22nd November 1815: Chepstow Magistrates write to the Home Secretary about the recent destruction of Threshing Machines

Chepstow 22nd November
1815

My Lord

We the undersigned Magistrates acting for the County of Monmouth conceived it to be our duty to inform your Lordship of the following circumstances & most respectfully Solicit your advice and Assistance

On the night of the 7th of October 1815 two Barns belonging to William Curre Esqr were set on Fire as detailed in the account we have the Honor of enclosing and the Jury who sat on view of the Body of the Man who perished in the Flames having returned a Verdict of Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown, a meeting was held by the principal Inhabitants of Chepstow and its Neighbourhood to consider of means for discovering the Incendiary, the minutes of which meeting we have the Honor of enclosing also to your Lordship,

The reason of our delay of making this Application was our wishing to obtain some information which might lead to a Suspicion of the probable perpetrators of this outrage and laying such circumstances before your Lordship respectfully to request your advice as to what other steps ought to be taken and your assistance in obtaining (should your Lordship think such a measure adviseable) His Majesty's Pardon for an accomplice making a discovery and a reward from Government to any person giving such information as may lead to the Conviction of the offenders.

We have the Honor to be My Lord
Your Lordships
most obedient Servants

[N. Wells]
[J: Robson]

To the Rt. Honourable
Lord Sidmouth Secretary
of State &c. &c. &c. . .

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.

30th October 1812: Pwllheli Magistrates ask the Home Office for help after the enclosure of the Commons in resisted

My Lord

We whose names are hereunto subscribed being his Majesty's Justices of the peace for the County of Carnarvon and also Proprietors of Land Interested in the Commons and Waste Lands directed to be divided and inclosed under the Nevin Inclosure Act Beg to inform your Lordship that several attempts have been made to Survey the Commons in the Parish of Pistill But the Commissioners hath been opposed and prevented in doing so by the Cottagers who have encroached on the Commons Assembling together in great Numbers and in a riotous manner pelting those employed and forcing them to quit the Commons. And that in particular on 29th of October Instant the Commissioner attended by two Magistrates and Constables together with several Proprietors and their Tenants, went to the said Commons, where about Eighty of the Cottagers were assembled, and on enquiring their Business there Be declared they were so assembled to prevent the Commons being measured and would never suffer them to be Surveyed and being requested to disperse they refused, whereupon the Riot Act was read and Proclamation made and the purport and Consequences explained to them But they continued together for upwards of an Hour, during which time they were very riotous and threw sods frequently at the magistrates, the Commissioner, His Clerk and the Constables and Ultimately obliged them to leave the Commons.

Warrants are in the Hands of the Constables to apprehend the most forward and violent of the rioters, but they cannot Execute them, the rioters immediately assembling and threatening the lives of the Constables if they dare approach them. The rioters meet at the Sound of Horns which are placed at different stations, so that great Numbers, can be collected in a short time—

We have therefore to request your Lordship will be pleased to apply immediately to his Majesty's Government for a Detachment of Cavalry to be sent here to assist the Civil Power in preserving the Peace, and the Commissioners in carrying the Act into Execution, without whose Aid the one or the other can be Effected—

We have [etc]

Richard Edwards
William Roberts
Hugh Rowlands

Pwllheli 30th
October 1812

14th September 1812: Shelley's 'Declaration of Rights' is found floating in a bottle near Milford Haven

Speedwell Revenue Cutter off St. Ives,
September 14th 1812

My Lord,

I have conceived it my duty under the particular circumstance of the case to lay before you the enclosed Paper with its envelope, having found the same in a Sealed Wine Bottle floating near the Entrance of Milford Haven on the 10th Inst. and I have to regret that the dampness of the paper when taken out, should be the cause of its present tattered state, tho every care was taken to preserve it.

I am more particularly induced to transmit it to Your Lordship, from understanding that a similar paper was taken up in a similar manner a few weeks since near Lymouth on the North Coast of Devonshire by the Preventive Revenue Boat Stationed at Porlock within the Port of Minehead.—This marks the circumstance more strongly; for as the Envelope points to a person of the name of Shelley living thereat, it may, if thought of sufficient importance, lead to discovery of the Parties concerned in this novel mode of disseminating their pernicious opinions, and which appear to me intended to fall into the hands of the Seafaring part of the People, many hundreds of which may thus reach that Class, and do incalculable mischief among them.

I have [etc]

John Hopkins.

Inspecting Commander
of Revenue Cruisers
Western District
Port of Milford

[To] The Right. Hon. The Lord Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c
London

6th May 1812: William Hay informs the Home Office about threatening letters from North Wales

Police Office Manchester 6 May 1812

Sir,

I have the honor to inform you that the Information against three more rioters at Mr. Burton's premises are directed to be transmitted to you by tonights post. The parties are all committed to Lancaster.

I feel it proper the Government should be made acquainted with the following circumstances. There are very extensive Cotton Works carried on Holywell in Flintshire, under the firm of the Holywell Twist company. The proprietors have a Warehouse in Manchester, and the partners Mr. Douglas & some others live at & near Manchester—Yesterday by the Post Mr. D received a letter of which the following is a copy with the Post mark of Holywell upon it – “Sir if you do not advance the wages of all your workmen at Holywell, you shall have all your mills burned to the ground immediately – it is harder upon many of us here and upon those who receive parish relief – we are starving by inches by reason of our small wages & provisions so high. You had better be content with a moderate profit, than have your mills destroyed. You know how it is with Burton & Goodier & many others, it will be the same with you in a few days, if you do not advance all hands – All the Miners and Colliers are ready to join us – 3000 men can be collected in a few hours

The poor cry aloud for bread
Prince Regent shall lose his head
And all the rich who oppress the poor
In a little time shall be no more

Take care you be not in the number of the oppressors we cannot wait but a very few days, we are all ready for blood of bread, any thing is better than starving by inches.”

By the same post which brought the above, a letter was received by the proprietors in Manchester containing a copy of one received with the Holywell Post mark, & addressed to Mr. G. Platt who is one of the Principal servants at the before mentiond mill

“Sir, We cannot live with the wages we have – unless all hands are advanced the mills shall be burned to the ground immediately - the miners & colliers are all ready to join - 3000 men may be called to join us in a very short time — We can also send for Bolton & Middleton mob to come. We have proper direction to some other leaders. Letters have been received thereupon lately. We are all read for blood or bread – anything is better than starving by inches as we do, rely upon it.”

Then follow the four lines before written, with the Addition of the two following

“With deep regret, I write these things,
They'll contest pass in spite of kings—

N.B. A copy of these lines in the same handwriting was taken from the Window shutters of Mr. Jones Junr. last week.

By the same letter came a copy of a Hand Bill taken from the wall of a house in Chapel Street Holywell, & more of the same were pasted up.

“Come brave boys, & make ready your arms, pikes & pitchforks to upset the rich tyrants of the land and grind the face of the poor, such as Mr. Thos Mostyn, Sir Pyerce, Pennant and many others too numerous to mention, have tribled the rents of the farmers, the poor the sufferers.”

The foregoing particulars had been communicated by me to General Maitland & in another quarter where I hope there may be some chance of detecting the writer—All the papers are in the same handwriting—

I beg leave also to add, as the view to ascertain whence this revolutionary Spirit proceeds, that Mr Leigh Phillips, (whose brother Mr Fras Phillips is now in London on Parliamy business) has this morning recd a letter from his brother in London; wherein he says that on 4th of May he had spoken with Mr. Howard the son of Col. Howard of Baltimore, who left Paris 5 days before; & who said “that in that place the Manchester riots were better understood than in London”—Messrs Phillips & Hardman were obliged to go to the House of Coms which prevented further conversation at the time —

Of this we may probably hear more tomorrow; but I thought it better to send up such circumstances as have occurred, nearly in the order in which they have done so.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
with great respect,
Your faithful & obedient humble servant
William Robert Hay

To
The Right Hon. Richd Ryder
One of Hs Mjs princ. Secs of State &c &c

PS — I find on inquiry that at the Holywell works the wages are as high as at Manchester – they have never heard a murmur or complaint from their people respecting wages, till the notice above written – their works, with the exception of 6 or 8 are worked by Welch people. Mr. Thos. Mostyn has notice of the handbill—

WRH

5th May 1812: Letter to Mr. G. Platt. Holywell, Flintshire

Sir,

We can not live with the wages we have. unless all hands are advanced the mills shall be burned to the ground immediately. the miners & colliers are all ready to join. 3000 men may be called to join us in a very short time. We can also send for Bolton & Middleton mob to come. We have proper direction to some of the leaders. letters have been received there from leatly. We are all read for blood or bread. anything is better than starving by inches as we do, rely upon it.

The poor cry aloud for bread
Prince Regent shall lose his head
And all the rich who oppress the poor
In a little time shall be no more
With deep regret, I write these things,
They’ll come to pass in spite of kings.

5th May 1812: Letter from Holywell, Flintshire, to Mr. Douglas and others at Manchester

Sr. If you do not advance the wages of all your workmen at Holywell, you shall have all your mills burnt to the ground immediately. it is harder upon many of us here than upon those who receive parish relief. we are starving by inches by reason of our small wages & provisions so high. You had better be content with a moderate Profit, than have your mills destroyed. You know how it is with Burton & Goodier & many others, it will be the same with you in a few days, if you do not advance all hands. All the Miners and Colliers are ready to join us. 3000 men can be collected in a few hours

The poor cry aloud for bread
Prince Regent shall lose his head
And all the rich who oppress the poor
In a little time shal be no more

Take care you be not in the number of the oppressors. we cannot wait but a very few days, we are ready for blood or bread, anything is better than starving by inches.

5th May 1812: Handbill posted up at Holywell, Flintshire

Come brave boys, & make ready your arms, pikes & pitchforks to upset the rich tyrants of the land who grind the face of the poor, such as Sr. Thos Mostyn, Sir Pyerce, Pennant and many others too numerous to mention, have tribled the rents of the farmers, the poor are the sufferers.