29th September 1812: General Acland receives a report about a Luddite Captain at Honley

Holmfirth
29th Septr. 1812

Sir

In consequence of information received from Mr. Blyth, Constable of this place respecting a man of the name of Robt. Harling I beg to transmit the particulars to you, as follows.

Robert Harling of Quarmley Cliff lodges sometimes near Honley, he is about 30 years of age, 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high, lame in one of his hands, thin & rather of a fair complexion, has an effeminate voice, mostly carries a basket slung over his shoulders & goes about the country selling Spices, is believed to be at this time at Halifax, where he lodges a few nights at a time. Barrowclough has given information against him of being the Captain of the Party of Luddites that infested Holmfirth & that neighbourhood, there are four or five Warrants out against him in different Places, issued by Mr. Radcliffe & Mr. Scott, Magistrates some time since. Mr. Blyth and another Constable were out after him at Honley accompanied by four Soldiers of the West Norfolk the greater part of Saturday night last, but did not succeed in finding him, he had been there that day. Mr. Blyth is of opinion he might be apprehended if a Constable a stranger in the Country were sent after him to Halifax & neighbourhood.

I am [etc]
Robt. Sayer
Captn West Norfk. Ma

To
Major General Ackland

25th July 1812: The Huddersfield solicitor John Allison writes to the Stockport solicitor John Lloyd about Joseph Barrowclough

Dear Sir

I am extremely sorry that a Cause of importance will prevent me from giving you the meeting at W. Radcliffe's as I promised—. I trust you will be able to do some good with Barraclough—I can say this, that (whatever may be sayd with regard to his Insanity, which I understand will be attempted) he is no more Insane or deranged and I am—I have known him many years – indeed he has been many years one of my Corporals, & altho’ he never was a good Soldier, yet I look upon him as being at the bottom of that System which has caused so much confusion & terror in the neighbourhood of Holmfirth, and I am sure he is more Rogue than Fool!—I would recommend you to hold out every inducement to George Beaumont (Chester) for I look upon him as are most likely Man to be concerned in Horsfall’s business—& if he be not, he is the most likely Man I know, to be employed in worming himself into the Secrets of the Luddites—He is the more likely to be employed in case he gets his discharge as knowing nothing; but if he does know any thing, the best way is for him to give his information which you may promised to keep an entire secret & let him be committed to take his Trial as the others, by way of protection to him! But if he would enter into your views & into the pay of Government I would go home & give me every secret Information, unknown to every Soul on Earth but our two selves, it strikes me he would be most likely & a most useful person, because he could worm himself into every Secret!—.

I fear I shall be detained here till next Wednesday — If you should succeed in doing any good on Monday, it will rejoice me greatly to be honoured with a line from you here – Secrecy ought to be, & must be, the Order of the Day, else no good will be done!

Yours truly
Jno. Allison

George Inn Pavement
York 25th July ‘12

[To] J.Lloyd Esqr.

20th July 1812: General Maitland informs the Home Office that the tactics employed in Cheshire are working

Manchester
20th July 1812

My dear Sir

I some little time ago, stated, to Lord Sidmouth that I was trying the Experiment of keeping a small Bodies of the Military constantly moving about the most disturbed Parts of this Country, “to Wit” The corner of Cheshire between Stockport and Ashton.

I have not been deceived in my expectation of the result of this Measure for in a long conversation I had this morning with the Magistrates, I find that part of the Country is perfectly quiet, that confidence is proportionally increased, and that what has hitherto been the very want, has now become a very peaceable part of the Country.

I shall in future pursue the same line wherever there may be occasion, and I am convinced it will be attended with equally good effects.

I had this day, for the first time, a long conversation myself with Barrowclough; he is either a very deep, or a very shallow person indeed, in my own Mind, he appears to me to be decidedly the last, and I do not think we can ever expect, to get any important informations out of him.

In general, he persists extremely in his Story of the Arms, which were searched for without effect, and in his Story, of the four Men paying them Monthly.

I certainly believe there may be some truth in both statements, but by no means to the extent, he would wish to make out, all that I am perfectly convinced of, from his information is, that near Holmfirth, where he was seized, Numbers had been Twisted in, but if any thing from every information I am more and more convinced in the Opinion I have stated some time ago to Lord Sidmouth, that there is no Head in all this, that it is confined to the very lowest orders of the People, and that it will be got under, if the Magistrates will act with Vigour under the Provisions of the New Bill.

I have got two Men at Halifax apparently going on very well, if they will only be quiet, but they think they do a great deal if they can get Twisted in, whereas that is just the Commencement of their being of any real use, they were sworn in, by a Master Hatter, and I dare say in a Week, we shall hear more of them, they state that part of the Country to be very bad.

Buckley the Man I am particularly anxious to get hold of, has hitherto escaped, the last Accounts we had of him, was a Bradford, to which Place he was followed, but had gone off, as he said himself to Scotland.

Every thing here is perfectly quiet, they have just opened however Petitions for Peace and Parliamentary Reform, which are signing by those Notoriously connected, with the late disturbances.

I am[etc]

T Maitland

Turn over.

P.S.

In respect to the Person stated by Sir Charles Saxton as having worked at Millard’s Mill near Stockport, there is no such Mill & no such Person known, but there is an Idea, upon which I shall write you tomorrow, that he is a man of the name of Roonnie, who is known here, to the Police, and whose discription and Character I am now getting, when I have it, to save time, I shall take the liberty of writing to Dublin upon the Subject.

[To] John Beckett Esqr.
&c &c &c
Whitehall

18th July 1812: General Maitland updates the Home Office about the use of spies

Buxton 18th July 1812

My dear Sir

I have been prevented by an Attack of the Rheumatism, from answering your letter relative to the Man taken up in Dublin, about whom due enquiry is making, and the one you sent relative to Major Seale.

On this last, I shall write more fully to Lord Sidmouth, and enclose to you, the letter I sent to that Gentleman in answer to his Communication.—

I this morning too, received Yours of the 16th, and am glad a Man like Playfair is not sent down. The whole of the Subject of intelligence is one of great Embarrassment, and I have found it much more so, than I expected.—

Those who are willing to undertake mixing with the Disaffected, are generally of a Character, whose information must be received with extreme Caution, and certainly in the instance of those in whom we could rely, they very much to their Credit feel extreme difficulty in going the lengths they must necessarily do, to be of any real Utility.—

The only person who came from Wiltshire was totally disinclined when he learnt the State of the case here, from a feeling of personal Danger to undertake any thing, and he of course was completely useless.

My first Attempt to get up Men from Scotland also failed, I however am now trying it through another Channel, and you shall know the result.—

The great Vice of Local Information is, that it is never kept quiet, and when kept quiet, and not communicated, which has but rarely happened, it immediately occasions a feeling of Jealousy among the Magistrates, if they get the smallest knowledge of it.

In this last respect however “To Wit” Local Information, I think I am now pretty well off, but it never extends beyond those broad facts of which we are all aware, and does not advance one Inch whatever it may do hereafter, to gain us any ultimate Information

I have now however better hopes upon this Head, from two Men I have employed, than any I antecedently looked to.

The tenor of the Information I have lately received is strong in regard to the concealed Activity of the Disaffected. It is stated that Boxes of Pikes are frequently imported from Birmingham into Yorkshire and there concealed: It is further, stated they are completely prepared with quantities of Crow feet to impede the Action of Cavalry, and that is generally stated that their numbers are extremely great, and that they have communication with Scotland: A number of Delegates too, are represented to have gone into Yorkshire to meet a Congress, these are expected back to Night or tomorrow, when I shall state to you the result, Much expectation too is held out, of the Military joining them.

This is the general tone of the Information, which from the Character of the Men, from whom it comes, I believe to be so far true, that it has been stated to them by some of the Disaffected, but I hold it to be extremely exaggerated, and I believe it to be but at the outside a most sanguine and delusive Statement of their own View, of their own Situation

In regard to Barrowclough, he was sent as Mr. Hay states to you, to Mr. Radcliffe, who upon his Information apprehended Eight Persons as disaffected, I doubt however extremely how far any thing will be made out against them, and I understand it to be Mr. Hay’s Opinion that from the whole appearance and Character of that Person, his information is not much to be relied on.

I can in no Way account of Mr. Radcliffe's not writing, he being in the habits of so doing, as I never have been in regular correspondence with him, but I understand he is a very Active Magistrate, and by no means alarmed to Act.—

I am [etc]
T Maitland
[To] John Beckett Esqr.
&c &c &c
Whitehall

12th July 1812: William Robert Hay informs the Home Office that Joseph Radcliffe has had no luck with Joseph Barrowclough

Police Office Manchester 12 July 1812

Sir,

Not knowing whether or no Mr. Radcliffe men informed Government of the result of Barrowclough's going into Yorkshire, I feel it to be my duty to state that I have this day received a letter from Mr. Radcliffe by which I find that that attempt, as the last was, has proved to be fruitless. Mr. Radcliffe has, on informations laid before him granted warrants against certain persons; and I understand from Mr. Lloyd of Stockport, who is just arrived here out of Yorkshire, the several persons, I believe nine, have in consequence been apprehended. The enquiries in respect of these will of course be carried on in the W. Riding; probably before Mr. Radcliffe between whom and myself, should occasion require any interference, there is a regular intercourse – but I apprehend that I shall have no further communication to make on the subject – as Barrowclough must be from henceforth considered as altogether forthcoming in the West Riding, to which he will probably be sent back tomorrow.

I have [etc]
William Robert Hay.

To
John Beckett Esqr &c &c

11th July 1812: General Maitland informs the Home Office of searches for Luddite arms in Holmfirth

Buxton 11th July 1812

My dear Sir

I have to acknowledge the receipt of Your’s of the 8th and 9th of July.

I request you will state to Lord Sidmouth, that every Exertion has been made, and is making, time being the point, upon which that of the 8th heats, and whenever authorized, I have already so disposed the Troops, that every thing in the Neighbourhood of Manchester, for the circumference, of 15, or 16 Miles, will be laid hold of, at the same time, and as soon as we have authority.

In respect to those Arms, we sent out Parties for, two Nights ago, it may be advisable, that you should be aware, if any discussion should take place, in Parliament upon that Head, of the current fact upon the occasion.—

The Prisoner, of whom you are aware, gave the Information, which is now before you, and I had a very long and satisfactory conversation with Mr. Hay on the Subject of under that Information, issuing Warrants for the Searching the Places stated therein.—

He seemed to have considered the Subject much, and stated his perfect readiness, to grant such Warrants, agreeing with me, that no time was to be lost upon the occasion. At the time however this conversation passed, though we generally knew the fact, of the Number of Depots being stated, we were ignorant of the Nature, and Discription of the Sites where they were.—

On the following Morning, when he went for the purpose of issuing the Warrants, and a detailed Account was produced by Mr. Ellison of Huddersfield if their Situation, it was discovered, they were all in the Field, and of course, it was held, but Warrants were not necessary, allowing what might be a trespass (though I am not aware of any having been felt) to take its course.

Under these circumstances it was, the Search was under, possibly unnecessary to mention, but still right you should know it.—

In respect to any Jealousies that exist, I can only say, that how ever teazing, they never shall alter my conduct, or derange my Temper in the smallest Degree. I stated it because from circumstances, I apprehended at the Moment, it might go some lengths, but whenever I found it had taken another direction, from a conversation I had, I waived entering into it, except in the instance of Ratcliffe whom I have not an Opportunity of seeing—

You will have heard from Hay, what he has very prudently done, relative to the Informant, and I am not still without hopes, for I do not totally dispair that some thing may be made out of him—

You are perfectly right in your supposition, which you will have found out before this, that Lloyd’s [Men] were the People that occasioned all the Nonsense in the Provincial Newspapers. You know him well and though extremely zealous, no reliance can be placed on his prudence, At the same time that Civil Zeal, is a Commodity of eminent price in this Market. If you look back to the Private Letter I wrote Lord Sidmouth on the 7th Inst You will find, I stated, I did not admire the hands they were in, and in a former letter, that I deplored, we could not try him, in a different way, than by bringing him before a Magistrate.—

The truth is, I was very anxious upon this Subject, but did not like to interfere myself, where the Magistrates wished to bring him up, but I believe Lloyd and the very Zealous Officer indeed, having no such Delicacy, went into him, and got out of him, all the Information we had.

In this state, I certainly did not like to interfere, nor did Mr. Hay, and we left them to their course, for it was soon found, they have made Promises, which would render it impossible in fairness, under any circumstances to make further use of the Man, than an Informant.

This is the correct State of the Case, and though we have failed in the Information, still it persuades me, from the whole complection of the thing, as strongly as I have ever stated it, that we nearly in truth know every thing that is to be known upon the Subject.—

I am [etc]
T Maitland
[To] John Beckett Esqr
Under Secretary of State
&c &c &c
London

11th July 1812: The Leeds Mercury carries a report about Joseph Barrowclough

On Saturday 11th July 1812, the Leeds Mercury carried a report about the confession of Joseph Barrowclough. Although the details were clearly wrong, they correctly reported on the mental health problems that were by now obvious to those who had seized and questioned him:

A person of the name of Barrowclough, of Holmfirth, a Corporal in the Upper Agbrig Local Militia, has been apprehended, charged on his own confession, with having been concerned in the murder of Mr. Horsfall, and with having assisted in the attack on the Shearing Mill of Mr. Cartwright, at Rawfolds; but it appears, on investigation, that Barrowclough was at York with the regiment at the time the murder took place.—This singular infatuation of accusing himself of crimes of which he is not, and could not be guilty, is attributed to a mental infirmity under which he is said to labour when he has "put an enemy in his mouth to steal away his brains."

10th July 1812: William Robert Hay informs the Home Office that he has handed Joseph Barrowclough over to Joseph Radcliffe

Police Office Manchester 10 July 1812

Sir,

In consequence of the anxiety expressed by the Prisoner Barrowclough on learning that no arms had been found in consequence of his information, and the desire he expected himself to point out the some of the places I have directed that he should be sent over to Mr. Radcliffe the Magistrate near Huddersfield, who will I am sure give him every opportunity of being of service which he proposes to wish; and likewise of pointing out any places he may think have been difectively searched – as the evidence of Taylor & Whitehead can no longer be wanted as against him, there is no reason for detaining him out of Yorkshire. As soon as I know the result I will instantly write, but I conclude that Mr. Radcliffe will do so himself.

I am [etc]
William Robert Hay

[To] John Beckett Esqr &c &c

9th July 1812: General Maitland informs the Home Office that Joseph Barrowclough is a liar

Manchester 9th July 1812.

My dear Sir.

I wrote to Lord Sidmouth yesterday that I should not trouble him in regard to certain feelings that had arisen in consequence of the seizure of Barrowclough at Holmfirth, but it may be well upon the whole that you should be aware of the facts in case any reference is made to you up—

The original information was deriv’d from the Two men Lloyd had up with him in Town, he immediately applied to Mr. Hay for a Warrant to take up the man on this information which Warrant was accordingly given & executed the same night by Lloyd himself, aided by a party of Dragoons at his request.

The nature of the objection to this proceeding is first that there was no warrant at all, but the man was taken up by Military force, & secondly that he ought not to have been taken out of the County even with a Warrant—I have already explain’d the first to be totally unfounded, & I understand, though it does not affect the military in the least, that Mr. Hay was fully warranted by Act of Parliament in examining this man for commitment out of the County, being a Magistrate both of Lancashire & Yorkshire undoubtedly the final commitment must have been to the County gaol—

The Question then upon the whole appears to me to be merely one of discretion, & upon this I have no hesitation in saying, that I think it was perfectly right to adopt the line that was taken, We gain’d by this line the greatest of all objects, both time & doing it in a more secret manner, that if it had been sent into Yorkshire, & the very fact of employing men from a distance, must be good, as it could not be expected by the discontented—

The whole of the proceedings on the part of Mr. Radcliffe shews more temper & jealousy than any thing else, but I have no doubt when he finds there was a regular warrant, he will get [illegible]. he wrote me a very irritable letter, but I have not taken any but the most general notice of it—

The Parties I sent out last night have all return’d without having found a single stand of arms, every place describ’d was correctly stated by the Informer & discover’d, but without any appearance of arms having been there within any recent period, it appear’d most singular & hardly possible that any man could give the information of places so extremely accurately without having taxed his attention peculiarly so to do, enclos’d you will find a list of those places with the descriptions being the information—

This Event naturally shakes completely every degree of confidence one might otherwise be inclin’d to give him, I cannot help still thinking something may be made out of it. Mr. Hay is going to try this, & I trust it will be attended with success—

I shall write fully to morrow about the French Prisoners, & am My dear Sir

Your’s ever
T Maitland

[To] John Beckett Esqr
&c &c &c

9th July 1812: William Robert Hay informs the Home Office about his doubts about Joseph Barrowclough

Police Office Manchester 9 July 1812

Sir,

Having in my letter by last nights post mentioned that it would be necessary to try the veracity of Barrowclough I have now to state to Government that as far as I am able to judge it is not improbable but that he may have totally deceived us. An Arrangement was made here yesterday by which several places mentioned is depôts for arms were to be searched as nearly as possible at the same time. I have seen some of the officers who are returned, and I believe that altho they found the places which were most accurately described by Barrowclough, in no instance have any arms been found. I issued two search warrants, what the result of those may be I cannot say — but after what has passed I have little expectation of any thing being found. Should I hear any further particulars before the post goes out, I will make them the subject of another letter. I have the honor to be.

Sir, [etc]
William Robert Hay
To John Beckett Esqr &c &c

8th July 1812: General Maitland sends further information about Joseph Barrowclough to the Home Office

Manchester 8th July 1812.

My dear Lord.

You will receive with this the additional information of the person relative to whom I wrote to you yesterday, as far as it goes it is more clear than what I sent up last night, but it will be necessary that the whole should be [methodical], & made much more Explicit, before an accurate judgement can be form’d on the occasion,

How far this may or may not be worth while, will rest much on the result of an experiment we are trying this night—

The informer has given us information of Fifteen small depots of arms, all pretty much in the neighbourhood of Holmfirth, and I have just sent detachments to have them all search’d at the same time in the course of the night,

Should his information proved correct in as far as relates to those arms, it will give undoubtedly a considerable degree of confidence in every thing else he has said. The feeling of my own mind on the subject is, though I do not believe many of his broad assertions, particularly in regard to money, that we will find him pretty correct in the details he has given, but I say this not having seen the man, & merely judging from the kind of evidence he has given, & the minute particulars into which he has enter’d

I mention’d to your Lordship last night, that the seizing this man originally & the whole proceedings, had occasioned unpleasant feelings in various quarters. One of the Magistrates of the West Riding (Mr. Radcliffe,) was extremely [violent] on the subject of this man being brought out of the county, [illegible] the behest of Mr. Hay, who is a magistrate of the West Riding as well as this county – Mr. Hay on the other hand seem’d to entertain jealousies of a different nature, but I only mention this in consequence of my having stated something on the subject to your Lordship last night, happily it is not necessary for me to trouble you further with regard to it, as the thing appears to me to be going on now perfectly smoothly & I trust there will be no occasion to enter into any further discussion respecting it—

Your Lordship will perceive in reference to the whole of this information, that though it presents a system of organization in itself different & distinct from any that has hitherto, under my eye, & certainly more perfect as far as it goes, that still it stops exactly where every other information stopt, & that though four leaders appear, still we are totally in the dark beyond this point, and I most sincerely hope, this may be owing to there being in truth no great additional discovery to be made.

I feel myself disinclined to press any thing further on Your Lordship's notice till we known the result of the search for the arms; which will go up by to-morrow night, & am [etc]

T Maitland
P.S.

Since writing the above Mr. Hay has been with me, & I find from him that Mr. Radcliffe is still extremely indignant & perfectly ignorant of the facts on the occasion, the better mode of trusting him, is to say nothing on the subject & when he finds himself totally in the wrong, which he really is, I am sure he will be sorry to his present feelings—

TM

[To] Lord Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c

8th July 1812: Further information is obtained from Joseph Barrowclough

In the morning of Wednesday 8th July 1812, Joseph Barrowclough was again re-examined and gave more information to the authorities.

Barrowclough named Patrick Doring - who had been arrested the day before in the West Riding for threatening witnesses - and another man called Benjamin Hinchliffe, as the "principle agents in plundering houses for arms" in the Holmfirth area. He named others too - John Shaw being the 'Enoch' (i.e. hammer-man) during the raids, and other men (Samuel Hague, Abraham Armitage, Robert Fitton & Robert Harling) taking part.

Barrowclough described how the commanding Luddites could be identified by their wearing a ribbon on their waistcoats. The ribbons were different colours for the different areas. He also gave more details of the sums of money he alleged were paid to Luddites - contributions being levied and then distributed at a rate of 14 shillings per week.

Lastly, as well as giving physical descriptions of one of the mysterious and anonymous Luddite leaders and a sympathetic printer, he also gave more information about another arms dump.

7th July 1812: William Robert Hay informs the Home Office about a rioter from Ashton and Joseph Barrowclough

Police Office Manchester 7 July 1812

Sir,

I feel it to be my duty to inform Government that I have this day committed to Lancaster for Trial at the Assizes a man of the name of Solomon Low who appears to have been a very leading man in the riots at Ashton Under Line on the 20th April. The informations incomplete as they are sufficiently clear, but will be materially strengthened on further enquiry. I have directed copies to be forwarded to Mr. Litchfield without delay.

Government are probably aware that two men have for some days been travelling in Yorkshire to obtain information. One of the good effects of their having been employed is the apprehension of one Joseph Barrowclough, a corporal in Sr. Geo. Armitage’s Regt of Local Militia. He has been twice before me for examination – the last time yesterday and was committed for further examination till Thursday — but yesterday Evening he turned informer; and I understand that the circumstances disclosed by him are of the most important nature. These examinations have been taken from him by Mr. Lloyd of Stockport, & Mr Allison a Sollicr at Huddersfield, who is Clerk to the Comee of Gentlemen at Huddersfield to preventing rioters & who is also Capn of the Company in which Barrowclough is a Corporal. He has come over here on purpose. I have thought it best not to be present myself. The examinations cannot be sent up to Governmt tonight, and indeed tho they took the whole of yesterday evening, and have occupied the whole of this morning, very much, it is understood, remains behind. No time shall be lost in sending up a copy, if it could be managed I should very much wish that part at least should be sent tonight – and yet I hope that may be managed. Such steps as it may be judged proper take, will of course be instantly resorted to. I must apologize for the haste in which this is written; but I must confess that I am a good deal agitated by what I have heard of the contents of the examinations.

I have [etc]
William Robert Hay

To John Beckett Esqr. &c &c

7th July 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, informs the Home Office about the apprehension of Joseph Barrowclough

Manchester 7 July 1812

Sir

I have not had an opportunity sooner of reporting to you the proceedings in Yorkshire which no doubt you have already had intimated to you from some other quarter, and I, now detail all the facts

On Wednesday afternoon one of the men I had sent into Yorkshire (Taylor Whitehead) arrived with information that he and his Companion had obtained some important confessions from a man of the name of Joseph Barrowclough at Holmfirth with whom they had got intimately acquainted and to whom they had pretended they were Luddites as well as himself — After taking an information in writing from Whitehead I took him to Manchester the same afternoon to Wm Hay who is a Justice for the West riding and got his Warrant and set off with an Aid de Camp of Genl Maitlands my Clerk and Whitehead to take Barrowclough – We took some military from Marsden to and secured him at an early hour the next morning, Friday — I then sent him by my Clerk & the Officer to Manchester having myself to go up to Mr. Radcliffe & to Huddersfield — but the next morning Saty I attended his Examination & again on Monday (yesterday) and made as good a Case as I cou’d against him such as gave him considerable alarm for his own Life (Copies of the Exams shall be immediately transmitted) and Mr. Allison Solr for the Society for prosecuting the Rioters at Huddersfield arriving he was allowed to see Barrowclough, being who was a Private in his Company of the Local Militia and to this Gentleman he proposed to make a Confession – which I consented to receive – Part of this we have been able to get copied – It has been troublesome to take and is not yet finished. Mr. Hay or myself however will send such Copy as we have been able to get done – and in the course of tomorrow I hope we shall be able to give the names of others that he is enabled to impeach already he has added three to the list of the murderers of Horsfall which of all things I consider most important.

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

[To] J.Beckett Esqr
&c —

7th July 1812: Information given by Joseph Barrowclough

Four days after being arrested in West Yorkshire, Joseph Barrowclough had been interrogated by the Stockport solicitor John Lloyd along with Captain John Allison and the Manchester Magistrate the Reverend William Hay. By the evening of 6th July, he had started to give information, and Lloyd & Allison recorded a long deposition on the morning of Tuesday 7th July 1812.

Barrowclough began by implicating a man named Samuel Haigh as the principal assassin of William Horsfall. He continued to describe the origins of the 'Lud System' in Scotland 22 years ago, and described the oath in use.  Barrowclough then dropped the bombshell that French prisoners of war were involved with the Luddites.

The rest of the deposition describes the system of arms raiding, even the way raiding parties were organised, as well as the signalling system used. Dates, times and locations were given for future Luddite meetings and well as  the location and sizes of arms dumps.

Barrowclough stated there were four principal un-named leaders organising the arms raids, 3 of whom were French, and that they paid out wages to the Luddites in the 24th of each month. He also confirmed that a rising was planned - the "Marriage feast of Mrs Ludd" - which would involve French Prisoners held at Chesterfield, Plymouth and on Dartmoor, but would not take place until the 24th anniversary of the formation of the system - 24th July 1814.

Barrowclough stated there was religious element in West Yorkshire Luddism: "The Luds go by the 21st Ezekiel 25th 6th 7th verses - They call themselves the Godly".

7th July 1812: General Maitland shares his doubts about Joseph Barrowclough with the Home Secretary

Manchester 12 OCl
PM
July 7th

My dear Lord

The man that was Seized as I wrote Mr. Beckett in my last communication has at last began to speak out

This has produced in various Quarters that Species of little Jealousy which over anxiety on the one Hand – for the near good of public Service generates, and on the other the Situation of Magistrates naturally authorises. Upon this Part of the Subject I shall have occasion to trouble your Lordship hereafter. It may occasion as it does me much uneasiness at the moment, but it must be very immaterial indeed to the public Cause.

The information of this man extremely imperfect in itself as far as it goes, is still of some importance, I neither admire the Hands in whom it is now placed, nor do I for my own part, at present See much real Information: further than in regard to the Depots of arms and with respect to the Murder of Mr Horsfall.

I shall however tomorrow be at the bottom of all this, and Substantiate the truth of the Information that is given, by a general Search for all Depots of arms &c in executing which, I shall be extremely assisted by Mr. Hay who will issue the necessary Warrants.

The most important part of this communication hangs upon this being the first instance of the Ringleaders of Yorkshire being got at, which makes it in itself extremely Valuable and is the Source of a considerable part of what I have mentioned in the second paragraph of this letter, and into which I shall enter fully tomorrow.

They are still getting Information from the man, but I cannot delay sending this off without detaining the mail, which I don't like.

I have other Reasons the thinking the Conduct of the French prisoners is extremely incorrect.

I am [etc]
T Maitland

Lord Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c

4th July 1812: General Maitland writes to the Home Office about Joseph Barrowclough

Buxton
4th July 1812

My dear Sir

In my last letter to Lord Sidmouth, I informed him, that I thought some thing important, might be derived, if we succeeded in getting, hold of a Man, that we had sent out a Party to seize. We have taken him, but I can give no satisfactory Report to his Lordship on the results.

He is now under examination, but nothing has transpired of any Moment.—

It would have been my Wish, to have tried him quite in a different Way, than by Examination, but I could not interfere upon such a Subject, & I have no doubt, that on Monday Mr. Hay will do what is right.

That he knows much, is my Belief, & if the original Information, upon which I sent my own Aid de Camp to seize him, with Lloyd, whose Character you well know, is correct, he must know who other Murderers of Mr Horsfall, & is a Ring leader in all the Proceedings about Huddersfield.

I have stated my Opinion to Mr. Hay distinctly, & have pressed him, as far as I can, to get the Information the Prisoner may possess, & send it forthwith to Government. But with every respect, which I really entertain for Hay, & others, there is a sad feeling, that if we can commit a man that is implicated himself, that it is the Extent of their Duty, whereas by letting him easily down, we might implicate twenty others, all of them of greater Importance, & if it be necessary for the good of the Country, lead them all to trial and condemnation.

I write this certainly without Pique or Prejudice, for to do Mr. Hay the Justice he merits, he is extremely ready, and Active, but I must regret, there are not Modes of trying these men, previous to, & in a different manner from any Judicial Proceeding.

At the same time however I say this, I am not without Expectation, that even, according to their Forms, real Information will be got out of this Gentleman—

My Anxiety was, if he had any to send it up, pending the Proceedings in Parliament, if there be any Opposition given to the Measures of Government—

I am [etc]
T Maitland
[To] John Beckett Esqr.
Under Secretary of State
&c &c &c

3rd July 1812: John Lloyd arrests a Luddite in Yorkshire on the information of his spies

In the afternoon of Wednesday, 1st July 1812, a spy called Thomas Whitehead sent by the Solicitor, John Lloyd, into Yorkshire travelled back to his master at Stockport and informed him that he and his fellow spy, Joseph Taylor, had made contact with a Luddite in Holmfirth.

Lloyd wasted no time in taking a deposition, and then went to Manchester to get a warrant from the Magistrate William Robert Hay before heading into Yorkshire with General Maitland's Aide-de-Camp. They raised troops at Marsden, and after finding the alleged Luddite, a Corporal in the Upper Agbrigg Local Militia called Joseph Barrowclough, they arrested him in the early hours of the morning of Friday 3rd July, bringing him back into Lancashire for questioning at the New Bailey prison in Salford.

The Leeds Mercury and the Lancaster Gazette, both of the 11th July, printed Barrowclough's name. The Gazette  also carried an article from the Sheffield Mercury of the 4th July which, although many of the facts were wrong, suggested that someone was leaking information to the Press at a vry early stage:

On the 3d instant a Luddite of the name of Barrowclough, charged with the atrocious crime of twisting-in, was brought from the edge of Yorkshire to the New Bailey prison, Manchester, in a post-chaise, escorted by a party of dragoons.

The Sheffield Mercury of Saturday last furnishes us with the following information; probably the man in the preceding paragraph is the person alluded to:

“At a late hour last night we received highly important and very gratifying intelligence to every friend of peace and good order. It says that two Bow-street Officers have been in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield for nearly three weeks past, and that they had been Twisted-in, or in other words had taken the oath of the Luddites. By this means they have learned the proceedings and ways of those infatuated persons, and have obtained the knowledge of the depot where their arms were concealed. Warrants were yesterday (Friday) issued the apprehension of fifty of the ringleaders, and in the course of the day great number of them were taken into custody. The actual murderer of Mr. Horsfall was discovered in a house about eight miles from Huddersfield, and is committed to Lancaster Castle* to be tried for the said barbarous deed. He was seized yesterday morning about two o'clock, within the county of Lancaster. The Queen’s Bays were on duty during the whole of Thursday night and yesterday morning; and the Scotch Greys have arrived from Manchester to assist in this business. LET THE GUILTY FEAR AND TREMBLE.”

*This is not correct—Edit

Over the next few days, under the questioning of Lloyd and Hay, Barrowclough would go on to relate much of Luddite activities in Yorkshire.