1st March 1817: William Sherbrooke writes to the Home Office about the plan to re-site the Assizes in Newark

County Hall Nottm March 1st 1817

My Lord

It is with considerable regret that we hear that His Majesty's Government have determined to adjourn the Assize usually held at the County Hall at the Town of Nottingham to Newark.—We apprehend that this measure will have a very bad effect upon the public mind, that it will be regarded by the Discontented and Disaffected as an acknowledgemt of the weakness of the Civil Power and be looked upon as an act of pusillanimity, at a moment when firmness and energy are peculiarly required.—We beg your Lordship to recollect that every attempt to break the Peace in this County has been instantly repulsed; and that although many nocturnal and secret Outrages have been committed, that no rising of a Mob, or attempt to resist the Civil Power, has taken place since the year 1812. We must also bring your Lordship’s mind, that although some disturbance was observed in the Court at the last Assizes, the Magistrates had no suspicion of any riotous proceedings being likely to take place: nor had they any notion that a Trial of so much interest or that the [illegible] in the Court, would have been proceeded upon in the night.

The Magistrates are now fully prepared; and if His Majesty's Ministers, upon mature consideration, should be induced to alter their determination, there have no doubt, in conjunction with the High Sheriff, of being able to preserve the peace,—and even of preventing any alarm during the ensuing Assizes for this County.

I have the honour to be, My Lord,
Your Lordships most obedt Servt

W: Sherbrooke

Chairman.—

[Home Office note on the reverse]

Lord Sidmouth

[Acquaint] Him that upon full [consideration] of the Representations [which] have been made to Lord [Sidmouth] from various [quarters]—it has been deemed Expedient that the approaching Assizes for the [County] of [Nottingham] [should] be held at the Town of [Nottingham] as heretofore:

1st March 1817: The High Sheriff of Nottingham writes to the Home Secretary about re-siting the Assizes to Newark

Flintham House
March 1st 1817.

My Lord

I had the Honor of receiving your Lordships letter of the 25th Feby, in obedience to which, I have with my underSheriff & Gaoler, been at Newark, and inspected the Gaol, Town Hall, &c and have this day been at Nottingham, for the purpose of laying before the County Magistrates, a Plan of such preparations, as appear to be requisite, for holding the Assizes at Newark—

Previous to the receipt of your Lordships letter I had attended a Special meeting of the County Magistrates for the purpose of making arrangements for preserving the peace at the ensuing Assizes, supposing them to be held, as usual, at Nottingham, and I entertained a confident hope, that the arrangements, then proposed by the Magistrates, added to an increase of my own attendants, beyond the number which my immediate predecessor had employed, would have been effectual for the maintenance of order Tranquillity—

Were I to venture to offer an opinion to your Lordship upon the impression produced by the removal of the Assizes, I should say, that the factions, & desperate, would represent it, as the effect of the intimidation produced by their former attempts, & regard it as a kind of triumph; which I understand they have openly manifested—

I beg leave to represent your Lordship, the necessity of a strong Guard for the removal of the numerous prisoners, now in the Gaol at Nottm, from that place to Newark—The number I understand at present to be 18 & that there is a probability of an increase. Amongst these are many desperate Characters, and 5 frame breakers—I conceive a Strong Escort of Soldiers to be absolutely requisite, & indeed the Gaoler informs me, that he cannot be answerable for their safe conduct, without such protection—The Gaol at Newark is very small, but I believe with a proper watch, it is perfectly secure the principal inconvenience would arise, from placing together a number of prisoners, whom it might be desirable to keep Separate—

I beg leave to conclude this letter by soliciting your Lordship's advice, & directions, on this occasion.

I have [etc]

Mr B Hildyard

High Sheriff of the
County of Nottingham

[To] The Right Honble
The Secretary of State
for the Home Department
&c &c &c

28th February 1817: Henry Enfield raises concerns about the move of the Nottinghamshire Assizes with the Home Secretary

Nottingham 28 Feby. 1817

My Lord

The designed measure of holding the ensuing Assizes for the County of Nottingham at Newark, has not, as may be supposed by your Lordship, been heard with indifference by the Magistrates of the Town of Nottingham; & they beg your Lordship to allow me to state to you what they have done upon the occasion.

In consequence of the official Communication upon this subject addressed to me by the Clerk of the Assizes, the Mayor of & Aldermen met yesterday morning—& it did certainly appear to them, that if the removal of the Assizes resulted from what occurred or was said to be in meditation at the last County Assizes, it would be likely to cast an Imputation upon the Civil Authorities, & might tend to prejudice them in the public mind—They therefore directed me to address, in their name, Mr. Sherbrooke & Doctor Wylde, by a letter, a Copy of which I take the liberty of inclosing to your Lordship

Mr Sherbrooke wrote to me in reply, that he had heard with great surprize the report which I had confirmed, that it was intended by Government to adjourn the Assize for the County to Newark—that the County magistrates had met the preceding day, & made an arrangement with the High Sheriff which he had not the smallest Doubt would preserve the peace at the Assizes—& that it was intended to apply to the Towns magistrates for some of their Police Officers also to attend the Court—Mr. Sherbrooke, in Conclusion, says, "If you have any Correspondence with his Majesty's Ministers upon this Subject, I beg you will say, that the magistrates of the County as well as those of the Town have the utmost Confidence in their Ability to preserve the peace, & whatever Civil force is raised in the County will at all times be actively employed for the peace of the Town."—

Your Lordship may rest assured that the most effective measures will be taken by the magistrates of Nottingham (by an adequate additional civil force) to secure perfectly good order at the approaching Assizes for the Town—

I have [etc]
H. Enfield Town Clerk

[To] Rt Hble Lord Sidmouth

27th February 1817: The Duke of Newcastle writes to the Home Secretary about the plan to move the Nottinghamshire Assizes to Newark

Clumber
Feby 27, 1817—

My Lord

I have just had the honor of receiving your Lordship’s letter of the 25th informing me that the Assizes will be transferred from Nottingham to Newark.

I must [illegible] I rather reject that it should have been thought proper to adopt this measure, because it will appear that justice is not sufficiently strong, & that the disaffected have carried their point—

I think there could have been no doubt of our being able to afford protection to the execution of justice, if the Assizes has still been held at Nottingham—

I cannot learn that any tumult was apprehended at the period of the Assizes and measures were about to be taken similar to those adopted in 1812, in order to preserve the public peace—

If any disturbance is considered likely to occur your Lordship may rest assured that I will use all means in my power to counteract it—I shall be happy to receive and execute any intentions from your Lordship on this subject or any other connected with it—

I am happy to add that this county is perfectly quiet and that great consternation prevails amongst the Luddites, as they are called: at the apprehension of so many of their comrades—

I have the honor to remain
My Lord
Your Lordships
very obedt
humble Servt

Newcastle

[To] The
Visct. Sidmouth
&c &c &c

26th February 1817: The Undersheriff of Nottingham expresses concern to the Home Secretary about the plan to move the Assizes to Newark

Sheriffs office
Thurland Hall
Nottingham
26th February 1817.

My Lord

I have the Honor to acknowledge the receipt at this office of your Lordship’s Letter to the High Sheriff of the 25th Instant.

In the Forenoon this day the High Sheriff and many of the County Magistrates met at the Shire Hall and made several arrangements for the preservation of the Peace by having a large number of Special Constables and alterations in the Court—

I shall immediately proceed, in obedience to your Lordship’s Letter, to Newark to provide Lodgings for the Judge and see what Court House can be provided—I presume one Judge only will attend as usual—

May I be allowed with great deference to submit your Lordship for his Royal Highness the Prince Regent's Consideration the formidable and dangerous business of removing so many Prisoners from the County Gaol to Newark, twenty miles, and the probability of our finding a small and insecure Prison when they each reach that small Borough Town. I would also venture with humility and due respect to remind your Lordship that the Mlitary have remained at the Nottingham Barracks during the Assizes and that these Barracks although out of the Liberties of the Town are very near and a constant communication is easily maintained—I believe there are no Military in the immediate neighbourhood of Newark—and this novel step might possibly put the Luddites and desperate people here upon mischief which otherwise might not be thought of—

Will your lordship allow me to bring to your Lordship’s attention that the Assize Process from the Judges grounded upon their Commission under the Great Seal direct the Juries to be summoned to Nottingham—It is very probable that the opening the Commissions at Nottingham and adjourning to Newark may be intended to meet this point and I presume that the Juries are to be summoned as usual to Nottingham with a Notice that the Assizes will be adjourned to Newark where they are to attend on Monday the 17th day of March.

I desire to apologize for troubling your Lordship with these very hasty suggestions which present themselves to my mind at the moment and in the agitation occasioned by so unexpected an occurrence and

I have [etc]

Robert Leeson

Undersheriff of the
County of Nottingham—

To
The Right Honble Lord Sidmouth
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
For the Home Department.

26th February 1817: Henry Enfield expresses concern about the proposal to move the Nottinghamshire Assizes to Newark

Nottingham 26th February 1817.

Sir

The Magistrates of Nottingham at a full Meeting held this morning, have received with great regret the Communication made to me officially by Mr. Lowndes, that the ensuing Assizes for the County of Nottingham are to be held at Newark.—

If this extraordinary step be taken, in consequence of an alarm excited by what passed, or by what was said to be in meditation at the last County Assizes, it will be likely to cast an Imputation upon the Civil Authorities, and may tend to prejudice them in the public mind.

The Mayor and Aldermen do not know whether the Magistrates of the County intend to make an application upon the subject His Majesty's Government.—but under the first Impulse and in the Confidence that they shall not be misconstrued, they desire me to proffer their personal Services, and the whole of their Civil Force, to secure, in co-operation with the County strength, the preservation of the peace throughout the Assizes—of the certain power of maintaining Tranquillity and good order, proper pre-arrangements having been adopted, no fair doubt can be entertained.—

The Care of the peace whilst the Assizes were holding in the County Hall has been exclusively with the County Police—Perhaps real advantage would accrue, if the County and the Town Magistrates were to unite their forces for this purpose, upon a concerted plan previously to each Assizes.—

I am,
Sir,
your most obedt hble Servant.

[H Enfield Town Clerk]

[To] W. Sherbrooke Esq
&c

1st July 1815: George Coldham expresses concerns about the security of arms depots

Nottingham 1st July 1815.

Private.

Dear Sir,

I was yesterday at Newark & I was upon the Spot & had half an Hour to spare I set about examining the State of the Arms here. I found that in consequence of a Letter from you the Arms of the Regimt of local Militia remaining in Newark had been shipped stripped of their Locks & Bayonets which had been removed without great precaution & Secrecy to a very different place from the other parts of the Muskets. But I actually saw with my Eyes & therefore can not be mistaken that the Arms of the Regimt of the regular Nottinghamshire Militia deposited there were placed in the rooms above the Council room at the Town Hall had their Bayonets & Locks with the muskets & were in no State of Security from Attack having no Guard upon them. I therefore really think that you had best give Directions to this effect by a Letter to the Commanding Officer of the Regiment at Newark where I believe there is an Adjutant & Staff belonging to the Regiment. I am sorry to be troublesome but I am sure you will be glad to learn this & act upon it and it is certainly just possible the precautions may prevent much mischief

I am Dear Sir
Your’s very truly
Geo. Coldham

[To] J. Beckett Esqr