5th February 1817: Lancelot Rolleston says John Blackburn has implicated Daniel Diggle in the shooting of George Kerry

My Lord

I have the honour of forwarding your Lordship the full confession made to me by John Blackburn; the perpetrators of the various outrages he has detailed, are nearly the same as those implicated in destroying machinery at Loughbro’, the case against them in that affair, appears so particularly strong as to leave little doubt of their conviction; should that however not be the case, they may be arraigned on other charges at the Nottingham summer Assizes, which charges, I beg leave to submit to your Lordship the propriety of withholding, till the result of the capital indictment against them at Leicester is known.

Danl. Diggle & Josh Mellors two of the persons mentioned by Blackburn as having attacked Kerry near Aspley, are to take their trial for shooting at Lord Middleton's gamekeepers, a warrant is also out against Thos. Humphrey who was at Radford, & several others for the same offence; John Plumb one of the party who broke the frames at Radford & in Woolpack lane is also in custody, and shall be detained, if any evidence can be obtained against into either of those acts. I understand that Wm. Burton one of the men now in prison at Leicester, is desirous of making disclosure of a framebreaking which occurr’d a short time ago at Bramcote in this County, & which he says was done by a different set of men; I shall see him in a day or two & will transmit to your lordship any information he may think proper lay before me

I have [etc]
Lanct. Rolleston.

Watnall Feby 5th 1817

19th January 1817: Lancelot Rolleston reports the arrest of 8 suspected Luddites to the Home Office

My Lord

I have the honor to acquaint your Lordship, that the confession of John Blackburn has led to the apprehension of those individuals, who have for so many years infested this county. In the course of last night, Josiah Mitchell, Tho. Savage, John Amos, John Slater, John Crowther, and Wm. Withers of the town of Nottingham were taken into custody; John Plumb, & Saml. Cordwell alias the Dragoon have also been apprehended;

The constables are now in pursuit of William Towle, Aron Daykin John Hill & John Disney alias Sheepshead Jack, & I have every reason to hope they will be successful. With the names of many of these individuals I believe your Lordship acquainted, especially those who broke Messrs Heathcote & Boden's frames at Loughbro’; but I find many of them so deeply implicated in almost every atrocity perpetrated since the system of Luddism commenced, that I beg leave to submit to your Lordship whether his Majestys Government may think proper to interfere in their prosecution.

I have [etc]
Lanct. Rolleston

Watnall
Jany 19th