28th April 1812: Prisoners held at Chester Castle

On Tuesday 28th April 1812, the Chester Courant provided a list of the prisoners arrested after the recent disturbances in the County of Cheshire and now held at Chester Castle.

For rioting at Macclesfield:

John Jackson
Thomas Livesley
William Stubbs

For rioting at Etchells and neighbourhood, and unlawfully obtaining seven shillings from John Parker, Esq:

James Bennett
Collin Lindon
Foster Roach
William Thompson
James Tomlinson
James Wilson
Richard Wood

For rioting at Styall, and obtaining money from several individuals:

John Henshall
Richard Lowndes
James Torkington

For rioting and setting fire to Mr. Goodier's house, at Edgeley:

Charles Hulme
John Nield

For rioting at Baguley, and unlawfully obtaining divers sums of money from different individuals:

Thomas Chadwick
James Chapman
John Graham
John Hamlet
William Hancock
Peter Leigh
William Woodhall

For rioting at Bredbury, and feloniously entering the mill of Joseph Clay, and taking away, and throwing abroad, a quantity of flour:

Thomas Brent, alias Etchells
Thomas Burgess
Samuel Lees

For administering, at Etchells, an unlawful oath or engagement to divers of His Majesty's subjects:

Thomas Whittaker

For having taken an unlawful oath, at Etchells:

William Bennett
John Bradshaw
John Garner

For having taken, and been privy to others taking unlawful oaths:

John Parnell

For rioting, and having stolen and destroyed flour, at Bredbury:

James Radcliffe

For rioting, and seizing flour and other articles, at Gee Cross, and being particularly active in making seizures:

William Walker

The Courant remarked that Walker, who was a collier from Werneth, was considered to be an active leader. He was said to have 'marched before the deluded mob in a large cocked hat; and was distinguished by the apellation General Lud.' The also scoffed at the idea that poverty could have compelled him to join in as, when he was received at the Castle on 26th April he had six guineas in his pockets.

18th April 1812: Stockport solicitor John Lloyd writes with details of prisoners and a copy of the Luddite oath

Stockport 18 April 1812

Sir

I have the honor to add (besides the Information conveyed in a separate letter about Williams) that since I wrote my Letter of the 16th we have been doing very well in point of disclosures and in keeping the peace — Every attention has been paid The Magistrates of the neighbour.d have been regular in their attendance every day from 10 till 3 or 4 They consist of the rev.d Char. Prescot J Philips Esq. Rev.d H. Delves Broughton, son of Sir Thos Broughton Thos William Tatton & Peter Marsland Esq. — the Information given by the man I took by my piquet has been rendered important by the number he impeaches & the number that are in dread of him, it may have the effect of deterring others from outrage or at least from joining in the Confederacy — Several are in custody but altho’ they may be ultimately sent for Trial we will take care to make a proper selection of Characters for prosecution may be most effectual in point of example, and confine our views to few only and those of desperate cases — We already have

Charles Hulme a person seen to come from Mr. Goodair’s House whilst on flames, & this person is one of the men I took up 4 years ago in an unlawful assembly of Weavers and was put under bail for his good behaviour

James Roach one of the assembly that obtained the money from J W. Parker under circumstances which constitute Robbery is identified as one of the mob that broke the windows of Mr. Goodair & destroyed his Looms, and that made the attack upon Mr. Garside (& by the bye you will excuse me as I now mention his name; if I request you in some Letter to notice him for his gallantry by way of example to others)

Joseph Thomson alias Tonge alias Tipping alias Obediah Bellamy = whom we have been fortunate to meet with having the possession of the plate of Mr. Goodair taken from the house during the fire — I & Mr. Nadin and the police Constable of Manchester who had him in custody there searched his House near Stockport last night & I have this day been able to fix him most positively as to being there at the time & the plate in his poss.n being Mr. Goodair’s –

John Parnell as to the unlawful oath which I shall here set forth having by great good luck obtained it to examine upon & got it admitted by Parnell — & yet I would rather have him a Witness ag.t others if he may be competent* (if so I can get him corroborated) against others — I intend to take those I suspect during the night –

I should be obliged to conclude for the present I only have to beg that you will not send any magistrate from London as suggested by Mr. Goodair — & I do hope that if we are able to meet with most of the ringleaders and instigators a Special Commission may be granted & Summary Justice executed upon the delinquents for the sake of early example — I subjoin the Oath & have the honor to be

Sir. Yr very Obt St
J Lloyd

*what I mean by this is that he did not disclose within 4 days which the act of [obscured] C123 made criminal

Oath of Engagement of the Weavers

"I A.B. of my own voluntary will do declare and solemnly swear that I will never reveal to any person or persons in any place or places under the Canopy of Heaven the names of the persons who compose the Secret Committee either by word Deed or sign their proceedings meetings place of abode Dress features marks complexions connexions nor any thing else that may lead to the discovery of the same on the penalty of being put out of the World by the first Brother who shall meet me — my name & character blotted out of existence and never to be remembered but with contempt and abhorrence I further swear that I will use my best endeavors to punish by death any Traitor or Traitors sho.d any arise up amongst us he or them and though he sho.d fly to the verge of Nature I will pursue him with increasing Vengeance — so help me God to keep this oath inviolate."

6th April 1812: Secret weavers' meeting at Gatley Ford sees subscriptions levied and illegal oaths sworn

In the evening of Monday 6th April 1812, a secret meeting of weavers took place at Gatley Ford, near Stockport in Cheshire.

Present was the weaver and regular at workers' meetings in the North West, Thomas Whittaker. The meeting discussed the destruction of power looms and how it would be necessary to be armed. Whittaker took dues of 1 or 2 pence each from the local men that were present, and later administered illegal oaths or 'twisted-in' 20 of them.

One of the local weavers present was a man called John Parnell, an individual who would later prove to play a key part in Whittaker's fate.