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.

17th July 1816: Four jailed for destroying a Threshing Machine at Hockham, Norfolk

At the Norfolk County Session on Wednesday 17th July 1816, 4 prisoners were jailed for destroying a Threshing Machine at Hockham on 19th May.

The Norfolk Chronicle of 20th July 1816 carried a report about the trial:

John Abery, Jas. Bailey, the elder, Peter Palmer, the elder, and Peter Palmer, the younger, were indicted for having, together with other persons to the number of 100, routously and riotously assembled in the parish of Hockham, on the 19th of May last, and then and there destroyed a certain threshing machine, the property of William Burlingham.—The two latter prisoners pleaded guilty. On the part of the prosecution, it appeared, that the prosecutor, Wm. Burlingham, being nearly blind, was rendered unable to work for his livelihood, but having a little money, he had purchased a threshing machine for the price of 76l. which he used to let out to the neighbouring farmers, at a small profit to himself. That in May last, it had been to let out to a Mr. Wells, in the aforesaid parish, and that on the 19th of that month, being on a Sunday morning, the prisoners together with other evil disposed persons had dragged the machine from off Mr. Wells's premises into the high road, where they completely effected its demolition. The prisoners were proved to have taken an active part in the riot. 

Mr. Cooper, for the prisoners, contended that they had not been proved to have committed an unlawful act, and that none of the witnesses had sworn to their dragging the Machine off, the private property of Mr. Wells, but had all found them in the act of destroying it in the public road. It might therefore be presumed that a number of persons passing that way, had found this clumsy machine very much in their way upon the road, and deeming it a nuisance had destroyed it and removed the materials, which the learned Counsel stated they had a legal right to do. An alibi was attempted in favour of the prisoner Bailey, by calling two witnesses who had seen him six yards distant from the spot where the machine was destroyed, but it was not denied that at the time, Bailey was thus far off, the greater part of the mischief had been effected. 

Mr. Alderson, as Counsel for the Prosecution, strongly rebutted the position of law asserted by the Counsel for the Prisoners, the dangerous and fallacious tendency of which was strongly laid down from the Bench in the Chairman's charge to the jury. 

The prisoners were found Guilty; Abery and Bailey, were sentenced each to imprisonment for one year, in Wymondham Bridewell, and find sureties for their good behaviour for two years further; and Peter Palmer the elder, and Peter Palmer, the younger, who had pleaded guilty, were sentenced each, to three months imprisonment in Norwich Castle, and enter into security for their good behaviour, for one year more.

19th June 1816: Threshing Machine set alight at Worlington, Suffolk

In the evening of Wednesday 19th June 1816, a Threshing Machine belonging to a farmer called Mr. Booty was set alight at Worlington, near Mildenhall in Suffolk.

24th May 1816: Crowd of 200 people intent on machine-breaking in Essex

On Friday 24th May 1816, and having been successful in destroying a Threshing Machine at Finchingfield the evening before, a crowd of 200 people had mixed success with machine-breaking in nearby parts of Essex.

In the morning, they visited the farm of Robert Smith, of Byton Hall and destroyed a mole plough there. They then proceeded to Great Bardsfield (to destroy a threshing machine belonging to a Mr. Messent, according to the Morning Chronicle of 27th May 1816). The Bury & Norwich Post of 29th May 1816 described what happened:

On Friday last a tumultuous and riotous mob of nearly 200 persons, armed with axes, saws, spades, &c. entered the village of Great Bardsfield, in the county of Essex, with the avowed intention to destroy thrashing machines, mole ploughs, &c.—They made their attack on the premises of Mr. Philip Spicer, who fortunately for the place where he lived, as also for the villages and towns on that side of the county, had spirit and resolution to defend his property, and being assisted by about 20 of his neighbours, who were entirely unarmed, they determined to resist the attack of the rioters, and by a Waterloo movement, got between the mob and the barn where the machine was deposited, and dared them to advance: when perceiving the determined manner of their opponents, they wisely resolved to make a precipitate retreat.

23rd May 1816: Threshing Machine destroyed at Finchingfield, Essex

In the evening of Thursday 23rd May 1816, a crowd of people destroyed a threshing machine belonging to a John Smith at Finchingfield, Essex.

22nd May 1816: Crowd at Clare in Suffolk celebrate the bailing of their comrade by destroying a threshing machine

On Wednesday 22nd May 1816, Clare in Suffolk was once again the site for the destruction of a Threshing Machine. The Suffolk Chronicle of 25th May carried a report of what happened:

On Wednesday ... James Mayes, the younger, of Stoke, near Clare, in this county, was brought before the Rev. B. B. Syer, of Ketton, one of his Majestry's Justices of the Peace, charged with having threatened to set fire to a barn belonging to General Elwes, and, having given surety for the peace as the law requires, was discharged. In consequence of the arrest of this offender, some of the misguided populace assembled and proceeded to break up a threshing machine in the neighbourhood; but the General having, with a very laudable promptitude, procured the attendance of some military force, at the very crisis of the riot, the ringleaders were seized and committed for trial.

20th May 1816: Threshing machine destroyed at Sible Hedingham, Essex

Some time on Monday 20th May 1816, a crowd of labourers destroyed a threshing machine at Sible Hedingham, in Essex.

19th May 1816: 3 threshing machines destroyed in Norfolk & Suffolk

On Sunday 19th May 1816, actions against threshing machines took place in both Norfolk & Suffolk.

In the morning at Hockham in Norfolk, 100 labourers assembled at the premises of a farmer, Mr. Wells in Hockham. Wells rented a threshing machine from a William Burlingham, and the labourers assembled there proceeded to drag the machine onto the main road and demolished it.

On the same day at Hundon in Suffolk, a crowd destroyed 2 threshing machines belonging to a Mr. Kemp.

9th May 1816; Threshing Machine attacked at Clare, Suffolk

On Thursday 9th May, a Threshing Machine was attacked at Clare in Suffolk. Accounts of what happened vary, and it worth quoting two articles which appeared in the press to illustrate the confusion.

From the Bury & Norwich Post of  15th May 1816:

Thursday last a thrashing-machine was taken into the Market-place at Clare, and burnt by the populace.

From the (later) Suffolk Chronicle of 25th May 1816:

The statement of a threshing machine having been burnt in the market-place, at Clare, we understand, was incorrect. A part of the machine only was destroyed, in a field some distance from the town.

The incident was reported to the Home Office by a General Elwes on 23rd May 1816, stating it was the 'destruction of a Threshing Machine by fire', although he says it took place on the 8th May.

20th April 1816: Threshing machine destroyed at Cockfield, Suffolk

The Bury & Norwich Post of 24th April 1816 carried a brief report about the destruction of a threshing machine at Cockfield on Saturday 20th April 1816:

On Saturday night a thrashing machine, belonging to Mr. John Fenton, of Whelnetham, was set fire to on the premises of Mr. Sarjeant, of Cockfield, and entirely consumed.

7th April 1816: Threshing machine destroyed at Myland, Essex

Some time on Sunday 7th April 1816, a Threshing Machine belonging to James Posford was destroyed by arson at Myland Heath ('Mile End Heath').

This was the first action in the month which would see the start of concerted uprisings across East Anglia, many of them directed against agricultural machinery.

19th January 1816: 19 men imprisoned for machine-breaking in Suffolk in 1815

On Friday 19th January 1816, the Cambridge Chronicle carried reports from two recent Quarter Sessions in the county, where cases of machine breaking that had taken place in Suffolk in 1815 were dealt with.

At the Ipswich Quarter Sessions 12 men (4 more than were initially charged) were tried for destroying a threshing machine at Holbrook, Suffolk the previous August:

At Ipswich sessions, Daniel Grimwood, Thomas Seager, Joseph Cook, Martin Gosling, ____ Sells, John Driver, Jerry Lucas, ____ Bayley, Robert Payne, Samuel Page, Robert Page, and S. Turner, were indicted for appearing in a riotous manner in the parish of Holbrook, on the 3d of August last, and there breaking and destroying a threshing machine, the property of John Roper, of Wilby.—Mr. Stocks, for the prosecutions, insisted upon the urgent necessity of supporting the laws, and after the evidence, which was full and conclusive, had been gone through, the prisoners were called upon for their defence, but they had little to urge except the difficulty of gaining employment, which they attributed to the use of machines.—Several persons were called, who gave them excellent characters. The Jury brought in the whole Guilty, and the sentence of the Court was,  that Grimwood, Seager, Cook, and Gosling should be imprisoned for twelve calendar months; Sells and two others, for nine months, and the remainder of the prisoners for six months.

At Woodbridge Quarter Sessions, a total of 7 men were tried for destroying 3 threshing machines in disturbances that had involved a total of 100 people the previous November:

At the quarter sessions at Woodbridge, Edmund Prime, Wm. Garnham, Wm. Bannister, John Abbott, Wm. Barker, and Thos, Stevens, charged with breaking machines in the parishes of Kenton and [Monk]-soham, and also for subsequent riot and misdemeanour, were found Guilty, and ordered to be imprisoned twelve months in the county gaol.—John Brunwin, for the like offence, was sentenced to be imprisoned six months in the same gaol.—It is much to be hoped that these necessary examples will have the effect of preventing such excesses for the future—excesses not only disastrous to the objects of them, but ruinous to the perpetrators.

23rd November 1815: 3 threshing machines destroyed by 100 labourers in Suffolk villages

On Thursday 23rd November 1815, mass machine-breaking broke out in Suffolk. The Bury & Norwich Post of 29th November carried a brief article about the events:

On Thursday last nearly 100 labourers in the parishes of Kenton, Ashfield, and Monk Soham, assembled in a tumultuous manner, with the avowed design of destroying the threshing machines in the neighbourhood, and threatening violence to all who refused to join with them. Three of these machines were destroyed in a short time: but it is hoped that the interference of the magistrates will put a stop to their unlawful proceedings

Three days prior to this, a barn belonging to a Henry Luffe, which contained 100 coombs of barley, had been torched at Benhall, 14 miles from the later machine breaking outbreak.

8th October 1815: 2 Threshing Machines destroyed at Chepstow

The Gloucester Journal of Monday 16th October 1815 reported an incident that took place on the night of Saturday 7th October 1815, in which 2 threshing machines were destroyed in an arson attack:

Alarming Fires.—On the night of Saturday se'nnight, a most destructive fire broke out on part of the premises at Howick Farm, belonging to Wm. Carre, Esq. of Itton, near Chepstow. About midnight one of the buildings, in which was erected, at great expence, a powerful threshing machine, and the straw-house adjoining thereto, were discovered to be in flames; and a poor man who slept in the latter building unhappily perished! The blaze of light on the dwelling-house disturbed the servants, who seeing that any efforts of theirs to extinguish the sire would be unavailing, hastened to their master's residence, about half a mile from the farm, where, to their great astonishment, they found that a building that contained another threshing machine was also on fire! The family at Itton being summoned to assist in extinguishing the flames, they used such judicious methods of cutting off the communication of the fire with the numerous ricks of corn, hay, &c. (the air being most providentially very still) that no further damage was sustained than the loss of the building in which the fire first appeared, and the machine. Mr. Curre's introduction of a variety of machinery for the improvement of agriculture, is supposed to have instigated the villainous act. The perpetrators have not yet been discovered, but every possible means are using to bring them to justice.

3rd August 1815: Threshing Machine destroyed at Holbrook, Suffolk

Some time during Thursday 3rd August 1815, and in a portent of what was to come the following year, a Threshing Machine was destroyed at Holbrook in Suffolk.

The machine was the property of a John Roper of Wilby, over 30 miles north of the village. A crowd had assembled prior to the task of destruction, and several people were arrested in the hours afterwards.

1st April 1815: Gosbeck machine-breakers sentenced at Suffolk Assizes

Suffolk Lent Assizes ended on Saturday 1st April 1815, and the nine men arrested for breaking threshing machines at Gosbeck on 21st February had stood trial on charges of riot and misdemeanour. They were all convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment.

Their names were J. Peck,  J. Bass, J. Hurdwicke, J. Last, E. Fuller, W. Ellis, S. Osborn, J. Miller & J. Fenn.

25th February 1815: Near riot in Ipswich as threshing-machine breakers are sent to Gaol

The Great White Horse Hotel (formerly Inn) at Ipswich: where the magistrate Sir William Middleton took refuge amidst scenes of near riot. It is now home to a clothing & coffee shop (photo by David Hallam-Jones. cc licence)

On the morning of Saturday 25th February 1815, the 8 or 9 men arrested for breaking threshing machines at Gosbeck 4 days earlier were conveyed to Ipswich Gaol. Two of the men were given bail by the visiting magistrates, and would stand trial at the next Assizes. The rest were committed to Gaol, being unable to afford bail at that time (although by 28th February, they had found bail, and were released).

Accounts as to what occurred afterwards differed between the Bury & Norwich Post and the more local paper, the Ipswich Journal, which differed principally over whether or not objects were thrown (The Bury & Norwich Post having the last word and insisting an onion was thrown, hitting one of the Magistrates).

Both publications agreed that, as they left the Gaol, the officials were surrounded by the general public present & subject to a hostile reception, with Sir William Middleton (the former MP for Ipswich) in particular being a focus of hostility: whilst seven other magistrates slipped away, Middleton was forced to take refuge in the Great White Horse Inn.

The Bury & Norwich Post described a scene outside the Inn as a 'street filled with disorderly people, who stood debating on the Corn Bill till late in the evening'.

Middleton only emerged much later when the crowd had dispersed, at around 10.00 p.m., and then accompanied by an escort of constables, retiring to his residence at Shrubland Hall.

21st February 1815: 2 Threshing Machines destroyed at Gosbeck, Suffolk

Tuesday 21st February 1815 saw the igniting of a spark in agricultural areas that would consume different parts of East Anglia over the coming months.

At Gosbeck, near Ipswich, 20 labourers collectively destroyed 2 threshing machines and apparently made threats to destroy others. The local magistrates were quick to act to end the disturbance, and 8 or 9 men were arrested.