17th April 1817: Awaiting his execution, the Luddite, John Crowther, writes to his wife

New Bridewell, Leicester, 8 o'clock, on the morning of our execution.

O my dearest and best of Wives,

When you receive this, I shall be no more in this world. But I die happy, in the hope of a blessed Saviour. O what a comfortable thing it is to serve the Lord. I still think my sentence very cruel and unjust, I may say murderous, for Blackborne owned upon the trial he was the man that shot Asher, for which we suffer for aiding and abetting. I was never in the factory at all; I was an outside sentinel, forty or fifty yards from the factory at the time Asher was shot, therefore I could not be assisting in the shooting of Asher, for I did not know he was shot until we had got several miles from Loughborough, on our return home. Blackborne and Burton swore that all the outside sentinels had pistols, which was false, for I had none until it was nearly over, and that which I had then was not loaded, for I threw stones at first.

My dearest wife, I most earnestly wish I had taken your advice, I should not have come to this end. I feel quite calm and in good spirits. O trust in the Lord, for he can strengthen us in the time of trouble: O trust in a blessed Saviour, for he will give us rest. I could wish for John Rawson, John Roberts, and John Roper, to be my bearers; dear wife, choose the other three thyself.

Pray remember my love to my mother and relations; remember my respects to my neighbours, shopmates, and all inquiring friends. For ever adieu! Adieu! I hope, dear wife, to meet you and my dear children and mother in heaven.

JOHN CROWDER.

16th April 1817: "The Last Gift of John Amos, to his Dear Children"

The Luddite John Amos, awaiting sentence of death the following day at Leicester, allegedly wrote this poem to his children into the Bible he had received from the Reverend Mitchell of Leicester, prior to his execution:

THE LAST GIFT OF JOHN AMOS,
TO HIS DEAR CHILDREN.

Oh! my dear children, when this you see,
Pray serve your God, and think on me!
I'm torn from you, to an untimely end,
But on the Lord I do depend!
To serve him truly is my delight,
And to find mercy, in his sight.
I hope, dear children, you will do the same, 

And when you read this, think of his name,
And serve him truly in his sight,
He is our Saviour and delight;
I hope in heaven to meet you there,
Then death’s alarms we need not fear.
Farewel, vain world, I have done with you;
I have a better world in view!
To meet my Saviour, Christ our Lord,
Who better joys can me afford!

10th April 1817: The Luddite, John Amos, writes to his wife, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol

Dear Wife,

I write these few lines to you, hoping they will find you in good health, as they leave me in good health, considering the awful situation I am placed it, bless the Lord for it.—Oh what disgrace I have brought upon my family. O my dear wife, pardon me for the distress which I brought you and my dear children. O pray forgive me; I know I robbed a virtuous wife of every comfort in this world. My dear wife and children, and my dear father and mother, is all that is dear in this world. I know not how to find words to express myself; but my dear wife, I know your heart, I know you'll forgive me when you read these few lines from a dying husband, who speaks the sentiments of his heart; you know it was nothing but distress that induced me to go to Loughborough; O, I now entreat, but alas! it is too late; but I have one consolation impressed on my mind, that with true repentance, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, I shall enter into eternal life. Most of my time is spent in prayer to God, to forgive my sins: I am sensible of my awful situation, without true repentance I cannot be saved. There are nine of us who are likely to forfeit our lives to the offended laws of our country. My dear wife, my fate is very hard, for I am going to die for a crime which I never committed. I shall make only one observation on the man that swore against me: Burton swore that I was with him at the Peach Tree, in Nottingham, on the morning the frames were broken at night; I do solemnly declare, as a dying man, that I never was in the public house with that man in all my life, nor do I remember that I ever saw him in all my life until I saw him at Squire Mundys. O my poor dear father and mother, and my dear sister, I hope the Lord will protect you; and I hope, dear friends, you will always look upon my dear wife and five poor dear children, for if I had taken the advice of my wife, I should not have been placed in this awful situation; but I assure you, I am preparing my soul to meet my God on that fatal day which I am doomed to die. My dear wife, don't give way to fretting, for the sake of my dear children: I need not say any more to you on the subject, for I know your good heart, you will bring them up in the right way. Let me assure you my mind is at rest. Dear wife, let these few lines comfort you. I expect in a few days to meet the fate which the laws of my country will inflict upon me. Give my love to my father and mother, and my dear sister, and all my relations and friends; I hope we shall all meet in heaven. Farewel my friends! farewel! adieu!

I remain,
Your affectionate unfortunate husband,
JOHN AMOS.

N.B. I should wish my body to be interred in Nottingham, if my friends can fetch me.

From the Condemned Cell,
April 10, 1817.
This is my confession.

8th April 1817: The Luddite, Thomas Savage, writes to his wife & children from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Prison

My dear Wife and children,

I beg and pray of you, when you peruse these few lines, that they will be some consolation to you, though I know not how to find words to express myself to you. Let me intreat you not to lay my unfortunate end too close your heart, though I am sensible of your true affection for me; but let me press this on your mind, consider that there are six dear children, besides being pregnant again!! O let me intreat you again, my dear wife, don't give way to fretting, for the sake of my dear children. I need not say any thing more to you, consider that I know your good heart; I need not tell you that duty you have to perform; you know the duty of a wife and a mother, that you will bring them up in a right way; this I do assure you, my heart is at rest about that. Dear wife, let these few words comfort your heart. O what disgrace I have brought upon my family. Pardon, pardon me for that distress I have brought on you; I know I have robbed a virtuous wife of every comfort in this world, but I know you will forgive me. I have one consolation impressed on my mind, that with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour, I shall enter to eternal life, where I hope to meet you and my dear children. My dear wife, my fate is hard; but I assure you I am preparing my soul to meet that God I have so offended. Dear wife, I feel much composed to meet my fate. Give my love to your father and mother, your brothers and sisters, my love to all my friends and relations. I have wrote a letter to my dear father, which I hope he will let you see. My desire is to be fetched home to my father's house, unless you would desire I should be taken to you; but you have seen my friend before you receive my letter. My desire is to be laid where you and my dear children shall lie together; this is the desire of your loving and affectionate, but dying husband. I shall now conclude;---may God give you strength, and support you through all your trouble. I pray to God to give you health so as to enable you to see my dear children brought up. Farewel! Farewel! my dear wife and children, farewel! Adieu!

I remain your affectionate but unfortunate husband,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.

Condemned Cell, Tuesday, April 8th, about three o'clock in the afternoon.

8th April 1817: The Luddite, William Withers, writes to his wife, from the condemned cell at Leicester

Leicester County Gaol

My Dear Wife,

These are the last few lines you will ever receive from your loving and affectionate, but dying husband: pardon me for the distress I have brought upon you, my dear child. O how I reflect upon myself, to think I had no better conduct. Oh! pardon me for the distress I have brought upon you, but I know your good heart; you will forgive me. My dear, let me intreat you not to fret after me. I hope, when it shall please the Lord to call you from hence, we shall meet together in heaven, to part no more. Most of my time is spent in prayer, and I hope, with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour, to enter into eternal life in Jesus Christ. I cannot die without making one remark to you, it was nothing but distress that ever induced me to be at Loughborough; I now repent, but, alas! it is too late. I received your letter and my mother’s at one time. I forgive my enemies, though you are truly sensible that Blackborne has been the ruin of me; I bear him no malice, I have freely forgiven him.---There are Clergyman attend us, and are very kind to us; they take great pains to prepare our souls for that awful moment when I must forfeit my life to the laws of my country. My dear wife, my fate is very hard, for I am going to die for a crime I never committed, nor intended. O my poor dear mother, and my brothers and sisters, I know the Lord will protect you for ever. My dear friends will look at my dearest wife and sweetest child, for if I had taken the advice of my dear wife, I should not have been in this awful situation; but I assure you I am preparing my sould to meet my God on that fatal day in which I am doomed to die.—Dear wife, I have one remark to make; John Blackborne swore several things against me that I never did; and I solemnly declare, as a dying man, that I never was in the factory, till all the frames were destroyed. Dear wife, I should like to see as many of my friends as can make it convenient to come. Give my love and duty to my poor, dear mother; and I hope I shall meet her, and all my friends and relations in heaven. I hope my tender mother will excuse me answering her letter, as the principal part of my time is employed in preparing, by prayer, to meet the Lord my God. Farewel, my friends! Farewel! Adieu!—I remain your loving affectionate, but unfortunate husband,

WILLIAM WITHERS.

Condemned Cell, April 8th, 1817,
11 o'clock in the morning.
This is my Confession.

8th April 1817: The Luddite, Joshua Mitchell, writes to his brother, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol

My dear Brother,

I received your kind and welcome letter. I am sensible of my awful situation: had I took your advice, and followed your good example, this would not have been my fate. I have just seen Mr. Burton, and he says the Rev. Mr. Hall is out of town; there are three clergyman attend us every day, preparing our souls for that awful sentence which the laws of our country has inflicted upon us. Dear brother, give my humble and hearty thanks to Mr. Alderman Barber and the Rev. Mr. Jarman, for their kind offer. Dear brother, I have one consolation imprest upon my mind, with true repentance, through the merits of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, I shall enter eternal life. Dear brother, I hope you will remain a comforter to my dear mother, and God will reward you. Dear brother, I should like to see you, my dear sisters Elizabeth and Melicent, and John Spears, and any of my relations that has a great desire to see me. Dear brother, I expect I shall leave this vain world next Monday, in hopes of finding eternal life through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Dear brother, I hope you will forgive me my trespasses against you, and still remain praying for your unworthy brother,

JOSHUA MITCHELL.

N..B. I have heard that my dear mother wishes to see me; I think it would be more than she could bear. Dear brother, I would have you tell her, there is my two dear young brothers to bring up, and she must think of them; but I shall leave it to you, dear brother, there is one consolation that we shall meet again in heaven, with true repentance, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Condemned Cell, Tuesday,
April 8th, 1817.

7th April 1817: Thomas Savage writes to his father, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol,
April 7, 1817.

Dear honoured Father,

I have just had my son with me, who has informed me of a circumstance which has hurt my mind, to think that I should be thought guilty of such a crime. Mitchell I may call a stranger to me, as I did not know him at the time Mr. Trentham was shot; and I declare, as a dying man, thaut I do not know who shot him, nor ever did. I am as innocent of the crime as a child unborn; and this I solemnly declare, that I never embrued my hands in the blood of my fellow-creature, nor ever thought of committing such an act. I never was a procurator to the Luddites in my life, and if I am so judged, I am judged wrongfully. The men who were along with me, I had no acquaintance with at all. I acknowledge being at Loughborough, and had the truth been spoken, it would not have appeared so bad against me.

I remain your affectionate son,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.

Condemned Cell.

6th April 1817: William Towle writes to his father, from the condemned cell at Leicester Gaol

TO W. TOWLE’S FATHER.

DEAR HONOURED FATHER,

I write these few lines in hopes they will find you, my dear sisters and brother in good health, as for myself, I am as well as I can expect in my awful situation. Oh that I had kept better company. My dear brother I hope you will take warning by my untimely end, and attend the sabbath day, had I done so this would not have been my fate—Could it have been so as my life could have been spared, I would pay the duty I owe to my God. The Rev. Mr. Mitchell, of Leicester, attends me and my fellow prisoners and prays with us every day, that worthy Gentleman has made a deep impression on my mind, and I hope with true repentance through the merits of our blessed Saviour to enter everlasting life. O in a few days I shall be no more. Farewell, farewell, adieu, adieu, forever in this world!

I remain your unfortunate son,

W. TOWLE.

Condemned Cell, April 6, 1817.

10th March 1817: The Luddite,Thomas Savage, writes to his wife from Leicester Gaol

Leicester County Gaol
March 10, 1817.

My dear Wife,

I write these few lines to you, hoping they will find you in good health, and my dear children. I am as well as can be expected in my situation; tell my dear father he must do every thing in his power for me; I have had no attorney to see me at present; what I have got to say will be to my attorney; so no more at present from your loving and affectionate husband,

THOMAS SAVIDGE.