1st July 1812: William Robert Hay informs the Home Office of a suspected Luddite in Saddleworth

Private/

Police Office Manchester 1 July 1812

Dr. Sir,

I had the honor to receive your letter (private) dated 26th June instant with the accompanying paper, and immediately directed enquiry to be made respecting the person referred to in them. I find that a man of the name of Walter McLean als McLauglin lived at No. 19 Chapel Street, Bank Top – he was a Silk weaver – to cheat his Landlord out of his rent he removed to Mr. Normans Buildings – he then hawked numbers about the country – he lately left his house in Normans Buildings, and it is said that he is gone into Saddleworth – This man has always been suspected of being a Luddite, and seems to have been intimate with a person at Oldham of the name of Travis, who is considered as a very disaffected man; and who is stated to have told McLaughlin sometime back, that three of Ludds men had come from Nottingham, that they rode grey horses; came to give orders, and rode off immediately. Travis is said to have offered McLaughlin to find him work if he would come over to Oldham.

Such is the Information given to me by Nadin the Depy Constable here. Should it the Lord Sidmouths wish that enquiry should be made in Saddleworth, I will endeavour to promote it. I am, Dr. Sir,

Your [etc]
WR Hay

To John Beckett Esqr &c

11th May 1812: Saddleworth's 'suspicious character' taken before a magistrate

On 16th May 1812, the Leeds Mercury's Huddersfield correspondent again reported on the 'suspicious character' who had been apprehended on 5th May.

The report, dated 14th May, said that the man had been brought before a magistrate on Monday 11th May, and was due to undergo a final examination on the 15th. It also revealed that he "appears to be a notorious character, and has been up before the Mayor of Nottingham on a similar charge".

In the Joseph Radcliffe archive, there is a letter from a George Wilson which is undated, but would have been written after 12th April, which seems to have some inside knowledge of the affair at Rawfolds. Indeed, it is the only source for the information that Halifax Luddites had failed to show up at Rawfolds Mill. The letter had been intercepted by John Harrop, a manufacturer at Dobcross, who suspected Wilson - a Nottinghamshire man - of being a Luddite. Harrop wrote two letters to Joseph Radcliffe, which are also in the Radcliffe archive, detailing his suspicions and contact he had had with Wilson.

It's highly likely that Wilson was the 'suspicious character' that the Mercury alludes to.

5th May 1812: A 'suspicious character' is apprehended in Saddleworth

In the Leeds Mercury of 9th May 1812, the Huddersfield correspondent related that a person 'who appears to be a very suspicious character' had been apprehended in Saddleworth on Tuesday 5th May 1812 and 'committed to Towzer' (i.e. the local prison).

He was apparently due to be examined by a magistrate the following day.

1st April 1812: 'General Ludd' is apprehended in Huddersfield

On Wednesday 1st April 1812, a man called Beswick from Saddleworth was apprehended at a public house in Huddersfield, along with four other men. A report in the Leeds Mercury 3 days later stated that it was known that he presented himself as General Ludd.

A day later, the group found themselves being questioned by the Huddersfield Magistrate, Joseph Radcliffe, and bound over on 'good behaviour' for 12 months. The Mercury also reported that, at the time of publication, Beswick had been re-committed, to be examined a second time.