24th July 1816: Bury Quarter Sessions ends with sentences for machine-breakers and others

The Bury & Norwich Post of 31st July 1816 carried details of the sentences for prisoners tried at the Bury Quarter Sessions for various events that had taken place in east Anglia in previous months:

Bury Quarter Sessions did not terminate till Wednesday afternoon, when the following sentences were passed on the several prisoners, convicted subsequent to our last week's paper being put to the press:— 

Thomas Meers, Geo. Farrant, sen. Stephen Clarke, Mary Jackson, and Richard Rogers, for breaking a threshing machine at Stoke by Clare, the property of Mr. J. Wales, 12 months’ imprisonment each; George Farrant, jun. and W. Jackson, 6 months; George Frost, 3 months; C. Meers, T. Swallow, Wm. Turner, John Deeks, Sarah Jackson, and J. Angel were discharged on their own recognizance. 

Jonas Taylor, Wm. Seeley, and Jeremiah Osborn, for destroying two threshing machines, the property of Mr. Thos. Kemp, 13 months’ imprisonment; and Jas. Seeley, Jas. Howard, and Jas. Burroughs, were acquitted. 

William Edwards, for conspiring with several others with a view of inducing labourers to form themselves into a society for raising their wages, &c. at Wattisham, and elsewhere, 9 months’ imprisonment, and to find sureties for his good behaviour for one year.—No true bills against Wm. Abbott and John Payne, charged with the same offence. 

Robert Leader, Henry Poole, Robt. Durham, John Smith, John Abbott, Wm. Howe, Wm. Halls, for riotously assembling at Rattlesden and breaking a mole plough, the property of Mr. Benjamin Morgan, of Gedding; the said Robt. Leader, (styled commander) two years’ imprisonment in one of his Majesty's gaols, and the other six 12 months each; J. Button, Benj. Buxton, J. Chinnery, T. Durham, B. Steggles, R. Osborn, M. Moore, R. Baxter, Chas. and r. Cobble, Ezekiel Buxton, Mesach Moore, Jas. Southgate, J. Bird, G. King, J. Folkerd, John Steggles, T. Mattock, and J. Clover, 3 months each, or until they find sureties to keep the peace for one year, which they all procured in Court and were discharged; Wm. Richer, W. Nunn, R. Folkerd, and R. Gladwell, pleaded guilty, and were allowed to be at large on their own recognizance; & J. Golding was acquitted.

A week later, the Bury & Norwich Post corrected their coverage of the trial of another incident at Clare with the following information:

In the account of our quarter-sessions last week, we omitted the names of Jacob Halls, Sam. Gridley, Rhinaldo Bareham, and Henry Atherton, convicted of burning a threshing machine at Clare: the former of whom were sentenced to 13 months, and the latter to 9 months' imprisonment.

14th May 1816: Major Marrie writes of arson attacks in Suffolk

My Lord

I had hoped that the disturbance would have subsided ‘ere now, but I am sorry to find that on Saturday night and on Sunday at 3 oClock in the afternoon, other Fires more dreadful have taken place, that at Lawshall was during the time of eveng service I yesterday sent a Servant over there and I enclose the answer of the Farmer for your Lordships perusal which I only received last night at ½ past 10 oClock

I have been informed this morning that the Clergyman of the Parish (who is a magistrate) has left his house with his Family in consequence of the threat mentioned in the note enclosed. I am happy to remark that the Man who had written the Papers one of which I enclosed to your Lordship has been fully committed (with two others) to Bury Gaol, but that I'm afraid will throw no light upon the Firing system.

I was rather surprized that the magistrates meeting on saturday, when Mr. Wilson informed me of my having written to your Lordship on this subject; with submission to your Lordships better judgment, perhaps  it would be as well upon any partial communication that the name might be kept secret, as should it become known, generally, some other mischief might arise from it – as revenge seems to have actuated the present convulsion. I have seen this morning the person who dispersed the mob, at Rattlesden, he is worthy the [illegible] of at least the Country Gentleman; and I have suggested to Mr. Grisby of Drinkstone, the necessity of making him a Compliment for his spirited exertions, he certainly risqued his life alone, when they assembled nearly 200 to destroy his premises I hope your Lordship will strike out some plan to relieve this County from the calamity & fatigue which we labour under, in watching day & night, some clever persons disguised as labourers, might be the means of discovering the incendiaries—

I have [etc]
Faithful Hbl Servt
[Major] Marrie

Brittenham Park
near Bildeston
14th May 1816

[Enclosed letter]

Sir

According to your Request I have Sent you an Answer there has been a Letter found by a boy but not now in my possession but a very threatening one, it were, it Specified there where three Farm houses in this parish to be Burnt and the parson to be Burnt in his bed, I have Insured, my Loss 4 Horses 6 Calves about 50 Combs of Wheat Barley and Oats about 12 [illegible] the house with great Difficulty was Saved

Yrs Humb Servt

[Thos] Bradley

Lawshall
May 12 1816

7th May 1816: 27 more people committed for taking part in the disturbance at Rattlesden

In the week preceding Tuesday 7th May 2016, 27 more people were committed for trial by the authorities in Bury St. Edmunds for taking part in the destruction of the mole plough at Rattlesden on 29th April.

7th May 1816: Major Marrie writes to the Home Office about more arson & the Rattlesden incident

Brettenham Park
(near) Bildeston
May 7th 1816

 My Lord,

since I had the Honor of addressing your Lordship last I have seen three fires the last two, were on Friday and Saturday nights. I have taken every pains in my power to obtain information, and to get at the names or designs of the partie’s concerned, but without success. 29 men have been committed to Bury Goal for the destruction of a draining Plough. They were most spiritedly attacked by the owner, altho’ near 200 of them of both sexes – you wrote over several of them and at last when they were a little dispersed he took down 30 names 29 of which his son informed me are now confirmed.

I hope my Lord that it may end here, and perhaps it may, as all the Farmers are now satisfied, that they must watch night and day, to protect their property. Should any thing come within my knowledge of any importance I shall take the earliest moment of acquainting your Lordship of it—

I have [etc]

[Major] Marrie

30th April 2016: The Duke of Grafton informs the Home Secretary of the situation in Suffolk

Newmarket April 30
1816

My Lord

The Revd Mr Smyth, an acting Magistrate in Suffolk, & in the Hundred in which the riotous disposition, of which your Ldship has heard the full extent, has shewn itself, being on his way to Town, I have desired he would wait upon your Lordship, at the Secretary of States Office, tomorrow, at about one oclock, in order that you may have an opportunity of making such enquiries of him with regard to the disposition of the people, the nature of the disturbance which has taken place, the extent of the mischief done, & the causes of the prevailing discontent, as your Lordships may judge the circumstances to require.

Mr Smyth has informed me of a riotous assemblage of people (Men Women & Children) having taken place yesterday at Rattlesden, about ten Miles from Bury St. Edmunds, in this County, for the purpose of destroying a ground, or mole plough, used to save labour in draining; the farmer, occupier of the land where they had assembled, used every means to disperse them, but, in spite of his endeavours, they first executed their purpose of destroying his plough, & afterwards, without committing any other violence, left this premises, & dispersed. An information of these proceedings being laid before the magistrates at Bury, warrants were issued for the apprehension of certain of the rioters 21 in number whose activity had been particularly remembered by the farmer.

Painful as it is to me to relate these circumstances to your Lordships, it is far more so to reflect upon the causes* of the discontent which prevails in parts of this County, to which it appears very difficult to apply a remedy, but to which I am persuaded H.M. Government will feel it incumbent upon them to give, without loss of time, their almost attention:

I have the honor to be
Your Ldships
Most Obedt
& humble Svt

Grafton

*chiefly: want of employment;

[To] Viscount Sidmouth
& &c &c

29th April 1816: Mole Plough destroyed by a crowd of 200 people at Rattlesden, Suffolk - arrests made

On Monday 29th April 1816, a crowd of around 200 people assembled at the farm of Benjamin Morgan, at Rattlesden in Suffolk. They had come to destroy a Mole Plough, a machine used for drainage, which had the effect of displacing the requirement for labour,

Morgan evidently spent some time remonstrating with the crowd, and attempting to prevent them from damaging his machine, but he failed, and the machine was eventually destroyed. Afterwards, the crowd left the farm and dispersed without taking any other kind of action.

Morgan, however, clearly knew or remembered many of those taking part, and arrests followed in the days to come, with two people being committed to Bury Gaol on the same day - Benjamin Buxton & James Button.