23rd July 1816: John Lloyd sends the weavers' memorial to the Home Office

Stockport 23 July 1816

Sir

I have since my return from the Sessions seen Mr. Middleton who says he has not heard any more from the man he alluded to—

I have the honor to inclose a Copy of memorial which I found posted in the Town—and I am sorry to learn that many of the more respectable Inhabitants than the original promoters have been induced to add their signatures:—without reflecting that the spinning of Cotton is what gives employment to nearly half our population; & the prohibition of Twist wou’d have a [tendency] to improve Machinery abroad, and a rivality be the consequence—I have seen some of these Gentlemen and warned others—for it must end in disappointment to those whose hopes of relief are derived from this [illegible]

Joseph Sherwin & Simon Lilly are the two principal weavers soliciting subscriptions of names & Sums of money. They have already received an answer from the Treasury signed by Mr. Lushington that ought to have set them at rest: but I perceive that their object is raising a little money for their own purposes—

I remember upon a former occasion, when news was brought to Town of similar memorials or Petitions failing of their affect there was almost a simultaneous rising of the weavers who went forth to stop people in the County from weaving at all—I apprehended, by the assistance of some of the 6th Dragoons, 62 at one time & by special Constables 60 more—Several of whom were tried at Chester for riot and various Offences, by directions from the Treasury—I have reminded the incautious manufacturers of the evil resulting from a temporizing mode of acting, with Characters so soon inflamed, and so prone to misconceive the true interest of themselves & the nation—

I have [etc]

J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esqr
&c &c

17th July 1816: Stockport Weavers send a Memorial to the Prince Regent

TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS

GEORGE PRINCE REGENT

OF THE

UNITED KINGDOMS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND,

WITH THEIR DEPENDENCIES.

THE HUMBLE

MEMORIAL

Of the undersigned, being Manufacturers of Cotton Goods, and Workmen, who have been employed in the various branches of that once extensive and important Manufacture,—

SHEWETH,

THAT Your Royal Highness’s humble Memorialists, who on all occasions have proven themselves His Majesty's most faithful and loyal subjects, are brought to the greatest distress, which is every day becoming more poignant; and unless some means of Relief be speedily devised, one Common Ruin must involve both Masters and Workmen.

Your Memorialists are well aware that many classes of His Majesty’s subjects labor under similar distresses, with this difference,—THEIRS have not long existed—OURS have almost become permanent;—They have had constant Employment and full Wages, until within these few months; but the evils of which Your Memorialists complain, have been growing for upwards of Fifteen Years, till they have arrived at a climax of unparalleled WANT, MISERY, and RUIN!!!

THAT the evils to which Your Memorialists allude, may be ascribed to One great Cause, viz. the Exportation of the half-wrought Material, as TWIST and WEFT. By this traffic, one part of His Majesty’s subjects work to enable Foreigners to do without the labor of the other part; and hence their restrictive measures against the finished Manufactures of your Memorialists. Another evil arising out of the above, is the frequent Reduction of Wages. This system must at all times decrease the value of the Stock on hand, which is sometimes immense.

The consequence is, that the most wealthy of the Masters have either altogether, or partly, declined the Manufacture; whilst others, by repeated sacrifices of depreciated stocks, have become insolvent. Hence many thousands of Weavers are out of employ; whilst those who have work, cannot on an average, earn more than Four Shillings per Wweek; and little more than two years ago, for a short period (Foreign Looms being prevented for some time from manufacturing goods from British Cotton Yarns, owing to their country’s being then the Seat of War) they could earn Sixteen Shillings and sixpence in the same time.

THAT since Peace took place, and the Foreign Looms were set to work again with British Yarns, Wages have been gradually decreasing to their present ruinous state; nor can Your Memorialists see any period when they can be employed again, so long as Yarns continue to be sent out of the Kingdom in such increasing quantities.

THAT the Cotton Manufacture has given employment and support to many Hundreds of Thousands of Persons in the United Kingdom; and Your Memorialists humbly presume, has been of considerable importance in a financial point of view. Shall such a source of our national greatness be removed?—No! 

Your Memorialists trust, with humble confidence, that Your Royal Highness will be graciously pleased to take the above into Your Royal Highness's most serious consideration;

And Your Memorialists will ever pray, &c.

Stockport, July 17th, 1816.

11th July 1816: John Lloyd admits to the Home Office that the local authority is directly supporting the local weavers

Stockport 11 July 1816

Sir

I have the honor now to inform you that I yesterday attended a meeting of some of the principal Gentleman of our Town as the secretary to form a plan for employing the weavers and others not able to procure work for themselves—and we have effected it upon a system that promises good effects—Considering it better to have the work furnished by the Overseers of the poor for the relief necessarily afforded to the families rather than risk an odium against any particular party for keeping down wages—for according to our plan the labour is to be an equivalent for the money paid to them out of the rates—The subscription in aid of those rights to purchase materials which when manufactured are to be sold & the money they produce paid into the fund which is to be deposited in the Bank of messrs Jones Fox & Co in manchester—and little or no loss is anticipated.

[Should] you wish to be further acquainted with the Plan, you can command it from me when more mature—I think we shall be able to manage the people & keep them quiet—no [disposition] to the contrary, I am happy to say, at present appears.

I have got the Overseers into better humour—& I will take an opportunity of printing out the Observations in this days Courier Paper to them.

I have the honor to be
Sir

Your very obedient
humble Servant

J. Lloyd

[To] J. Beckett Esqr.
Under Secy of State
&c &c

25th June 1816: John Lloyd writes to the Home Office about distressed weavers in Stockport

Stockport 25 June 1816

Sir

In my last letter relating to the situation of the people in Stockport, I think I informed you that I had recommended to the Gentleman of the Town to make enquiry after Cases of distress thro’ want of employment, and to report them for relief—I have now the honor to inform you that a certain number of the Weavers delegates by the Body first made a return of the number and names of the Weavers with the number of Looms employed & unemployed, the total of which they made out to be — For Stockport

Looms employed 775 unemployed 1117 – no. of Families [illegible]         3410
For Edgeley [adg.] 208 unemployed 475 – [ditto]                 1070
For Heaton Norris 254 unemployed 241 – [ditto]                 913
also adjoining
[Total] 1237 unemployed 1833 – [ditto]                      5393

A Committee of [Gentlemen] were approved to go round the districts after them & yesterday [illegible] to report—The result was a very general distress amongst the Weavers but exaggeration had been practised—Indeed this I know for I attended the Committee & took a District myself & found the first statement extremely incorrect—The Committee have recommended to the magistrates about [110] objects for Relief—which it is intended to grant from the Poor rates, as no adequate Subscription can be raised to the purpose—but this is not all the busy & meddling part of them (few in number) want. They suggested that radical relief cou’d proceed only from the Government, & they urged the Committee to address a memorial to the Prince Regent; but of course that was not countenanced—I reminded them of the Letter answer they had received from Mr [illegible]—I expect to see a publication from the pen of a Gentleman formally in the Silk Trade who has got the cacoethes loquendi et scribendi—because I will not suffer him to harangue upon their favorite Topic of Exportation of Cotton Twist & a minimum price for wages—He addressed the note yesterday to the [meeting] of which the following is a Copy—"Preparing for Publication a Letter to John Lloyd Esqr. Detailing the Author’s Plan for the Relief of the Poor of Stockport &c and opposing the fallacy of Mr. Lloyd's representations or rather misrepresentations at the Public meeting on Thursday the 20 instant. By W. Dawson He who offers a plan for public adoption should observe it at once useful seasonable & practicable” L’Esprit de Loix—

“To prevent the idea of Collusion the Outlines of this plan are already sealed up & dated & deposited in the hands of respectable Neighbour" addressed

"To the magistrates on the Committee"

We paid the Weavers for making out the return and those who attended at the Inn where the meeting was held, appeared well pleased with the attention & solicitude of the Committee & magistrates—& they were paid for all the trouble they had taken but acquainted that they must not expect any more money whatever they took upon themselves to do—

My clerks are now extracting the names of those reported to be in extreme Distress, & the next difficulty I shall experience will be with the Overseers of the Poor, who cannot collect the rates sufficiently to answer the extra demands thus brought upon them—And I anticipate the greatest vexation from their Conduct, for their humanity is not natural and when they are not in any office they are very untoward, and aggravate the distress of the Poor.

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

P.S. We have had considerable vexation owing to a resolution amongst the Shopkeepers not to receive the plain silver Coinage – and your Letter was particularly seasonable—Things are now going on better—

26th May 1816: John Lloyd sends a circular to Stockport Manufacturers, urging preparations for disorder

Rumours are kept afloat of unlawful [Combinations] & intended meetings of the dissatisfied workpeople. The weavers have petitioned the parliament & their Delegates have just received Letters from the members, who give them no hopes of relief from that quarter — nor cou’d it reasonably be expected.

I do not observe at any serious Check has been put to the Riots & Disorders that prevail in different parts of the Kingdom; on the contrary, I am sorry to see, by the papers this morning, that, in Norfolk, the worst possible example & [encouragement] have been given to the malcontents, by want of courage & firmness in those who undertook to oppose the violence of a lawless mob.

Rather than remain longer Indifferent to the Rumours, & what is actually going forward, the better policy wou’d be to prepare to prevent mischief; and I will venture to suggest that the "honest men active" [should] adopt plans of Operation in case of need & communicate from time to time to some one person such information as may be important to the peace of the Country.

Special Constables [should] be sworn-in & places of rendezvous fixed upon & the first symptoms of Disorder suppressed.

I shall be glad if you will call upon me at any my Office at any hour from 3 to 8 of the afternoon tomorrow—

In this affair I need not point out the necessity of secrecy & good faith

J Lloyd

Stockport [illegible] 26 May
1816

21st May 1816: The Rev Charles Prescot sends the weavers petition to the Home Office

My Lord—

Yesterday Two Men delegated by the Weavers of this town & Neighbourhood requested me to permit a meeting for the purpose of forwarding a petition to the House of Commons stating their Grievances, & praying for such redress as the House might think fit to afford. I recommended their sending the Petition immediately to the Members for Cheshire, as much time might be lost by going about for probably fifteen-thousand signatures, & the inconveniences that attend large meetings be prevented.—I trust the small number of names will not prevent the petition being attended to, or it's going into a Committee

Many families are in a starving condition, numbers are & more will soon be out of work, they are almost driven to despair, the symptoms of intended rioting are stronger than, I recollect they were, previous to the breaking out of the Luddites, could any method be devis’d to alleviate the present distress, the probable mischief, extensive as it may be, might be prevented.—

I trust your lordship will excuse the liberty I take (being the only resident Magistrate in this Town) in  intruding myself upon you, & earnestly requesting your attention to this concern which seems materially to affect the peace of the Country to a great extent—

I remain with very great respect
Yr Lordship's most Obt Servt &c
Charles Prescot.

P.S.
I inclose a Copy of the petition, & a printed paper circulated last night.—

The weekly earnings of a Weaver should have been stated of four-shillings, & not five;—

21st May 1816: John Lloyd sends the 'Death of Calico Jack' handbill to the Home Office

Stockport 21st May 1816

Sir

Mr. Prescot will send up a Copy the Petition I alluded to in my last by this night’s Post – It is temperate humble & true and attention will be flattering if not effectual—

I inclose you a Copy the Printed Paper I mentioned — a Man that succeeded the first who introduced them excited the curiosity of the People by his manner & collected such numbers of people round him that it was found expedient to seize the whole of his Papers—& the Christn Name & place of abode of the Printer not being given I have instituted a prosecution agst the Distributor for assembly, which He may not be able to pay & must go to prison—& that may prevent the circulation of similar papers.

It is probable that the Secy of State will be applied to for a troop of Horse to be stationed in the Town. I conceive the Barracks at Manchester would be more proper as the Soln cou’d be soon obtained in case of necessity, which I will not anticipate

I have the honor to remain
Your very obedient humble Servant

J Lloyd

P.S. The ridiculous Paper was written 25 Years ago by a man of the name of Dale of this Town—& has been revived on occasions like present – I remember to have seen it during the turn-out of weavers in 1808.

[To] J. Beckett Esqr
&c &c

21st May 1816: Stockport Weavers petition to Parliament

To the Honorable the House of Commons of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled the Petition of the Cotton Weavers and the Town of Stockport and Neighbourhood

Humbly sheweth,

That there at present upwards of fifteen Thousand Individuals in the Town and Neighbourhood of Stockport to have hitherto earned their Subsistence by Cotton-Weaving.

That, according to the prices paid for Cotton Weaving in the early part of the Year 1814 a diligent weaver might earn on an Average to the Amount of Sixteen shillings and sixpence per week—

That owing to the vast Reduction which has taken place in the prices of Cotton-weaving since that period, it is out of the power of an industrious weaver to earn more than five shillings per week—that a view of these circumstances will convince your honorable house of the utter impossibility of a Cotton-Weaver by labouring at the present prices being able to procure subsistence for himself and family and of his inability to pay the common Demands of Rent, Leys and Taxes which are much greater with him than other Mechanics owing to the greater Extent of Premises required for Loom-Standing &c

That your Petitioners are not able to point out the Causes which have led to such a lamentable reduction in their wages nor do they pretend to suggest the means of removing such Causes but they rely with the strongest hope and Confidence that your honorable house when thus informed of the deplorable State of your humble Petitioners will in its wisdom and humanity adopt the speediest method of affording them Relief for which they well as in duty bound ever pray &c

Sign’d on behalf of the Cotton-Weavers of Town and neighbourhood of Stockport

[21st May]

20th May 1816: John Lloyd sends his observations about local weavers to the Home Office

Stockport 20th May 1816

Sir

I was prepared to expect an application on the part of the Weavers to the resident magistrate Mr Prescot for the purpose of obtaining his sanction for a public meeting to petition Parliament, & the Justice was prepared to dissuade the Delegates from that mode of promoting a petition — advising the manner of doing it to be by their Committee, & promising that it shod be forwarded

They represented their situations to be worse a great deal than when they before complained, & the written statement they addressed to Mr. Prescot I have copied & sent herewith

I have had an opportunity of asking some of the masters in the Trade about the prices—& they do not deny the main facts but say they have taken the extreme in both cases periods i:e. the highest of the Year 1814 & lowest of the present.

I have recommended proper persons to be sent to families whose support depended on Weavg to enquire as to their necessities & to apply for relief from their respective parishes & to pay every attention to them — & rather to anticipate the relief to their distresses—for it does not appear that they are likely to succeed with the object of their intended petition — but I have requested that no opposition shod be given to it by public argument or counter petition

There are bad spirits amongst the Weavers & some of the lower orders here, that no pretext shod be given to—

To day they have been distributing foolish handbills in the neighbourhood about the Downfall of the Cotton Trade or the "Weavers’ Downfall"

It is such as not to deserve notice but I shall take an opportunity of findg out the printer & cautioning him, to prevent papers of a worse tendency succeeding this—

I am in considerable haste & you will please to believe that I cod not pay better attention to this Letter to you from that circumstance—

Your very obedient hble Svt

J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esq
&c &c

20th May 1816: Distressed Stockport weavers appeal to the magistrate Rev Charles Prescot

To the Revd Charles Prescot

Revnd Sir

Actuated by the sentiments of Gratitude for the generous concern you have ever manifested towards the Interest of the laboring Class of this Town and neighbourhood, we venture on the behalf and at the urgent request of the weavers of Stockport to lay a list of the present Prices of a few Reeds now given by the Manufacturers, in order that Your worship may be a competent Judge of their deplorable State and improbability to pay the common demands of Rents, Ley or Taxes

List of the present Prices           List of the prices 1814 for the same fabric

100 Reed 6/4 Cambric 24 Yds – 10 [shillings]                   1.8.0
100 Reed 9/8 Gingham  – 8 [shillings]                   .19.0
90 Reed 9/8 Gingham          – 5 [shillings]           .16.0
72 Reed 4/4 Gingham          – 3 [shillings]           .12.0
72 Reed 4/4 Gingham          – 3 [shillings]           .12.0
60 Reed 6/4 [illegible]          – 7 [shillings] 6 [pence]   .16.0

Your wordship will here observe a tremendous reduction in the earnings of the industrious weaver. What may be the Cause of such Reduction is to the working body of the trade altogether insolvable. But at the same time it is conceived not to be impracticable but something might be done to ameliorate their distress, thro’ the medium and interference of the Magistrates of the manufacturing districts, praying that his Majesty's ministers would be pleased to put a Stop to the Exportation of Cotton Yarn and fix a Minimum for the price of labor. This is the only Suggestion we can lay down to relieve us upon a permanent Basis and as the Magistrate and principal Inhabitants of Bolton desire that this should be put in practice, we humbly humbly implore that your worship will take the same into your serious Consideration at this Period when Provisions are on the advance.

Now to shew you what the weavers can earn the 100 Reed 6/4 Cambric is considered to be a sufficient quantity of labour for 8 days. Then the Journeyman has 3d to pay out of every shilling he earns for winding, Loom-Room &c which will reduce his earnings to Eleven-pence farthing per day—This will be but a small Sum for a Man that has a family of 3 or 4 Children to subsist on - therefore necessity will compel him to seek for parochial relief which will fall very heavy on the Land-Owners and principal Inhabitants.

Convinced of the practicality with which you have attended to their former applications they have to beg you to accept their grateful thanks for past favors with the Assuance of their highest Esteem

We remain your worship’s most
obedient & humble Servants
Joseph Sherwin
Simon Lilley

Signed on behalf of
the Cotton-Weavers
of Stockport May
20th 1816.—

13th May 1816: John Lloyd informs the Home Office of talk of a revival of 'Ludditism' in Stockport

Stockport 13th May 1816

Sir

You are so well acquainted with the dispositions of the different Classes of Society that I need not observe to you that the fears of some and the wickedness of others anticipate (I may say invite) calamity. They speak here of Ludditism being revived and of a troop of Horse being ordered to this Town to be quartered here. Reports of that nature I have always found to have a tendency to excite restlessness & discontent.

I wou’d not address you upon the subject but from the probability of some application being made from another quarter; & I have a wish to have the honor of your Confidence in a matter in which I will qualify myself to inform you faithfully for At present I discover no cause for alarm. Trade is bad but we are in this Town comparatively well off.

The change is very natural, and the inordinate spirit of speculation, and abuse of credit over this County will feel benefit from the revolution we have experienced with regard to trade

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

20th June 1815: John Lloyd reports information about a Hatters' Union to the Home Office

Stockport 20th June 1815

Sir

At the last Chester assizes I was concerned professionally in a prosecution against a man of the name of Green for stealing Hats from his Master Mr. John Jackson a considerable Hat manufacturer in this Town and one George Pickford was a Witness for the prosecution — This hatter man and one Wm. Acton were the persons that first informed Mr. Jackson of the felony, and at the same time gave him reason to suspect a master-Hatter of the name of Richd Ardern of receiving the stolen Goods & encouraging such offences—William Henshall worked for Ardern as well as Thomas Bell the latter of whom was said to be privy to the Offences.―On the 15th Feby last Mr. Jackson took out a Warrant agt Ardern and Bell—the latter absented himself, &, there not being sufficient Evidence to fix the former, he was released & the next day he (Ardern) appealed to the Justice & obtained a Warrant against the Witnesses Acton & Pickford for threats sworn by sd Wm. Henshall to have been suffered by them agt the Life of Ardern on the monday before which was the day they had given Information of the felony – But this fact they must positively deny — No threats were ever made. This has been carried a little further, & they have since sworn to an actual Assault, & indicted Acton & Pickford at the Sessions which immediately succeeded the Assizes.

Pickford as I observed was examined on the Trial of Green who was convicted — and in the course of the trial it came out that the Journeyman Hatters of this Town had assembled in congress (as it is so called by them) on the 20th Feby a day or two after the commitment of Green and had imposed a fine of five guineas upon Pickford for giving the Information to the master of the robbery; which induced the Court to make a strict Enquiry as to the nature of such Congress and the animadvert upon the it in the strongest terms

Mr Sergt Marshall who presided for the Atty Genl, and Chief Justice, expressed a hope that some Evidence might be procured & steps taken to suppress such dangerous & illegal proceedings — This day has brought me to the sd Acton & Pickford to the Office, who having to defend themselves from on the Charge of the assault imputed to them by the Indictment, have declared all the circumstances concerning the Congress which has been taken upon oath & is to the Effect following —

That any Journeyman Hatter (Pickford & Acton amongst the rest) were warned or summoned to the Townhouse for 7 oClock on the 20th Feby — where a committee was formed out of the Body consisting of above a dozen Journeymen whereof the said William Henshall was the president and John Knight Wm. Hodgkinson and Joseph Birkett and John Swindells were members — The Copies of Examinations were produced & read by by John Wood and read aloud first by sd Joseph Birkett & afterwards by John Shore and after some deliberation which Pickford & Acton were not allowed to be present at, they were called in and a paper was read to them by Thomas Oldham to the following purport

"George Pickford & Wm Acton must pay five Guineas each before they hat any more all be stood by—" (the meaning of the last Expression was sufficiently understood by them to be that no one was to be suffered to work with them or the masters to employ them). They accordingly raised the money that night & paid it, part of it to Joseph Birkett remainder to the Inn Keeper of a public house the next night for Liquor which all the Journeymen partook of except Pickford & Acton & a scene of the greatest riot drunkenness & confusion ensued on this occasion – Acton is a poor man and was under the necessity of borrowing the money which he had to stop from the maintenance of his family by 10 [shillings] per week The Stewards assembled the congress and ordered the spending of the money. There are 3 stewards who have each a Key of the Turn-house Box, in which the papers are deposited — The acting Steward was sd Joseph Birkett

A Petty Congress was afterwards held at which the Journeyman Hatters were ordered to contribute 6 [pence] per week each Green & his Wife the former had 6 [shillings] a week in Prison & the latter 14 [shillings] per week to hire upon — and this they forced Pickford & Acton to contribute to under threats of fines ― Acton sent his money to the Stewards every Saturday night at the Turn house by one Saml. Parr, a Journeyman, And that they contributed in like manner to the Journeyman Calico Printers lately when they turned out against the masters—

The manner in which Congress is assembled they represent to be by a Note written by a Steward (supposed to be Birkett) which is handed to the 1st Shop and from thence it is taken by a workman of that shop to the next & so on (under a fine for any delay) till it gets to the last shop in the district & this last carries it to the Steward at Congress when assembled ― And this you will please to observe in general throughout the Kingdom — a Journeyman not attending forfeits 5 [shillings]/3 [pence] to be spent in liquor for the first 7 shops—

A Petty Congress is composed of one Journeyman from each Shop who is summoned by name & for non attendance forfeits 2 [shillings]/6 [pence] – If a Journeyman refuses to pay any fine – He is declared foul & no one is to work with him work with him; & if the master shod employ him, after he  has been declared so — The whole Shop ‘turn out’ or ‘strike’ & refuse to work for that master—

Thus an Individual Master is intimidated from making his complaint, & there is not unfortunately sufficient of Union amongst them to crush the Evil — and I am therefore induced to trouble you at the instance of Mr Jackson, who is obliged to remain in the back ground in this business, in the hopes that you will allow Mr. Serjeant Marshall to confer with the Attorney and Solr General with a view to making it a public Concern — or at least allow us to have the sanction of the Government in our legal proceedings to suppress the Confederacy either by Indictment for a Conspiracy or otherwise – and particularly be aided with some power, if the 39th & 40th of the King (the Combination Act) does not provide it, in making the seizure of their Books and papers — At all events you will be pleased to excuse me troubling you with so long a Letter upon the Subject

I have the honor to be
Sir

Your very obedient
humble Servant

J Lloyd

[Home Office note: desire Him to collect all the Evidence He can that is likely to lead a Conviction and transmit it to Mr Hobhouse

— It is not legal to seize Papers under the 39 & 40th of the King — but if they can be got at in any other way it might be desirable — Lord S. leaves this however to Himself.]

8th March 1815: Stockport Magistrates write a reference for Captain Francis Raynes

In his continuing efforts to obtain compensation from government, Francis Raynes had now enlisted the Stockport Magistrates to provide a reference which he planned to use in due course:

SIR,

Stockport, 8th March, 1815.

We the undersigned magistrates, acting for the division of Stockport, in the county of Chester, having been desired to express our opinion of your services towards the restoration of the public tranquillity, during the disturbances which prevailed in this and the adjoining districts, for a great part of the year 1812, feel great satisfaction in addressing to you this testimonial of the high sense we entertain of your individual services at that alarming crisis. Stationed in a part of the country there, more particularly exposed to danger, you evinced uncommon prudence and alacrity in the discharge of an arduous duty; and, not content with merely affording protection to the district confided to your care, you, with a zeal highly honorable to you, endeavoured to break into that illegal confederacy, unto which a great part of the lower class in that neighbourhood were then associated. Your exertions were successful; and you were the means of bringing to justice, many who would otherwise have escaped their merited punishment.—For these important services, and for your earnest co-operation with the civil authorities, in the suppression of those tumults, and the preservation of the public peace, we beg to convey to you our best thanks, with confident hope and recommendation, that they may speedily receive the consideration of His Majesty’s Government.

Your obedient humble Servants,

J. PHILLIPS.
THOS. WM. TATTON.
H. D. BROUGHTON.
ROBERT HARRISON.

[To] Francis Raynes, Esq. &c. &c.

16th December 1813: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, sends details of a case of seditious language to the Home Office

Stockport 16th Decr 1813

Sir

I have the honor to transmit to you copies of Informations taken against a man of the name of George Bowring some little time ago respecting some seditious Expressions uttered by him at a public house in this Town, and which, owing to the presence of military characters, it cou’d not and ought not to be overlooked.

He was consequently taken up under a Warrant obtained from the revd. C. Prescot, our resident magistrate, who directed him to find Bail – and not being able to do so, he was committed to Chester Castle where he now remains; and, if you direct it, may be indicted at the next Assizes, or required by the may consent in court to enter into Recognizance for his future good behaviour, but certainly some notice must be taken and the reasons I have stated.

I was aware it wou’d be required of me to state further circumstances for you to form your Judgement upon, and I have therefore made such enquiries, as struck me to be necessary.

Bowring followed the Trade of a master Butcher in a small way, at a populous village in Derbyshire called New Mills 8 miles from this Town — a place notorious for profligacy of manners and formerly for disaffection to the Government. (but which latter I shod hope cannot generally now prevail even there.)—I have been informed he has been in the habit of drinking the Toast charged agt him altho’ he has been cautioned & warned of the impropriety & the consequences—It seems he had hitherto been encouraged by the impunity—He has a Brother, keeping a public house here who refused to bail him He (the Prisr) is not a very drunken man—but was somewhat in liquor at the time he uttered the words—however he was at that time cautioned by those present that anticipated the words of the intended Toast to be seditious; and upon the whole I have found that he is an object for chastisement — and shod the great Government Law Officers not recommend the prosecution at the public expence I will take some steps to keep him under alarm, till with a view to his being placed under a Recognizance at least. I have the honor

to remain Sir
Your very obedt & hb Sert
J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esq
&c &c

26th January 1813: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, tells the Home Office that his agents are greedy for a reward

Stockport 26 Jany 1813

Sir

I have the honor of your public and private Letters this morning, the first containing Instructions for the distribution of the Proclamation, many Copies of which accompanied the Letter—& in pursuance of it, I dispatched Taylor & Whitehead to the proper Counties to post this morning—

The latter relative to these two men surprized me, for they that knew that it was my intention to write about them to Mr. Hobhouse which I have done, and I consider their conduct as exceedingly impertinent in writing to the Secretary of State & taking the liberty of asserting that there was an agreement entered into—

I acknowledge that they have made themselves very useful and that in some cases they have risked their lives; but at the same time they have been very expensive, & I have to recommend that you first see the accounts, which I shall send up to Mr Hobhouse in the course of a day or two, before you fix upon any pecuniary remuneration — in the mean time I will give them something to keep them — I certainly do think their Services were of real importance but am not enabled to say what compensation will be sufficient to satisfy them.

I am very happy to be enabled to state that the proceedings at York have had the best possible effect all over the country — Before I left the West riding I took my Horse & rode through the different places where I was known to have been busy against the Luds — and since my return home I have visited many companies & been much about in my own neighbourhood and have derived the greatest gratification in witnessing the proper observations & feelings of the people—

I have [etc]
J Lloyd

P.S. I shall take no notice at present to Taylor & Whitehead of having had any Letter from you.

[To] J Beckett Esqr
&c &c

29th November 1812: General Acland reports the arrest of a Stockport man for threatening to kill Joseph Radcliffe

Huddersfield 29th November 1812.

My dear Sir,

A man by name Harling has been sent from Stockport by the Revd Mr. Prescott & committed to York, by Mr. Armytage a Magistrate acting for this Division for threatening Mr. Ratcliffe's life—

It appears at a Public house in Stockport after much abuse of Mr. Ratcliffe, he said he had a Pill in his Pockett, which should do his business in a very short time — this is the whole of the circumstance as related to me Mr. Ratcliffe this morning, which you may probably wish to be acquainted with—

Nothing further has occurr’d here—

Wroth: P: Acland

[To] Lt General
The Rt Honble T. Maitland

4th November 1812: The Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, seeks a pardon for the informer William Hall

Stockport [near]
Manchester Nov. 4, 1812

Sir

A circumstance yesterday came to my knowledge which will require consideration, and, altho’ you may not deem it of sufficient importance to occupy your attention, it is nevertheless my duty to make it known.

Wm Hall, a principal Witness against the murderers of Mr. Horsfall has declared to me that he was twisted in (as they term it) prior to any outrage being committed by the Luddites in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield by a man of the name of *Bottomley, who took him to the Cross Keys in Huddersfield, along with Thomas Smith, one of the murderers, and there in the presence of Jno Walker+, he administered the oath, which Hall recollects to be the same I read over to him (the common oath) but he can state sufficient particulars from his own memory. Bottomley said they called it twisting-in, as they durst not call it swearing-in. Now at the same time that it is extremely desirable to get at Bottomley, who is the person the Murderer, Wm Thorpe, relies upon to prove an alibi for him, and because Hall says he was at the Head of 10 that were sworn & every one sworn was to swear in a like number & B at the Head, still it wou’d be risquing the credibility of Hall, I fear, to take his Information in writing—Since he did not avail himself of the proviso in Act of Parliament within the limited time—

He feels that he is now obliged to declare every thing but I have cautioned him in this respect till I can know your sentiments—If he is silent it might may not be known by the Counsel who may have to cross-examine him — & it wou’d be singular to question him upon the trial with a view to his criminating himself — It is true that Hall stands already in the situation of an accomplice, in different felonies & in accepting in the murder but he can be corroborated and will be received no doubt — if the taking an unlawful oath and conceiving it will not affect his competency.

Cou’d a pardon now be obtained to him and some of the Witnesses under similar Circumstances upon a complete Confession being given? If this were allowed Bottomley may be fixed for the oath, and Hall corroborated & confirmed by the Landlord or some others of credit seeing them together.

You will perhaps honor me with your advice in a day or two addressed to me at Stockport.

I will endeavor to send my observations upon the Cases for trial herewith & trust you will not be offended at the Liberty I shall take in making remarks, which will naturally arise to be made by those more competent before whom they will have to be placed.

As I understand it will be suggested to the Secy of State by Genl. Maitland to send the Treasury Solr. down to make up & select the Cases for Prosn at York, I venture to offer a journey to Town to prevent that trouble, if inconvenient on the one hand, or at all advantageous to the Solr. on the other.

I have [etc]

J Lloyd

[To] J Beckett Esqr.

*The same whose Examn I have transmd taken in defence of Thorpe
+now at York Castle

20th October 1812: John Lloyd tells the Home Office that his policy of informers & abduction is having results

Stockport 20 Oct 1812

Sir

I was yesterday detained the whole of the day with Mr. Radcliffe at Milnes bridge and prevented writing to you by examinations engaging me. The hint I gave in my last was relating to a circumstance that had been commend to me by a respectable merchant in Huddersfield, just before I wrote, that he had been applied to for advise in consequence of a woman of the name of Walker wishing to know what was best to be done to save some of the murderers of Horsfall for she was apprehensive that the persons in custody under that charge might impeach those at large, & it was from that inferred, that she was interesting herself for her own Son Benjamin Walker who had been in custody under suspicion. As the woman did not act up to a promise she made I apprehended her Son in the night, since which sufficient intimation was given, as coming from her, that a Wm. Thorpe was anor. he had been also in custody — & yesterday I had him apprehended again This woman has declared to her friend with whom she advised that Mellor & Varley already at York, and said Walker and Thorpe were the four murderers but that Mellor alone fired both pistols. I apprehended the woman & strictly examined her but she denies all knowledge & denies ever having said so. I have not been put at liberty at present to produce my Informant her friend; but he has consented after certain arrangements — and he made himself certain almost that he cou’d produce the effect upon the woman's mind this very night & then he will not have to appear at all. In the mean time I have run away with one of the Witnesses to prevent her being tampered with and have placed her in my own House where she will more fully and freely give her Examination —If any thing very material occurs before I return to Huddersfield Mr. Alison will communicate it to you.

I found out the person to whom the Information had been from time to time given by watching Mrs. Walker to his House – & I have in consequence brought him forward – but cannot at present publicly.

I have [etc]
J. Lloyd

[To] J. H. Addington Esqr

16th October 1812: John Lloyd informs General Acland of a report from the Luddite turned spy, Yarwood

Genl.

The Information which Yarwood gave to me and, which I have now the honor to communicate was that Wm. Parry of the Higher Hillgate in Stockport remained a Delegate yet employed for the Weavers

That Joseph Nixon a lame man living in Holme Street Stockport told him (Yarwood) on Thursday the 8th Oct that he (Nixon) & 4 or 5 more were sworn to be faithful to the old concern, and the oath was administered at the Boars Head in Stockport — That there was to be a meeting at Offerton as last night (I sent out & have not yet got any report)—

Persons of the names of Leech Bancroft Schofield & David Nichols whose residence he describes are, he says, implicated in this newly formed confederacy

Yarwood says he has reason to know that the Dinner given upon the discharge of the 38 from Lancaster was paid for by Major Cartwright on Mr Brougham — and he also gave me Information of minor consequence — not that I think any thing important about the new society being formed—

I have the honor to be
General
Your very obedient
humble Servant

J. Lloyd

Huddersfield 16 Oct 1812

[To: General Acland]

6th October 1812: Stockport bourgeoisie & ruling class send a memorial to the Home Secretary about John Lloyd

To the Right Honorable Lord Viscount Sidmouth,

Secretary of State for the Home Department.

The Memorial of the undersigned Inhabitants of the town of Stockport in the County of Chester, and its vicinity.

Humbly Sheweth,

That for several months previous to the fourteenth of April last divers evil disposed persons did assemble almost every night in the Fields adjacent to this Town concerning plans for the destruction of certain Machinery used in the Cotton Manufacture as well as for the purpose of swearing or twisting in all persons who wished to join in their measures the nature of which Oath now publicly known fully explains—That at these meetings it is well known Delegates from the Counties of Lancaster and Nottingham did regularly attend—That Letters were received by most of the principal Manufacturers and spinners threatening not only to burn their Factories but to take away the lives of some of them and likewise by the Magistrates equally daring and wicked—That reports were most industriously circulated amongst the lower orders of Society tending to produce the greatest terror and dismay threats being held out that if anyone should attempt either to prevent their destructive designs or to give any sort of information by which the parties might be discovered he would certainly be murdered and his property destroyed—That on the night of the fourth of April several Slugs were fired into the sleeping Room of Mr Goodair and many large Stones thrown with great violence through the Windows of the said Room—The Windows also of several other Manufacturers were broken in the night time and attempts were made in the night at different times to set fire to two or three Factories providentially without much damage the light being soon discovered—That on Tuesday the fourteenth day of April about 10 o'Clock in the Morning when most of the principal Tradesmen were gone to the Manchester Market a large Mob composed of Men (some of them in Women's Cloaths), Women and Children armed with Stones &c assembled at the upper part of Hillgate breaking the Windows and assailing the Dwellinghouses of several Spinners and Manufacturers pouring in increasing numbers into the Town attacked the House of Peter Marsland Esquire a Magistrate breaking most of the Windows and threatening the family he being at Manchester, they then proceeded to the Weaving Factory of Mr Goodair is in which they destroyed Machinery to a considerable amount, part of the Mob at the same time breaking into his Dwellinghouse demolishing his Furniture & setting Fire to it. That the alarm and apprehensions of the well disposed Inhabitants excited by these outrageous proceedings were general and excessive and had it not been for the exertions of The Reverend Charles Prescot a Magistrate and a small military force your Memorialists are convinced that the extent of their depredations the mischief on that day would have been incalculable—

That for several weeks subsequent to these wicked and, until this period, unheard of transactions this Town and Neighbourhood continued in perpetual alarm and affright, during which time John Lloyd Gentleman a Solicitor in this town did evince  unwearied zeal activity and resolution in discovering and bringing to justice many of the Ringleaders and your memorialists do testify that owing to his indefatigable exertions at the risque of his life and to the total neglect of his professional pursuits they are in a high degree indebted for the tranquillity they now enjoy—That for these valuable services in particular as well as for many others rendered to Government by Mr. Lloyd in his constant and unparalleled endeavours to suppress the same riotous spirit which now prevails in some of the neighbouring Counties your memorialists feel themselves called upon to submit this case to your Lordship beseeching that your Lordship would be graciously pleased to take it into consideration and to confer such recompence upon Mr. Lloyd as in your Lordships wisdom and justice shall seem meet

And your Memorialists will ever pray.—

John Thomas Stanley
HM Mainwaring
John Legh
Egerton Leigh
Wilbraham Egerton
E Stracey
John Clegg
Randle Wilbraham
George Wilbraham
[illegible] Trafford
[& one illegible name]

Magistrates assembled at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace held at Nether Knutsford in and for the County of Chester the 6th day of October 1812 Do approve of the above Memorial and Recommendation—

Peter Marsland
H.D. Broughton
Thos Wm Tatton

Magistrates for the Stockport Division