22nd April 1812: An anonymous man goes for a shave

Michael Bentley lived at Methley. A man came to him on Wednesday 22nd April 1812 asking him if he would shave him. The man looked strange in the way he held himself, and when he shaved him it was clear that he seemed to be lame in one arm and had difficulty moving it.

He didn't find out the man's name.

22nd April 1812: Third and final day of food rioting in Manchester

Charles Walker, a farmer, had left his home at Wootton in Staffordshire on Tuesday 21st April 1812 to sell a 3 1/2 cwt load of butter in Manchester the following day. He stopped overnight at Bullock Smithy (now Hazel Grove) near Stockport, before heading into Manchester the following morning.

Having sold some of his butter in Manchester, he was at a shop in Ardwick trying to sell some more when he was surrounded by about 10 people. An older woman spoke to him, enquiring how much he sold his butter for: he told her, 15 pence per pound. The woman made it clear that that was too high, she wanted less. Walker asked her what she would be prepared to offer, and she told him 1 shilling (i.e. 12 pence). Walker felt intimidated and agreed to sell her a pound. He got in his cart, and started to drive away to the outskirts. He soon noticed he was being followed - when he looked around, he saw about 100 people running after him.

After travelling a mile, the crowd caught up with Walker and stopped him. By this time, 200 to 300 people were surrounding his cart. They all wanted his butter at a shilling per pound. Walker offered only the contents of one basket - around 30lb - but the crowd wanted the lot, a threatened to upturn his cart if he didn't comply. He sold all of the butter in the cart at 1 shilling per pound. At one point, the woman who had challenged him in Ardwick earlier had got onto the cart to assist. She later carried off 20lb of butter into the crowd to sell it at the autoreduced price. The crowd later allowed Walker to drive his by now empty cart away.

Reaching Bullock Smithy again, he found that he had £14, 12 shillings - £9, 18 shillings short of what he had wanted to sell his butter for.

21st April 1812: The Rope Walk at Bolton is destroyed by fire

In the evening of Tuesday 21st April 1812, the Rope Walk at Bolton was set alight and destroyed by fire. A field nearby had been used for secret nocturnal meetings of weavers for weeks prior to the arson. The building was described as being 48 yards long, and having a thatched roof.

Late April 1812: Posted address "To the inhabitants of this Town", Macclesfield

To the inhabitants of this Town i under Stan the newspapers informs you that General Lud is taken prisoner but i can contrdict that Satement for i have just recievd a Leter from him Which he informs that he as Taken a fresh plan which is this no 1 Plan That the Shall be a List of those persons which is worst Against the poor in evry Town and Vilage No 2 And that evry Poor Person whill Get blunder b[u]shes Guns pistols axes forks riors rasors knives No 3 that you Devide youselvs And by And 3 by 3 And two And ind in Any rioting to Stick ther horses in the neck No 4 And if any one is taken that man that Swears against him must Be way Laid if it is for one or two years of weks or months And Shot by the Law that we have made No 5 that i Shall take the Command in Person in a Short time my Self when you have Got ready No 6 I understand by you you have had 3 men Sent to Chester who was no way Concerned in rioting bu never mind that i will come over after the Trial And if the Come to Any harm i whill Put you in A way to Send them And All Such for Sworn Deivls to hell
No 7 that it is Agreedon to Shoot All masters that Puls Down wages or invents things to hurt the Poor No 8 that if Price of wales whill not Change is ministers he Shall Lose his head No 9 that we whill All be Good Subjects if the whil let us have work to keep our por Starving hungry naked Cheldren And we Desire that you whill Let Mr Devenport know that A hungry below whill not be keept Down by the Sword And Chales wood that he as Been the Cause of a riot in macclesfield with Droping poor mens wages And Saying that water Should Be as Dear as milk And Speaking Against the School | And i have to Contradict A Statement which i read with Great indignation Concerning Stubbs in the macclesfield Courier which was to this efect that Stubbs was one of the most Daring amongst them All he might well for I never Saw A man Cut And knocked in sutch a maner in All my Life now I was behind that man All The way And I heard him to ask Several persons to Give over flinging And the Person that flung that Stone was betwixt him And me he made A bod resistance we alow And he was right for so]; doing for the knocked him Down he Got A stone up for to fling but head not time he was right to Stand in is hown Defence now if that man Comes to harm; besides is imprisoment Shall be Sto Broadhurst Tunstal Servant woman Shall be Shot One time or another what must that poor man think to be towrn from his Family for nothing Left & wife And 7 Small Children

thanks to Eaton an Daintry for the Goodness on the 13 of Aprall

[Late] April 1812: Poem titled "Well Done Ned Lud", Nottinghamshire

Well dn, Ned Lud, your cause is good,
Mk Perceval your aim,
By the late Bill ’tis understood,
’Tis death to break a fram.

With dextrs skll the Hosiers kill,
For they are quite as bad,
To die you must by the late bill,
Go on my bonny lad

You may as well be hangd, for death
As brkng a machine,
So now my lad, your sword unsheath,
And make it sharp and keen.

We’re ready nw your gause to join,
Whenever you may call,
To make foul blood run fair and fine,
Of tyrants grt and small.

P.S. Deface this who dare,
Shall have tyrants fare,
For Ned’s Every where,
To both see and hear.

An enemie to Tyrants

21st April 1812: "Fear not - overturn the Prince and His Rubish", handbill found in Birmingham

How long ye Wretches will ye
Grind The Faces of the poor—
But the day is at hand, I will help
to the last expiring breath in assist-
-ing you—nothing but victims
will do why; will you drag
out such miserable lives
dash away, Fear Not
overturn the Prince
and His Rubish—
Fly, Fly, your
Aid is Strong

21st April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates report disturbances to the Home Office

Sir

Some symptoms of Disturbance having taken place in this Town, a few windows broken & the sellers of Potatoes assaulted We have ordered the Patroles of the Scots Grays in different parts and as some of those Troop were sent for to Walsall yesterday we have also written to Gen. Dyott at Lichfield to send two more Troops to the Barracks here, & have desired Col’ Gosselyn to send a Party of the Recruits under his command to guard the Tower (the Place so-called) where Government Arms are lodged — and we have also published Hand Bills assuring the Farmers of being protected in bringing Potatoes to market

We hope therefore that the Peace will be effectually preserved as we shall continue in Town till all Danger so [illegible]

We have the honor to be Sir
Your most faithful Servs

Wm Villers
Wm Hamper

Birm’ April 21. 1812. 3 o'Clock

21st April 1812: Rawfolds mutineer is flogged outside the Mill

On the morning of Tuesday 21st April 1812, the sentenced handed down the soldier who refused to fire on Luddites during the attack on Rawfolds Mill was due to be carried out.

The army had decided that his punishment of 300 lashes should be carried out outside the Mill itself, and the soldier was marched 7 miles with an escort of Dragoons from Huddersfield to the site near Liversedge.

William Cartwright was present, and according to the Leeds Mercury's brief article about the flogging, Cartwright intervened in the delivery of the punishment numerous times. Eventually, the military agreed to remit the sentence after 25 lashes. Although Cartwright's thoughts about the spectacle haven't survived, it seems fair to surmise that with each stroke of the lash, he must have realised he was becoming even more of a villain, and not just in the eyes of the people of the area, but also the ordinary soldiers whom he and his fellow capitalists were depending on to suppress Luddism.

It's not clear how many people were present, but it seems likely that it was a significant public spectacle.

21st April 1812: Troop movements

On Tuesday 21st April 1812, four companies of the South Devonshire Militia marched from Mansfield to Sheffield. Four more companies were to arrive the following day.

21st April 1812: The Sheriff of Carlisle brings more troops to the city

Carlisle April 21st 1812

Sir

Having been call’d here this morng in consequence of riots which have been existing here for the last twelve days – and which are more increasing to an alarming degree - I have with the concurrence of the Magistrates and of the Deputy Lieutenants – ordered 150 men of the Whitehaven local Militia had 100 men of the Penrith local Militia to proceed to this city immediately to aid the civil Power and the regular Troops already here in keeping the Peace – the magistrates being of opinion in consequence of the plan the rioters have adopted of plundering in the neighbouring Villages – that the force at their command was not sufficient for that purpose

I have the honor
to be Sir
Yr mo hble Sevt
Tho. Hartley
Sheriff

21st April 1812: Attack on Burton's Mill at Middleton - Day 2

After the disorder and resulting slaughter that had taken place at Middleton in the daytime on Monday, in the evening the crowd had not just gone home quietly. The Leeds Mercury reported that "Monday night was occupied with rallying ... scattered forces and obtaining an accession of strength".

Samuel Bamford proceeded early to his job in Manchester, thereby missing what was to come.

Early on Tuesday 21st, the crowds had gathered again, only this time they were out in greater numbers. They had been augmented by a large number of Colliers from Hollinwood and Saddleworth, some of whom were carrying shotguns, and most of whom had brought their pickaxes. At 10.00 a.m. that morning, these men had called at the arms depot of the Oldham Local Militia, with the Adjutant William Chippindale had again anticipated an assault on the building, and although the crowd collected there had looked like they would mount an assault, they again changed their minds and instead looted gun powder from nearby shops, before proceeding to Middleton. Others with them carried all kinds of weapons, even scythes mounted on poles.

Scouting parties had detected the presence of the military at Burton's mill and whilst a presence was kept up outside it, other tactics were employed. The houses of some of those workers who had decided to side with Burton and against their class the previous day, and were not at home now, had their houses plundered of furniture, which was then piled up in the streets and set alight. Bamford said that "In this manner the furniture of one cottage at Back-o'th'-brow, and that of two others at the Club houses was destroyed." The Colliers from Oldham and Hollinwood used their tools to destroy the end wall of one such house, and we know the names of three of Burton's assassins whose homes were attacked: Benjamin Cooke, James Kay and Edward Taylor. The Colliers were next called away to nearby Rhodes to help out with another plan about to be implemented.

Emanuel Burton's house, a mansion called Park House at Parkfield, had been abandoned by the family after the happenings of the previous day. At 1.00 p.m, a crowd of 200 people proceeded to comprehensively loot it, as Bamford describes:

"the mob immediately ransacked the cellars and larder, the younger ones crunching lumps of loaf sugar or licking out preserve jars, whilst the older hands tapped the beer barrels and the spirit bottles, or devoured the choice but substantial morsels of the pantry or store-room. This part of the business having been accomplished, the work of destruction commenced, and nearly every article of furniture was irretrievably broken."

Bamford goes on to describe how, inside the house, two "dark-haired and handsomely formed" "Amazonian damsels" called Clem and Nan, apparently the daughters of an old weaver who lived on the outskirts, then escalated the matter:

"Come," said one to the other, “let's put a finish to this job,” and taking up a shred which lay on the floor, she lighted it at the fire which had been left burning in the grate. In a moment the sofa was on fire; the sofa set the curtains in a blaze, and sofa and curtains communicated the flames to the floor and window, and at the expiration of probably half an hour not a beam nor a board remained unconsumed in the whole building.

The Lancaster Gazette later stated the damage to be around £2000, which included the barn and stables (a week later, the Hereford Journal raised this to £3000). The crowd waited until the roof had fallen in and then proceeded another quarter of a mile. They had the same fate in mind for the home of Daniel Burton, at nearby Rhodes, and demanded meat and drink from those in the house. Apparently, they spent 90 minutes eating and drinking, and managed to consume 2 barrels of ale kept in the house.The crowd gathered around it was eventually dispersed by the returned Scots Greys, who Colonel Clay at Manchester had dispatched at about 2.00 p.m., and no damage was done.

It seemed that in certain parts of Manchester, word had got out about Middleton, and some were prepared to lend a hand. Colonel Fletcher's spy John Bent, reported that he had heard that the same afternoon, up to 427 mainly Irish workers in the Boardman Square district, many armed with pistols and swords, were prepared to head to Middleton, but were held back by their 'leaders'.

Both William Chippindale and the Lieutenant Colonel John Lees of the Oldham Local Militia went on to recount to the Home Office other activities apparently being conducted in Middleton that day. They described how a number of "revolutionary Jacobins" were about town wherever there were large numbers of people as well as in all the public houses. They were equipped with large ruled sheets of paper, at the top of which was an illegal oath, and they were collecting names of those who wished to take part in a rising against government on the 4th May. However it is hard to find these accounts convincing, especially as they seem motivated to procure military aid fearing similar occurences in Oldham as had taken place in Middleton and other towns.

Colonel Clay later reported to the Home Office that the crowd outside Burton's mill
quickly dispersed upon the appearance of the Scots Greys, but many took up positions on higher ground as well as in the Church Yard, and those with firearms proceeded to fire on the military. After apparently having three vollies of shots directed at them in this way the Cumberland Militia set about returning fire, killing several people. The Greys then proceeded to "clear every point they occupied", killing and wounding even more. Samuel Bamford again described some of the victims and how they died:

"A man named John Nield, from Oldham, was shot through the body by one of the Greys whilst attempting to escape near Alkrington Hall; another man was shot by one of the Greys, and left for dead, near Tonge Lane; a woman, also, who was looking through her own window, was fired at by another of the same party, and a bullet went through her arm. But a Serjeant of the Militia earned deathless execration by shooting an old man, named Johnson, from Oldham. Johnson had never been nearer to the mob or the factory than the Church public house, where he had sat in the kitchen with the family, and had smoked his pipe and drunk a glass or two of ale. Towards evening, when it was supposed that all the disturbance was over, he strolled into the churchyard, and was standing with his hands in his coat pockets, reading the inscription on a grave-stone at the steeple end, when a Serjeant and private of the Militia, having ascended the Warren, caught sight of him from mongst the trees; the Serjeant went down on one knee, levelled, fired, and killed the old man dead, the ball passing through his neck."

The Leeds Mercury said that in addition to these deaths, "a great number" were wounded. William Chippindale attested that "the country about Middleton is strewed with killed and wounded." 17 people were arrested.

By 6.00 p.m. the crowds had dispersed.

Heading home from Manchester, Samuel Bamford described what he saw "individuals on the road who were returning to Manchester with fragments of picture frames and mahogany goods in their hands."

It is hard to establish the true number of dead. A week later, the Times said that the toll was 12 dead and between 60-100 wounded. This is unsurprising given another statistic quoted in the same paper - that between 2000-3000 rounds of ammunition had been fired by the military.

But is possible to piece together other names of the dead and statistics about them which seem to have been missed from the most regularly referred to works. The Morning Chronicle of 28th April adds Thomas Jackson, 20 year-old a hatter from Oldham and John Johnson, a joiner.

The Chronicle also adds a weaver called John Sudwell of Ratcliff (i.e. Radcliffe), but this may be the same man named by Bamford, if spelled slightly differently (Bamford has John Siddall of Radcliffe Bridge). The same publicaton also has a Daniel Knott from Oldham, rather than Bamford's David Knott, a 21 year-old glazier. Again, it could be a different man. The Chronicle also informs us that the George Albison mentioned by Bamford was called Albinson, a 19 year-old weaver.

Regarding the wounded, the Chronicle reported that a week later, the only person who could be "ascertained with certainty" was a weaver called James Taylor, son of an Abraham Taylor of Oldham, and that he was believed to be mortally wounded at that time. But this contrasts with the Times dramatic figures, likely to be true given the number of rounds of ammunition fired. The Derby Mercury of 30th April had 27 wounded, 9 of them 'very severely'.

On the 29th April, the Hereford Journal reported that "a number of dead bodies had been found in the adjoining woods" (Prentice says that 2 were found there), and gave a new death toll of between 25 and 30 people. All of this was after the Coroner's inquest, which took place only a day after the second attack of the Mill, on Wednesday 22nd April and found that the slaughter was 'justifiable homicide'.

Writing at 11.00 p.m. on the 21st, Colonel Clay reported to the Home Office that "none of the military were hurt". Given the toll exacted on the people of Middleton, one can only add more's the pity.

The next day, the Burton's issued a notice: "D. Burton and Sons have determined not to work their looms any more."

And so the objective of the weavers at Middleton was achieved, but not without further cost. Burton dismissed 400 workers, many of whom subsequently left the town within a few days.

It is ironic that when we think of Luddism, the tragedy of the 2 dead men (and possibly a further 3) at Rawfolds in West Yorkshire always springs to mind. But what occurred at Middleton over those 2 days was of an order of magnitude that is, by contrast, almost quietly forgotten.

The Leeds Mercury of 25th April engaged in classic Liberal hand-wringing, despairing:

"For many years the military of this country have been solely employed against our foreign enemies; but now, unfortunately, they are under the necessity of acting against their own misled countrymen, and the tranquility of the country is only imperfectly preserved even at the point of a bayonet!"

But the lesson for the authorities would be that they had to tighten their grip on the North. Contrasted with his scaremongering tales of Jacobins on the street corners making big lists of names, William Chippindale did make one salient point:

"If more military be not sent into the country, they will not be called upon to prevent it, but will be required to reconquer it."

21st April 1812: Birmingham Magistrates give assurances to Farmers selling Potatoes in the Marketplace

21st April 1812: More rioting & machine-breaking in Lancashire & Cheshire

Following the large scale rioting that had taken place in the North West the previous day, further outbreaks occurred, mixed with some machine-breaking at the eastern limits of what was then Cheshire.

At Denton in Lancashire, large crowds collected in the forenoon and proceeded towards Hyde, in Cheshire. Once there, they attacked a mill belonging to John Ashton and first practised autoreduction before more straightforwardly taking the flour.

A short distance away, at the village of Gee Cross, mobs attacked provision shops - in particular one belonging to a Ralph Booth - and distributed meal and flour to crowds of mainly women, who carried it away in anything they could find. An elderly local man joined in, writing 'General Ludd' on a piece of paper and putting it around his hat.

Later, the crowds from Gee Cross joined those in Hyde to proceed to via Butterhouse Green to Bredbury, where they attacked Joseph Clay's Arden Mill on the banks of the Tame. The crowd distributed around £200-worth of flour before the Stockport solicitor, John Lloyd, arrived with 12 cavalry. The military fired shots to disperse the crowd, and Lloyd made 6 arrests.

At Tintwistle, which at that time lay in Cheshire, there was a mixture of food rioting and machine-breaking. Provision shops were entered, including one belonging to an Elice Berry, and autoreduction engaged in, with goods such as flour, meal, bacon and groceries distributed to the crowd.

Several Mills were attacked: the Vale House Mill, a cotton spinning and weaving concern belonging to Robert Thornley, had machinery and tools broken. Thornley's life was also apparently threatened.

At Millbrook, on the borders of Hollingworth and Tintwistle, a Mill belonging to the Sidebottom family was attacked, and machinery broken there.

Seven shearing frames belonging to a Thomas Rhodes were also destroyed in another mill, when a crowd of 400 people attacked it. This appears to be the only example of the destruction of shearing frames outside of the West Riding.

20th April 1812: Colonel Clay informs the Home Office of the state of Manchester & the surrounding towns

Manchester
20. April 1812
½ past 11 o’clock. P.M.

Sir

In consequence of information I received from the Police Office at a late hour last night, I occupied the points previously agreed on for the protection of the Provision warehouses before seven o'clock this morning, which had the desired effect. The Town has, however, been in a most disturbed state all day; so much so, that it became necessary to read the riot act this afternoon; & towards Evening, to call out the whole Garrison for the purpose of dispersing the mob & clearing all the Streets; which has been attended with some difficulty, but affected without material injury to any one.

In the midst of the tumult here, expresses arrived from Ashton, Middleton, & Eccles — with requisitions for Troops—. At the former place the mob plundered several shops in the town & demolished the windows of the Inn — at the latter, the people had assembled & evinced a disposition to Riot; but at Middleton, the mob made a most daring attack on the works of Mr. Burton, who has nobly defended them, & shot five of those wretches on the spot. I sent immediate assistance to him, & have since heard that all is quiet there: but to Ashton & Eccles I could not spare a man; as I am fully aware that the disturbances in the neighbourhood are principally intended to draw off the force from hence.—

I have also been informed that the People at Worsley have been very riotous today; but I have nothing official from thence.

A great number of people have also been levying Contributions on different Gentleman's families at their Country Residences in the Vicinity of Manchester this morning.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most Obedient
Humble Servant

JG Clay – Colonel
Commanding at Manchtr

The Right Honble
The Secretary of State
Home Department
&c &c &c

20th April 1812: Haystack set alight near Bolton

At 10.00 p.m. on Monday 20th April 1812, and following a day of serious rioting in the town, a hay stack was set alight and largely destroyed on the Western side of Bolton.

20th April 1812: A young Mancunian man is 'twisted-in '

On Monday 20th April 1812, a young man - whom we only know by the letters MI - met a man called Whittingham in Manchester. Whittingham told him that if he was interested he would be able to arrange for him to be twisted-in (i.e. be administered an illegal oath) - MI agreed, and later went with 5 others to a field near a church called St George's. We do not know the time of day, but it likely to have taken place at night.

MI was blindfolded, to ensure that he would not be able to tell who it was that had administered the following oath:

I AB do of my own free will and accord declare an solemnly swear that I will not reveal to any person or persons the name or names of the persons who comprise the secret committee, the place of abode, dress, features connections or anything else that may lead to a discovery of the same, under penalty of being sent out of the world by the first brother that may meet me, my name and character blotted out of existence, never more to be remembered but with contempt & abhorrence — I furthermore do swear, that I will do my endeavour to punish by death any traitor or traitors, let them be who they will & what they will, without favor or affection to friend or relation — should any rise up amongst us & attempt to fly even to the verge of nature I will pursue with unceasing vengeance — so help me God to keep my oath inviolable

MI stood as he took the oath, and at the end kissed a book, which he assumed was the Bible, and the blindfold was removed. MI was told that the organisation to which he now belonged stretched across the country, with 'some gentlemen' in London at the head of it, but their names were known only to a Secret Committee. Manchester was said to be a central location for the whole North West region, which delegates from different parts of the country always passed through, and the delegate system was used because the post could not be trusted. MI was then made aware of 2 signs and counter-signs which could be used to ensure that the people he met were also twisted-in:

The right thumb in the right waistcoat armhole – the Right heel in the Centre of the left foot with the toe turned square — the countersign is the reverse of this — i.e. the left thumb in the left armhole

The right-hand little finger in the mouth with the thumb pointed out, the fingers doubled. The answer is a left-hand rubbing the chin between the from & two first fingers

A day later, MI asked Whittingham for a copy of the oath, and he copied down what the man read out to him.

In 9 days time, MI would tell all of this to a local magistrate, the Reverend William Hay.

20th April 1812: Delegate meeting of Manchester Executive Committee at Ardwick Green

The next General delegate meeting of the towns around Manchester took place on Monday 20th April. The disarray that was displayed in the convening of the meeting was reflected in what occurred later at the meeting itself, and against the backdrop of widespread & escalating disorder in the North West. It would also herald the beginning of the end of the system that had been maintained up until that point by the committees of trades. We know about the meeting because of two sources: the weaver, Humphrey Yarwood, and Colonel Fletcher's spy, 'B' alias John Bent.

John Buckley Booth, of the Manchester Secret Committee, felt that it was not safe for him to attend at the original intended Venue, the King's Arms at Oldfield Lane, Salford. He suggested to another Secret Committee member, George Royles, that delegates should be directed to the Shakespeare at Ardwick Green and deputised him to go to the King's Arms and direct people there. Yarwood said that Royles did not stay long enough to direct all the delegates, and several who had arrived at the public house a 3.00 p.m. did not know where the meeting was. One of them, the treasurer of the Spinners committee called Burslem, took some delegates with him to Yarwood's house to make enquiries, who directed them to assemble at the Plough in New Islington for 4.00 p.m. where he would meet them and inform them where to finally go.

Meanwhile, according to Bent, Buckley Booth had convened some of the delegates at a public house in John Street, Ancoats before adjourning to the 'Place & Park' in New Islington. They were proceeding to business when the pub was entered by a party of Special Constables & some Scots Greys, who proceeded to clear the room. It's likely that they moved onto the Prince Regent's Arms in Ancoats, as that is where Yarwood caught up with them later in his efforts to find out the final meeting place.

When the meeting was eventually convened at the Shakespeare later that evening, Buckley Booth was surprised at the numbers of delegates present. Bent reported to Colonel Fletcher that delegates came from Saddleworth, Ashton-under-Lyne, Newton, Droylsden, Hollinwood, Stockport, Withington, Northenden, Stretford, Urmston, Eccles, Worsley & Astley Green. Yarwood heard that delegates were also present from Stalybridge and even Huddersfield. It is notable that that there was no delegate from Bolton that night, something that Bent pointed our to Colonel Fletcher in his report. Bent was not to know that the Bolton delegates to the previous meeting, John Stones and Waddington, had been traversing the countryside around Bolton and Atherton in the early hours of that morning.

The meeting set to business, and elected Bent as treasurer. Colonel Fletcher's spy now had a firm foothold in the regional organisation, and presumably access to personal details of the delegates.

But Buckley Booth was dismayed that the town of Manchester itself could not raise enough subscriptions to support it's own Committee, and proposed that the town should drop out of the association altogether. The meeting was to be rescheduled for just over a fortnight's time, 4th May at 11.00 a.m. in the Three Crowns at Failsworth, when subscriptions would be due. The proposal was to use the subscriptions to fund a delegate to travel to London. Following the disorder that had taken place in and around Manchester that day and the days before, there was an agreement to recommend that the people 'be peaceable' and that anyone involved in rioting would not be twisted-in.

A sign and countersign were agreed, and noted later by Bent in his report to Colonel Fletcher:

The sign to be admitted is: to clasp the forefinger of the right-hand into the right eye; the answer by the left in the same manner.

20th April 1812: Attack on Burton's Mill at Middleton - Day 1

Between Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd of April 1812, one of the most bloody and prolonged  examples of civil insurrection in the history of the UK took place in the Lancashire town of Middleton, 5 miles from Manchester.

The focus of the raging discontent in the town over the 2 days was the mill of Daniel Burton & Sons which utilised mechanised (steam) looms. Emanuel Burton knew trouble was brewing and had armed around 40 to 50 of his employees who had taken up positions in the mill. He had apparently been drilling them in the use of firearms for weeks. Burton also had 2 field pieces in the yard of the mill, although it is not recorded that they were used.

On the Monday, towns nearby and others across the North West of England had experienced extensive food rioting. Middleton was no exception. Around 2.00 p.m. large numbers of men arrived from the surrounding districts, many armed with sticks and bludgeons, and proceeded to empty shops in the upper part of town of provisions like bread, cheese, bacon and groceries. Bamford (1893, p.245) describes this body then amalgamating and taking the turnpike road down into the main part of town to meet those already gathered there.

According to Prentice (1851, p.53) the crowds that had gathered at the bottom of Wood Street, outside the mill initially amounted to 2000 people, and were now joined by those who had conducting the rioting in the upper part of town, totalling 3000. A pistol was fired from the crowd, which seemed to be the signal for proceedings to begin. A group of boys leading the crowd began shouting and then threw stones which broke windows in the mill. The crowd joined in, and then attempts were made to try to force entry. Burton ordered his workers inside the compound to fire blank cartridges to try and scare the crowd off. About 50 blanks were discharged over 15 minutes or so, but the crowd soon realised the shots aimed at them weren't finding any kind of target. Bamford (1893, p.246) describes a cry going around the crowd "Oh! they're nobbu feyerin peawther; they darno shoot bullets" and the crowd, unintimidated, renewed their attempts to get into the mill.

Seeing this, Burton decided to use live ammunition. In the ensuing battle, at least five of the crowd were shot dead, and at least 18 injured. The crowd now began to disperse in fear, and a troop of Scots Greys and a detachment of Cumberland Militia arrived from Manchester and cleared the streets. The Greys later returned to Manchester and the Militia took up residence in the mill.

Samuel Bamford (1893, p.246) gives not only the names, ages and home towns of those shot dead, but also the locations where they fell in Middleton itself:

"Joseph Jackson, sixteen years of age, and David Knott, aged twenty, both from Oldham, were killed at the end of Chapel Street; John Siddall, of Radcliffe Bridge, aged twenty-two, was killed lower down the street; and George Albison, a young man from Rhodes, was wounded whilst going along the highway, and shortly after bled to death, there being no surgical aid promptly at hand."

Bamford, a Middletonian, arrived home from work in Manchester after the streets had been cleared and the military retired. He describes the 'agitated' minds and 'fierce denunciations' of local people against Burton and his men, contrasted with very little criticism of the food rioters. He also described his alarm and anger at his wife Jemima who, in telling him what had happened that day, admitted she had followed the crowd to the mill and watched what had occurred, and was not far from one of the men who was shot dead when he fell.

But whilst what had happened that day was extraordinary in itself, what was to occur the next day was even more so.

20th April 1812: Serious rioting across the North West of England

On Monday 20th April 1812, serious rioting broke in many towns across the North-West of England. Much of it bore the character of food rioting that was by then into its second day in Manchester.

In Oldham, the Adjutant of the Local Militia, William Chippindale, had observed large groups of people assembling in the countryside the previous day, and had heard rumours that they would be collecting in town the following day. He had only a handful of men to guard the Militia's armoury, which was a regular dwelling house, and he set about fortifying it which was complete by 12 noon. When disturbances began in earnest later, Chippindale apportioned blame to people coming into Oldham from Saddleworth ('rude uncultivated savages') and Hollinwood, the latter group being mainly Colliers. Warehouses and shops were plundered, and the crowds engaged in autoreduction. Sections of the crowd began to assess the possibility of attacking the armoury but decided against it. Chippindale then saw the crowds head en masse to nearby Middleton.

At Rochdale, large crowds came into the town from the direction of nearby Oldham & Royton, and the clamour amongst them was to carry out the autoreduction of prices that was a common theme elsewhere. There were at least two arrests and it seems a stand-off situation existed in the town for many hours before windows began to broken at around 8 p.m. The Cumberland Militia was eventually called out and the Riot Act was read by a Magistrate, William Horton. The crowds were eventually dispersed by the military and the streets locked down by 11.00 p.m.

At Bolton, crowds had also gathered to enforce autoreduction early, and Colonel Ralph Fletcher was at the forefront in calling out the military for 8.00 a.m. A 60-strong detachment of the Scots Greys was called out, along with 80 of the local Yeomanry Cavalry under Major Pilkington and 50 of the Bolton Local Militia under Fletcher himself. These were all in use to guard the market place. The guard continued until around 7.00 p.m., when even greater numbers had collected in the streets. Fletcher then decided to read the Riot Act, the streets were cleared and Public Houses shut.

The story was similar in Ashton-under-Lyne, with provision shops and warehouses being into and the produce seized. An arrest was made, with the prisoner being held at the Globe Inn in town, with crowds demanding his release. When this was refused, the pub had most of its windows put through. A Manchester Magistrate, The Reverend William R Hay was in town on other business at the time and wrote to the Home Office to explain the authorities were unable to intervene due to the lack of military. He even swore in 60 members of the Local Militia as Special Constables.

The crowd then moved through Dukinfield and on to Stalybridge, where the Granary, Corn-Mill and Warehouses of the Huddersfield Canal Company were attacked by a large crowd of people. As well as goods being carried away, at least 1000 bushels of flour and meal were destroyed, their rage being so great.

Between 1.00 and 2.00 p.m. a flour Mill at Worsley was attacked by a large mob. The machinery was damaged and much of the flour carried away. In nearby Eccles, all the shops were shut up, and the Liverpool coach heading through the town had stones thrown at it.

Much later in the afternoon, the same crowd that had assailed the Mill at Worsley arrived at Barton-upon-Irwell. A provision shop was attacked, with autoreduction being in evidence. A hundred people entered the local Mill of Messrs Gilbert, Marsdens & Co, attacking the machinery with staves and clubs: outside the crowd called out "Now or never", a by now popular slogan seen in evidence 12 days before in central Manchester and parts of Yorkshire but a few days ago. Most of the flour, either loose or in sacks, was carried away.

At many of these locations, arrests took place, with prisoners later being committed to either Chester or Lancaster Castles, depending upon which County the riots took place in.

20th April 1812: Second day of serious rioting in Manchester

On Monday 20th April 1812, they was serious rioting in Manchester, only 2 days after a food riot in the Shudehill and New Cross area.

The Times reported that the areas around New Cross, Ancoats and Knott Mill were the site for much of the rioting, with the crowd carrying away meal, flour and potatoes.

The proceedings had actually begun as early as 9.00 a.m., where a woman was seen to be stopping potato carts and encouraging a crowd to take all the produce. The same woman then unscrewed the side so that the load tipped out over the road, and helped herself to as many as she could carry in her apron before running away. Many others then followed her example. Subsequently, many of the shops in the area were shut, particularly around Oldham Street.

The rioting continued throughout the day and into the late afternoon. As well as plain expropriation, auto-reduction was much in evidence. A crowd of 200 people persuaded a Mr Lomas to sell his stock of provisions at a loss. By 2.00 p.m., the same woman who had been foremost amongst the rioters earlier in the day was stopping butter carts and horses bringing milk into town, and demanding they auto-reduce their prices: they were offered 1 shilling per pound for butter and 2d per quart for milk and told that if they did not like these prices, the produce would simply be taken. Threatened with a constable, the women retorted she would have him hanged if he dared to intervene. At Miles Platting, a meal cart on it's way to Oldham was overturned, and the contents carried away.

At 5.30 p.m. on Deansgate a shopkeeper called John Holland saw a large crowd proceeding up the street. He ran into his shop and shut the door, locking and bolting it for good measure. He and his family stood with their backs against the door, whilst the crowd gathered outside and demanded that he open up. As the anger increased at Holland's refusal to obey them, a man from the crowd began to kick the door with greater and greater force. another man came up with a piece of wood and before long the door yielded to their collected blows, with the windows being smashed in concert. The crowd now descended on the shop, and threw all of the provisions outside, taking away and distributing 2 tubs of potatoes from the front. Holland then attempted to close the shutters on the outside of the shop, but was severely beaten by the crowd. The military and constables eventually arrived to disperse the crowd, but only after the shop had been emptied of it's contents. Holland later estimated the loss of stock to be between £7-8.

The Riot Act was eventually read, and military dispersed the crowds, eventually arresting 5 women and 3 men.