14th November 1817: Lancelot Rolleston sends the indemnifying confessions of Nottinghamshire Luddites to the Home Office

My Lord

I have the honour of enclosing your Lordship four acknowledgements taken by me in comformity to the proclamation issued last summer; I have reason to believe many others would have come forward had they not been dissuaded by old Badder who went round for that purpose. Since I had the honour of seeing your Lordship, I have had frequent opportunities of ascertaining the effect produced by the proceedings of the last year, which I am fully convinced have not only destroyed the spirit of Luddism, but impressed the minds of that class of the [community] with a respect for the Justice, as well as a proper sense of the power of the [laws].

I know your Lordship to be well acquainted with the specious and designing characters of Ward, Henson &c &c but it is not to these men I allude, but their misguided instruments, who profess a just feeling of indignation against their seducers, & will not again I think be easily led to a recommission of similar crimes. My last plan for the apprehension of Christr. Blackburn is laid, but I have very faint hopes of success, but should I succeed, your Lordship shall immediately be informed.

I have [etc]
Lanct. Rolleston

Watnall
Nov. 14th. 1817

[Confessions follow]

County of Nottingham

I Jonathan Austin of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been a party at the breaking of the frames at Bramcote last summer

Jonathan
my X mark―
Austin

Acknowledged
Before me July 22nd 1817

Lanct. Rolleston one of his Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said County


County of Nottingham

I Joseph Mellors of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in the framebreaking at Carnel’s house at Bulwell & at the different houses at Lambley in Octr. last

his
Joseph x Mellors
mark

Acknowledged before me one of his Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said County

this 23rd of July 22nd 1817

Lanct. Rolleston 


I, John Lomas of the parish of Bulwell do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in breaking frames at Lambley in Octr. last & also at Thos, Carnells at Bulwell last winter.

Acknowledged before me
one of his Majesty’s justices
of the Peace for the County
of Nottingham

John
his X mark
Lomas

Lanct. Rolleston


I, Nathan Diggle of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in breaking frames at Mullins & Wrights at Radford, at Carnell’s at Bulwell, at the different houses in Lambley, & at Bramley, at Bramcote, all in the last two years

Nathan Diggle

Acknowledged before me
One of his Majesty’s justices
Of the Peace for the County of
Notts. This 27th of Aug. 1817

Lanct. Rolleston

10th June 1816: Informer's report on Nottinghamshire Luddites

Monday 10th June 1816.—

I was not with those who broke the Frames at Radford yesterday morning & do not know to a certainty who any of them are, but from the conduct and expressions of 3 or 4 men in whose Company I have been to day whose names I do not yet know but whose persons am well acquainted with I have good reason to believe were some of them. It was at the Odd Fellows (formerly the Pelican) Radford, I saw them. A man came in that they call a Constable, and one of these men has been with Badder when I have been with him. He is about 5 [feet] 5 or 6 inches high, franfreckled, longish mouth. A Blue Great Coat with large buttons upon it but no small Coat underneath. He said the man who came in, supposed to be a Constable and who went with the Landlady into a Room privately was come to Pump the Mistress. I told him they were foolish to trust her and he said in reply she was as good a Pump as old Mrs Seymour.—There was another man sat in the House whom he said they set to get his piece off by Candle light on Saturday night till ten o'Clock I think he said, at Wrights, as I understand him before his Frame was broke and I understood him that that man had a Brother whose Frame was saved.—He said they have taken two but we have got good evidence to prove one was in Narrow Marsh and the other at the Odd Fellows at the time the Frames were broke. I could not learn any of their names a man with thick lips he said acted as Waiter on Saturday night and that he supposed saved him from being apprehended. Some of them I understood got into the Water House and had some ale there and dressed in their disguises.—

Some Chaps came from Hucknall to Bulwell last Sunday but one — Three of the named Clarke, two of them brothers and the other their Father – They asked me if I thought all the wide Frames in Bulwell could be broken in one night,—where they were and how many there were – I told them I thought they could all be broke in one night but could not tell exactly where they all stood. They asked to learn where they are and told me that Arnold is quite ready and they were ready at Hucknall and were doing their Exercise every night. I said I would get to know if I could. I expect they will want me to pilot them when they are ready and have fixed to do the Job. I was at Arnold last Thursday and was with Geo. Shaw and Fell. They spoke against doing anything till the Petition had gone to Parliament, and they spoke as if the Petition was of little use but they had better try. I have not seen Badder since I was here last. I learnt that they broke the Frames yesterday morning because they gave abated prices and the woman had so many girls prentice at running.—

24th January 1812: 2 frames broken at Radford

On the evening of Friday the 24th January, 2 frames were broken at Acomb Lane in Radford, with the Ironwork of 2 others being carried away.

1st January 1812: Proclamation “By the Framework Knitters, A Declaration"

By the Frameworck Knitters

A Declaration

Whereas by the Charter, granted by our late Sovereign Lord Charles the Seacond by the Grace of God of Great Brittain France and Ireland the Frame Worck Knitters are Impowre’d to breake and Distroy all Frames or Engines that fabricate Articles in a fraudilent and Deceitfull manner and to distroy all Frameworck Knitters Goods Whatsoever that are so made—And Whereas a number of Deceitfull Unprinciped and Interguing Persons did Attain An Act to be passed in the twenty Eight Year of our preasent Sovereign Lord George the third Whereby it was enacted that Persons, Entring by Force into any house Shop or Place to Brake or Distroy frames should be Adjudged Guilty of Feloney, and as we are fully Convinced that such Act was Obtain’d in the most Fraudilent Manner Interesting and Electionering manner and that the Honourable Parliment of Great Brittain was deceived the Motives and Intentions of the Persons Obtained such Act we therefore the frame worck knitters do hereby declare the aforesaid Act to be null and void to all Intents and Purposses, Whatsoever as by the passing of this Act Vilinous and Impassing persons Are Enable to make Fraudilent and Deceitfull Manifactory’s to the discreadit and utter ruin of Our Trade. And Wheareas wee declare that the afore Mentioned charter is as much in force as tho no such Act has been passed and we do hereby declare to all Hosiers lace Manufactirou’s and properieters of frames that we will break and distroy all manner of frames Whatsoever that make the Following spurious Articles and all Frames Whatsoever that do not pay the regular prises heretofore Agree’d to by the Masters and Worckman all point nett frames making single press and frames not working by the rack and rent and not paying the price regulated in 1810 Warp frames working single yarn or to cource all, Not working by the rack not paying the rent And prises regulated in 1809 Wereas all plain Silk frames not making worck according to the Gage, Frames not making the work according to Quallity whereas all frames of whatsoever discription the worckmen of which Are not paid in current Coin of the realm will Invarioably be distroy’d Whearas it as represented to Frame worck Knitters that Gangs of Bandittys have Infested various parts of the Country under pretence of Being Complyed of Breaking of frames and hath Committed divers Robbereys uppon any friends and Neighbours I Do hereby offer a reward of 1000 pound to any Pirson that will give any Information at my Oflice I have I have Got two Thousand pounds as Seacret money any Person that will Give any Information of the Villiannary and False Rumers of the Frame brakers, any one that will come forward may depend upon the Greatest secresey and the same reward.

Given under my hand this first day of January in one thousand Eight Hundred an Twelve

NED LUD’S OFFICE
God protect the Trade. Sherwood Forrest

23rd December 1811: Frames broken in various Nottinghamshire villages

In the evening of Monday the 23rd December, 2 to 3 stocking frames were broken at Radford, 1 warp lace frame 'of great value' was destroyed at New Radford, and the ironworks of 3 stocking frames were stolen from a house at Hucknall Torkard. The Nottingham Review pointed out that the ironworks constituted nine-tenths of the frames value.