30th July 1819: The trial of Adam Wagstaff at Nottingham Summer Assizes for sending a threatening letter in the name of 'Genrall Ludd'

On Friday 30th July 1819, a 27 year old framework-knitter, Adam Wagstaff, stood trial at Nottingham Summer Assizes, accused of sending a threatening letter in the name of 'Genrall Ludd' to Richard Dennis of Greasley, Nottinghamshire, earlier that year in March. The trial is possibly the last time that offences connected with Luddism were tried in Court.

The Nottingham Review of 6th August 1819 covered the trial:

ADAM WAGSTAFF, aged 27, was placed at the bar, on a charge of having, on the 12th of March, feloniously wrote and sent a letter to Richard Dennis, signed with a fictitious name, threatening to kill and murder him, and burn his property.—To prove the charge, Mr. Denman called Richard Dennis, who stated himself to be a farmer and framework-knitter at Kimberley. Prisoner, who is a framework-knitter, lived near to him, and had worked in a frame of Dennis’s. A man of the name of George Tidy worked with him in March. It appeared from what we could collect, that Tidy had laid an information against the prisoner, under the games laws, and Wagstaff wanted Dennis to turn Tidy away; this he would not do, because he belonged to the parish, and prisoner told him he was as great a rogue as Tidy, and it should be as much as seven times out of his way. On Sunday the 14th of March, in the evening, as witness was coming into his own yard at the bottom gate, prisoner was coming to the other gate, and he saw prisoner drop a letter out of his hand upon the steps in the yard, then he ran away, witness also ran, and saw him go in at his own door, so that he was sure it was the prisoner. It was a little turned seven o’clock, darkish, but light enough for him to see him. He went into his house a good deal fluttered, and told his wife to go and see after the cows.—Cross-examined by Mr. Adams—was always sure that it was Wagstaff; he might see witness; prisoner was dressed in a light coat; what he dropped seemed to be a letter. Question—You know what Luddism means, to break frames or do any other mischief? Answer—Yes, I do; I shall carry the marks of it to my grave. Hannah Dennis, the wife of the last witness, said he came in all of a flutter and sent her to look at the cows; she took the lantern with her. As she passed the garden side, she saw a letter on the ground; upon the steps just under the gate; she read in the hovel, and then took it in, and gave it to her husband. On her cross examination she said, she kept the letter by her till three weeks ago, because Mr. Rolleston, the magistrate, was not at home, but she told the constable immediately, and yet Wagstaff did not run away. She believed it was Wagstaff’s writing, but she never saw him write any but the following words to a petition when they had their frames broken seven years ago:—“Adam Wagstaff, who heard the dreadful shrieks and horrid cries, but dare not come out.”—Francis Saxton, the deputy constable of Greasley, said that on the 15th March, having been informed of the letter, he saw Wagstaff at the Barley-mow, in Nottingham, and told him there was a serious charge against him of dropping a Ludd’s letter, upon the premises of Dennis; and he answered, “why if they don’t mind their own business about me, I shall Ludd them all.” The letter was then read, as follows:— 

“Richad Denniss 

“If you keep that Rouge in you house Ned shall viset you and we shall be acpt too give you A little could led and you cattle too if you dont get shoot ove him very soon and Need will set you all on Fire And you Promess Need will send them too Hell and Hall ove you too and you sheep Ned will ham string And if you don thay will send me word in the course ove of day 

March the 12 I GENRALL LUD.” 

(INDORSED.) 

“Richard Denniss 

I GENRALL LUDD.” 

Mr. Adams took several legal objections. The principal one was that he carried, and did not send the letter, and it was the sending which was contemplated by the Act. The indictment also said sent “to him,” which was not made out in evidence. In Hammond’s case it was decided that carrying or delivering was not sending. He also contended, that of Wagstaff was known at the time, or intended to be known, the case was not within the Act on which the indictment was framed. The Judge directed that the case should go to the Jury. A great number of very respectable witnesses were called to his character. The Jury consulted about ten minutes, and brought in their verdict of guilty. The points argued by Mr. Adams being reserved for future consideration, sentence was deferred. 

The Chief Justice put the following question to the Jury for their determination—Whether they were of opinion, that at the time Wagstaff carried the letter, he intended that Dennis should know him, or thought he did know him? The Jury answered—He did not intend to be known, and thought he was not known.

12th March 1819: Threatening letter from Genrall Lud to Richard Dennis

Richad Denniss

If you keep that Rouge in you house Ned shall viset you and we shall be acpt too give you A little could led and you cattle too if you dont get shoot ove him very soon and Need will set you all on Fire And you Promess Need will send them too Hell and Hall ove you too and you sheep Ned will ham string And if you don thay will send me word in the course ove of day

March the 12 I GENRALL LUD

(INDORSED.)

Richard Denniss

I GENRALL LUDD.

7th April 1814: The Town Clerk of Nottingham reports that Hosiers are yielding to Luddite demands

My Lord,

I am honored with Mr. Beckett’s letter of the 6th April written to me by direction of your Lordship, in consequence of my letter to him of the 4th Instant communicating to you that three frames the property of Messrs Needham and Nixon had been lately broken at Kimberley on the night of the 2d Instant.—I have lost no time in laying before the Deputy Mayor Mr. Alderman Swann, your Lordship’s letter and I am by him directed to apprize your Lordship that at the solicitation of Mr. Needham on the 5th Instant two of our most active Constables were sworn in Constables for the County of Nottingham in order to go over to Kimberley to investigate and endeavour to trace out the persons implicated in this daring outrage and I know that they have been ever since engaged in the Inquiry, but with what success I have not yet learned.—Messrs Needham and Nixon's are most anxious to discover the persons engaged in this daring Violation of their Property and most determined to prosecute them, if discovered. I have reason to know this from personal Communication with Mr. Needham who has advised with me on the subject.

Mr. Alderman Swann, in the absence of the Mayor desires me to assure Lord Sidmouth that he may depend upon the utmost exertions of the Magistracy of this Town if they should appear to be necessary to maintain the Public tranquillity; but Lord Sidmouth may be assured that this is a question entirely distinct from all feelings of Party Spirit, or attachment or disaffection to the State of the Administration for the time being. It is simply an Attempt on the part of the men to induce their masters to raise their wages to accomplish which they have had recourse to Intreaties and means to intimidate.—Messrs Needham and Nixon are amongst the most respectable Hosiers in the Trade but they have been one of the leading Houses, in refusing to advance 2d. a pair to a certain Description of the Workmen who have requested and demanded it of their masters.—Their Frames have been broken to intimidate them into a compliance with this demand. From a considerable intimacy with Mr. Needham I know that this line of conduct would not have had its desired effect upon them but the Trade have pretty unanimously determined to agree to the advance and in consequence they have reluctantly and against their Judgement, been compelled to submit with the rest.—

I have reason to think that this submission, which I lament is a most ungenerous mode of procedure towards Messrs Needham and Nixons on the part of the General Body of Hosiers and a most impolitic act on the part of themselves, will however for the present, produce a total Cessation of all hostilic movement on the part of the Frameworkknitters, and I have reason to know that the Hosiers entertain the same opinion on the subject. If however anything occurs of sufficient importance to be communicated to your Lordship you may depend upon hearing from me.—

I am [etc]

Geo Coldham
Town Clerk

Nottingham
7th April, 1814

4th April 1814: The Town Clerk of Nottingham reports an outbreak of framebreaking

Dear Sir,

I am very sorry to inform that in the Neighbourhood of this Town the organized System of Combination among the Frameworknitters has begun to act in the former mode of breaking Frames. Three Frames were the Night before last broken at Kimberley in the County of Nottingham by a great number of Persons who broke into the Shop in which they stood in the Night. The Workman in whose possession they were behaved very well refusing most distinctly to give them entrance which they obtained by absolute force. The Frames belong to Messrs Needham & Nixon who have declined to give the advance and are very intimate Friends of Mr Hooley. We have as yet had no Attempt made in the Town. Since writing my Letter respecting Mr Hooley to you I learn that he has shewn that Letter to a Deputation of the Master Workmen who have reprobated it in very strong Terms. The Officers of the 9th Regiment have communicated with the Magistrates on the Subject of the Swords sold & were assured by them that only 70 were actually sold. I write by order of the Mayor & beg that you will lay this Letter before Lord Sidmouth.

Yours [etc]

Geo Coldham

Nottm 4th April 1814

4th April 1814: 5 stocking-frames broken at Gilt Hill, near Kimberley, Nottinghamshire

At 2.00 a.m. on Monday 4th April 1814, Thomas Morley and his wife were awoken by noises outside their house and workshop in Gilt Hill, near Kimberley, Nottinghamshire.

Morley's wife opened the bedroom window, and looking down she could make out between 5 or 6 people in the darkness. She asked them what they wanted and they replied that they wanted 'to look at Mr Nixon's frames' (Morley rented 4 frames belonging to the Hosiery firm Needham & Nixon, along with another belonging to Charles Allcock, a clerk of the same company). Morley's wife spotted one of the figures holding a hammer and asked if they were out frame-breaking - the figures didn't answer, but asked again to see the frames. Morley called out that Needham & Nixon were 'good masters' to him and that he would not let them in. Morley then cried out 'murder' and received threats from below to kill him if he continued to cry out.

Morley quickly made his way downstairs. The Luddites were already forcing entry to his workshop from the outside, and broke a window, gaining entry. Morley attempted to enter his workshop from the inside - through the door, he could see men disguised and wearing flannel shirts. However, before he could enter properly, the Luddites on the inside forced him back inside and shut the door. They then set about breaking all 5 frames in the workshop, as well as damaging work that was set-up in three of the frames, all of which they accomplished within 4 minutes.

By now in fear of his life, Morley decided not to pursue the Luddites into the darkness.

2nd April 1814: 3 stocking-frames broken at Kimberley, Nottinghamshire

In the evening of Saturday 2nd April 1814, Nottinghamshire Luddites re-commenced frame-breaking.

A 'great number of persons' arrived at the workshop of framework-knitter in the village of Kimberley during the night. They were initially refused entrance, and decided to break in. Three frames belonging to the Hosiery firm Needham & Nixon were broken, and the Luddites departed.

21st January 1812: Carrier from Kimberley attacked in broad daylight

On the morning of Tuesday 21st January, a waggon conveying a stocking frame from Kimberley was attacked in broad daylight. A man with whose face was disguised with a goatskin leapt from the roadside into the back of the waggon and smashed the frame, later fleeing before the alarm could be raised.

10th November 1811: Frame-breaking at Kimberley

The same night of the attack at Bulwell, another group attacked frames in the village of Kimberley. The hosier there had been using 'colts' (un-apprenticed labour) and the forfeit for this grievance meant that between 8 and 10 frames were destroyed¹.

More significantly, simultaneous attacks had taken place in 2 different locations, which would often be a feature of the coming weeks.