men Not Guilty, which they duly did.

Next, James Starkey (a 22 year-old carpet-weaver) was charged with a misdemeanour for inciting 2 men (both undercover agents) to blow up Rawfolds Mill on 5th September 1812. His case was traversed to the next Assizes, and he was discharged on bail in the meantime.

James Alan Park then addressed the Judges about the remaining cases:

My lords; There are still remaining in your calendar 17 prisoners, who stand capitally indicted for different offences. Upon looking through a list of their cases with all the accuracy in my power, assisted by my learned friends, I discover that three of the ringleaders in all those offences have already suffered the penalty of the law; and two others of those who were involved in some of these indictments, have also been capitally convicted; I will not state their names, because I wish to create no prejudice. I further observe, that two others of those persons were acquitted upon a former trial on Saturday night, but I do not think that the circumstance ought to influence my judgment upon the present occasion, so as to render it my duty to put them upon their trial again. But, inasmuch as I consider that those whose cases remain, including the two were acquitted on Saturday, have been, to a considerable degree, the dupes of designing persons, and have been led on by the five persons to whom I have alluded, I am in hopes that I shall not be doing wrong in permitting them to be discharged on giving bail to appear at any time when called upon by the Crown. And I do assure your Lordships, that if they will conduct themselves as honest and industrious subjects, they never shall be called upon. I trust that we shall very materially benefit this country by the course we have taken, and that this lenity and forbearance on the part of the Crown (for so the prisoners must consider it) will have a powerful effect on the minds.

Baron Thomson agreed to the suggestion, providing certain formalities were dealt with. The last 3 cases were rapidly read out, in order to acquit the defendants, as Park had requested.

The third case concerned the breaking of John Hirst's shearing frames at Linley on 23rd February 1812, and also those of James Balderstone at Linthwaite on the same night. Samuel Booth (33 years-old), George Brook (of Dalton, aged 45) George Lodge (48), and Joshua Schofield (22), all croppers, were indicted for the attack on Hirst, along with George Mellor, Thomas Smith, William Thorpe, and Jonathan Dean, and John Walker, who had already been convicted. All of these 9, except Samuel Booth, were also indicted for the attack on Balderstone.

The fourth cases concerned the burglary of the house of William Newton at Foolstone on 18th May 1812, stealing three guns and a bayonet. James Varley (aged 35), Joseph Thornton (19), George Brook (of Lockwood, 18), George Beaumont (42), Abraham Armitage (30), Samuel Haigh (34), Benjamin Hinchliffe (24), John Taylor (26), and Robert Fitton (44) were indicted. Varley & Thornton were croppers, Fitton was a weaver, and the rest were labourers. The already executed George Mellor was also indicted.

The fifth and final case concerned a burglary at the house of Joshua Brook at Wooldale on 1st May 1812, where a gun and pistol were stolen. Charles Thornton (aged 19, a cropper) as well as the aforementioned James Varley and George Brook (of Lockwood), and James Brook & John Brook - who were acquitted at the Rawfolds trial - were indicted.

All 17 remaining prisoners were brought to the bar, and were entered into recognizances, along with 2 sureties each, to appear again if the Special Commission was recalled, and in the meantime keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

All that was left was for Baron Thomson to sentence the already convicted prisoners.

12th September 1812: "The people are violently enraged against us and swear vengeance"

Mill bridge 12th Septr. 1812.

Sir,

I had the Honor to receive your Letter with its enclosure last night at 7 o'clock. After apprehending James Starkey, Lieutenant Buckley of the 15th Dragoons and myself with a Party proceeded to the places described in Dr. Colthurst Letter — we took a Mr. Robinson a Clergyman with us who knew the exact [streets] we did not succeed in finding any arms tho’ we made a very strict search

The People are violently enraged at us and swear vengeance against Robinson, and Ashworth, for giving information against Starkey—I have the Honor Sir, to enclose a Copy of an Oath, or engagement, used by the disaffected in this part of the Country. The Original was printed, and found in the road near the Constables House of Millbridge—

I shall have the Honor to send a Report to morrow, of the [progress] of the Parties I detached into the Country

The People exclaim against Soldiers going about, such a secret manner but say they will soon put a stop to it. Strapper has been with me this morning he thinks he shall get a number of Ludds to attend his [daring] school

I have [etc]
Francis Raynes Capt
Stirling Militia

To
Major Genl. Ackland
&c &c &c

7th September 1812: James Starkey confronts the spy, James Robertson

In the morning of Monday 7th September 1812, the member of the Stirlingshire Militia and undercover spy, James Robertson, decided to go with his fellow spy and Special Constable George Ashworth to find James Starkey, the would-be Luddite. They found him in his usual haunt, the Globe Inn at Millbridge.

Robertson went in to see him alone, while Ashworth hung around outside. Robertson bought him a drink and sat down, saying Ashworth was outside. Starkey stared straight at Robertson and said he had learned that Ashworth had arrested some men in the Globe after he had left last night - Robertson left to fetch Ashworth, but when he brought him back, Starkey stood up, drained his tankard of beer and without looking at either of them, left.

4 days later, at the Yew Tree Inn, Roberttown, Ashworth and Robertson swore a deposition about all that had happened between them and Starkey before Sir George Armitage.

6th September 1812: James Starkey meets the spies Robertson and Ashworth to show them his plans for Rawfolds Mill

On Sunday morning 6th September 1812, the two spies James Robertson and George Ashworth met the would-be Luddite, James Starkey at the Globe Inn, Millbridge. They proceeded to Rawfolds Mill and Starkey revealed his plans to place the gunpowder under an archway for maximum effect.

The three men then retired to the Globe Inn and talked more. They parted later, agreeing to meet later at 7.00 p.m.

At the appointed time, only Ashworth turned up to meet Starkey. Starkey asked him to come outside - he was concerned that the three of them were not enough for the arms raid he had planned to succeed - he felt 10 or 12 men were needed.

A little later, the two men parted.

5th September 1812: Two spies meet a would-be Luddite with plans to blow up Rawfolds Mill

On Saturday evening, the 5th of September 1812, James Robertson, a private in the Stirlingshire Militia and George Ashworth, a Special Constable were undercover at the Globe Inn at Millbridge in West Yorkshire.

At one point, Robertson went to leave and a man who had come in earlier followed him out. The man stopped him and said "I wish I was a Ludd!" - Robertson took the opportunity to lead him on, telling him he 'wouldn't wonder if he was'. The man motioned into the distance, and said "there's a damned rogue who lives up there, his name is Roberson, he's the Parson" - the man went on to complain that Roberson had 'made himself very busy' at the time of the Luddite attack on Rawfolds Mill, and that the two men killed there should be revenged. The man then pointed out into the distance towards Rawfolds and said "there is another damned rouge lives up there and they ought both to be shot". Robertson carried on the conversation, and the man revealed he had dreamed up a plan to blow up Rawfolds Mill using a barrel of gunpowder with a long fuse.

The two men moved inside to drink, and were joined by the other spy, Ashworth. The man revealed he was a weaver and then revealed his plans again to Ashworth, and Robertson then suggested they move to a more private room. The man said his motivations were that William Cartwright had thrown men out of work in order to work his shearing machines, and also vengeance for the two men killed at Rawfolds, who he said he knew well. He went on to say that on the night of the attack on Rawfolds, he had stood on a nearby bridge and watched - his master would not let him join the Luddites. The man then revealed that he knew that at least 3 different houses in the neighbourhood had guns, and he revealed plans for stealing them, but that he had no pistol which he wanted the two men to acquire before it could be attempted.

The man said he could obtain the barrel of gunpowder from Halifax, but would need the two men to fund the purchase of it. If they did that, he would sort out Rawfolds, with the help of some Colliers that he knew.

The men continued drinking after moving to the Black Bull nearby. Later, the man showed the two men his house and asked them to call on him tomorrow before noon, when he would show them Rawfolds and explain how his plans would work. Before they left him, he told them his name - James Starkey.