6th December 1816: Informer's report about Nottinghamshire Luddites

6th December 1816.

I was at Basford on Sunday & when I got home about nine I learnt that Badder & Adam had been to see me—I saw Badder at Scattergoods on Tuesday night & he told me he had been to my house to get me to assist them to do Braley’s Factory because he is paying weekly wages instead of paying by the piece & making them do as much for about 18 [shillings] as they should have 3 or 4 £ for, but he said the time had gone by that the Job was intended to be done—They intended to have done the Job about 6 in the morning of Monday or Tuesday but were prevented from attempting it on finding they were better guarded than was supposed—He said the Watch at the Factory continued on longer than they thought viz. till 6 in the morning & they thought of doing it after the Watch & Ward went off—He said the Rules of the Watch & Ward were to go on at 6 at night & continue till six in the morning but he said they went off at 4—He said they meant to shhot Brayley as he was the cause of hiring for wages he advised me to get rid of the Watch which I had of Young Jas Taylor about 12 months since for he was committed & was telling—He said Brayley’s Job must be done but there would be a Revolution before next Spring or before & then many in the Town would be struck level with—He mentioned the Magistrates & Constables as amongst the proscribed.—There is such strict order kept in Bulwell Basford & Arnold by the Watch & Ward nothing can be done there at present—They go on duty at 6 at night & stay till 6 in the morning & shut up the public houses at 10—Two have been convicted the suffering tipling after 10—Reed of Bulwell one of them about a fortnight ago & Robertson of Bulwell the other last Wednesday—Two were convicted on Wednesday for abusing the Watch & Ward—The Watch go to the public houses about 9 to see who are there & if any stranger be there one of the watch stop till he goes away.—When Badder & Adam were at the 3 Crowns, Gent’s, on Sunday night, they were watched till they went.

11th November 1816: The Watch & Ward Act is extended to cover more places in Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire—At a Special Sessions of the Peace of our Sovereign Lord King holden by adjournment at the Shire Hall in Nottingham in and for the said County on the eleventh day of November in the fifty seventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third And in the year of our Lord 1816 before William Sherbrooke Esquire The Right Honorable Sir John Borlase Warren Baronet Knight of the Bath the Reverend Charles Wylde and George Holcombe Doctors in Divinity Robert Padley Thomas Maltby William Fletcher Norton Norton Pendock Barry and Henry Crape Esquires The Reverend John Kirkby and Robert Lowe Clerks Justices of our said Lord the King assigned to keep the Peace in the said County and assembled in pursuance of an Act of Parliament Intitled "An Act for the more effectual preservation of the Peace by enforcing the Duties of Watching and Warding until the first day of March One thousand eight hundred and fourteen in places where disturbances prevail or are apprehended” (and which Act hath been revived and continued by subsequent Acts)—

Whereas it appears to this Court that disturbances are apprehended in the several Parishes Townships or Places herein after mentioned and that the Officers ordinarily appointed are insufficient for the preservation of the Peace and the protection of the Inhabitants and the security of the Property being or lying in such Parishes Townships or Places respectively It is adjudged and declared that the Officers ordinarily appointed are insufficient for the preservation of the Peace and for the protection of the Inhabitants and the security of the Property being or lying in such Parishes Townships or Places And that every Man residing within such Townships Parish or Place above the age of 17 years and charged or assessed to the rates for the relief of the Poor therein shall be subject and liable to the duties of Watching by Night by and Warding by Day according to the Provisions of the Act of Parliament before mentioned And it is Ordered that the Powers and Provisions of the said Act be carried into Execution within the several Parishes Townships or Places following (viz.) Broughton Sulney—Holmepierrepont—Hickling—Cropwell Bishop—Cropwell Butler—Colston Bassett—Gamston—Kinolton—Owthorpe—Tythby—Clipstone and Saxondale—

Ordered

That the Clerk of the Peace do give Notice of the above Adjudications the Chief Constable of the Hundred in which the above places are situate and also give notice thereof to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department and also publish the same in the Nottingham Journal—

Upon application be made to this Court by and on behalf of the Inhabitants of the several Parishes of Mansfield and Normanton upon Soare It is Ordered that the powers and provisions of the aforementioned Act of Parliament be suspended within those respective Parishes until the second day of December next—

An application was made to this Court by and on behalf of the Inhabitants of the several Parishes or Townships of Bradmore—Bunny—Keyworth—Selston—Stapleford—East Leake—Rempstone—Costock—Tollerton and Barton to suspend the Powers and Provisions of the said Act of Parliament in those several Parishes or Townships respectively but such applications were on due consideration severally refused—

Adjourned to the Shire Hall in Nottingham to Monday the 2d day of December next at 10 o'Clock in the forenoon

By the Court
Godfrey
Clerk of the Peace

31st October 1816: Henry Enfield reports a 'renewal of framebreaking' to the Home Office

Sir

I inclose, for the information of Lord Sidmouth, a Statement of a renewal of Framebreaking—It furnishes another instance of the Accuracy of our Agent’s Information—for, you will recollect, he told us, in his Report of the 24th Instant of this intended Attack upon the wide Frames at Bulwell—

I write with you in your Sentiments relative to the Watch & Ward Act, expressed in your letter with which I have been honored this Afternoon—& sincerely hope that its Effects will realize the expectations raised—"The Constables", however, alluded to in the Report of the 24th Inst, as having prevented the Excursions of the Nottingham Luddites, were the Police Officers whom the magistrates have for a considerable time past had out upon nightly Patrole. The Watch & Ward went out for the first time on the 26th Inst

I have [etc]
H Enfield

[To] Rt Hble J H Addington
&c

29th October 1816: Nottinghamshire Special General Sessions enforces Watch & Ward Act

Newark—October 30th 1816—

My Lord

I the honor to transmit your Lordship a Copy of the Adjudication of the Justices of this County made at a Special General Sessions held at Nottingham yesterday, for enforcing the provisions of the Watch & Ward Act in several places therein mentioned.

I have the honor to be,

My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient
& very humble Servant
[Edward] Smith Godfrey
Clerk of the peace

[To] Lord Sidmouth—

[adjudication follows]

Nottinghamshire—At a Special General Sessions of the Peace of our Sovereign Lord King holden at the Shire Hall in Nottingham in and for the said County on the 29th day of October in the fifty seventh Year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third And in the Year of our Lord 1816—Before William Sherbrooke Esquire The Right Honorable Sir John Borlass Warren Baronet Knight of the Bath the Reverend George Holcombe Doctor in Divinity Robert Padley William Elliott Elliott and William Fletcher Norton Norton Esquires The Reverend Thomas Beaumont John Kirkby William [Claire] Samuel Francis Dashwood and Robert Lowe Clerks Justices of our said Lord the King assigned to keep the Peace in the said County and then in there convened and assembled to take into consideration and to determine upon the expediency of carrying into effect all or any of the Powers and Provisions of an Act of Parliament passed in the 52d Year of the reign of his present Majesty entitled "An Act for the more effectual preservation of the Peace by enforcing the duties of Watching and Warding until the first day of March One thousand eight hundred and fourteen in places where disturbances prevail or are apprehended" and which Act has been revived and continued by subsequent Acts.

Whereas it appears to this Court That disturbances are apprehended in the several Parishes Townships or Places hereinafter mentioned and that the Officers ordinarily appointed are insufficient for the preservation of the Peace and for the protection of the Inhabitants and the security of the Property being or lying in such Parishes Townships or Places respectively It is adjudged and declared that the Officers ordinarily appointed are insufficient for the preservation of Peace and for the protection of the Inhabitants and the security of the Property being or lying in such Parishes Townships or Places And that every Man residing within such Parish Township or Place above the age of Seventeen Years and charged or assessed to the rates for the relief of the Poor therein shall be subject and liable to the Duties of Watching by night and Warding by Day according to the Provisions of the Act of Parliament before mentioned And it is Ordered that the Powers and Provisions of the said Act be carried into Execution within the several Parishes Townships or Places following (viz) Annesley—Arnold—Basford—Bulwell—Felley—Hucknall Torkard—Hucknall under Huthwaite—Kirkby—Linby—Mansfield—Mansfield Woodhouse—Newstead—Papplewick—Skegby—Selston—Bagthorpe—Sutton in Ashfield—Tiversall—Beeston—Bilborough—Bramcote—Chilwell—Cossall— Eastwood—Greasley—Watnall Cantelupe—Watnall Chaworth—Newthorpe—Moorgreen—Kimberley—Brunsley—Lenton—Nuttall—Radford—Strelley—Stapleford—Trowell—Wollaton—East Bridgford—Orston—Whatton—Elton—Aslockton—Granby—Carcolston—Flintham—Hawksworth—Kneeton—Langar—Screveton—Scarrington—Thoroton—Cotgrave—Ratcliff on Trent—Shelford—Newton—Tollerton—Bunny—Barton—Bradmore—Clifton—Keyworth—Plumtree—Ruddington—Wilford—Costock—Gotham—East Leake—Normanton on Soar—Rempstone—Sutton Bonnington—Bulcote—Burton Joyce—Carlton—Caythorpe—Calverton—Colwick—Epperstone—Gonalstone—Gunthorpe—Gedling—Hoveringham—Lambley—Lowdham—Oxton—Stoke Bandolph—Snenton—Thurgarton and Woodborough—

By the Court
Godfrey
Clerk of the Peace