14th November 1811: The funeral of the Luddite John Westley

In the afternoon of Thursday the 14th November, an almost palpable air of tension existed in the village of Arnold. Up to 1000 people had gathered for the funeral of John Westley, the Luddite shot dead in the early hours of the previous Monday morning.

The funeral cortege was preceded by former colleagues of Westley "bearing black wands, decked with knots of crape"¹ and a band played solemn music. The authorities had turned out for the occasion: the High Sheriff, the Under Sheriff and six of the County Magistrates no less. They were joined by Special Constables as well as 30 Mounted Dragoons. At one stage, the Riot Act was read, and the crowd was given an hour to disperse. To make matters worse, the hour elapsed when Westley's body was being lowered into the grave and the crowd was then ordered to disperse immediately by the High Sheriff, Thomas Wright, the same man who had acted as Coroner at the Inquest into Westley's death. Two who refused were taken into custody (but later released) and at this point the tension dissipated and the crowd dispersed quietly.

14th November 1811: 420 Special Constables sworn in

The Town Magistrates in Nottingham swore in 420 Special Constables, who were selected from 'the most respectable Inhabitants of the Place', as Conant & Baker put it.

The Magistrates also ensured that in future some of their number attended the Police Office in Nottingham each night to place Constables on watch and communicate with both them and any military force as necessary.

On the same day, Public Notice was given in Nottingham for the assembly of the 1st Regiment of Nottinghamshire Local Militia under Lieutenant-Colonel Wright.

14th November 1811: J Beckett at the Home Office to William Sherbrooke, County Magistrate

Whitehall 14 November 1811

Sir

I am directed by Mr Secretary Ryder to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant relative to certain riotous proceedings which have taken place in the vicinity of Nottingham, and requesting that an additional Military force might be sent thither to aid the Civil Power in the Preservation of the Peace, and I am to acquaint you that a Squadron of the 15th Dragoons has been ordered to repair immediately to Nottingham and that General Dyott at who commands the District has been directed to afford such additional force as may be necessary in case of emergency.

I am &c.

J. Beckett

[to] William Sherbrooke Esq Southwell Nottingham

13th November 1811: Troop movements

In response to the Luddite attacks taking place, the Holme and Bunny Troops of local Yeomanry Cavalry were called out and marched through the Town of Nottingham.

13th November 1811: Mass Luddite attack at Sutton-in-Ashfield

Sutton-in-Ashfield had been chosen by the Luddites as the next place to be subject to frame-breaking. According to Darvall, the town was a "great centre for manufacture of 'cut-ups' and payment in 'truck'."¹

Arnold was the main assembly point for the Luddites that afternoon, and in particular an Alehouse called 'The Hut' where 100 local men had already gathered, with contingents arriving thereafter from Hucknall Torkard, Kirkby & Bulwell. A local militia Sergeant called Jackson allegedly handed out gunpowder to those with firearms. Having mustered, the force then marched alongside the road between Nottingham and Mansfield, stopping for those armed with guns to fire off a few rounds to determine who was the best shot and, therefore, who should be in the vanguard. Their immediate destination was the seventh milestone on the same road², where they waited to be joined by others there, and then set off en masse via Kirkby - stopping to solicit arms from houses along the way - and headed for Sutton-in-Ashfield, arriving there at dusk (approximately 5 p.m.).

The Luddites halted at a distance of 200 yards from the house of the hosier Francis Betts, their main target that night.Three men had been given the task of approaching Betts directly, demanding he surrender his frames, but the waiting group were given an order to advance 10 minutes later; it seemed Betts would not yield to their demands. The numbers given for frames broken in the resulting attack that night vary³, but up to 70 were destroyed, including all of those owned by the Betts, with the frames being hauled from houses and smashed in the street to cries of 'Roll Up Ned Lud's Family' and 'Hey Luds!'. All kinds of weapons & tools were employed in the attack, including Hammers & Coal Hammers, Hatchets, even Hedge Stakes, as well as the proverbial bars of iron, bludgeons and sticks. One reference tells us that some frames belonging to a Mr Gadsby were also destroyed⁴. The group then moved on to Woodhouse, to attack more of Betts' frames, along with some belonging to a Richard Nailor. According to William Felkin, the attack left Betts deranged and he died soon after (1867, p.232).

One report in the Leeds Mercury mentions that a Corn Mill was also attacked. But the Luddites did meet some resistance that night from the military: the Mansfield militia & a handful of dismounted Dragoons in the town caught between 8 and 12 of the Luddites: four of them were later remanded in custody to be committed for trial at the next Assizes, these being John Bradbury, Gervas Marshall, George Green & John Clarke⁵.

12th November 1811: Nottingham Magistrates emergency meeting

Following the events of the last 48 hours, the Magistrates for the Town of Nottingham convened at the Police Office in the town. Their first act was to make inquiries of the military forces available to them: the Town Clerk, George Coldham, wrote to the Commanding Officer at the Barracks of the Queens Bays enquiring of the strength of his forces. Coldham was subsequently informed that the Regiment was comprised mainly of new recruits, that the horses they had were relatively new, and not ready for the field and therefore only 10 or 12 Dragoons could be made available as cavalry.Coldham also wrote to General Dyott, the Commanding Officer of the District, asking for his help.

In addition, the Magistrates assembled a watch of 12 Constables for that night, to warn of any approaches being made to the town itself.

12th November 1811: Daytime attacks on frames in transit at Basford

Following the outbreaks of frame-breaking that were already taking place, many hosiers decided to move their frames into the town of Nottingham itself, in the belief there was greater security there. But only a few hours after the attacks at Bulwell & Kimberley, attacks now followed on frames in transit.

The hosiers Maltby & Brewett in Sutton-in-Ashfield were moving five wide-frames by waggon when Luddites intercepted the transport at Basford. The frames were destroyed in the road, the Luddites making sure they broke the metal parts, and then set the woodwork alight. Another report has frames belonging to Job Bramley suffering a similar fate (in this case five wide and two narrow frames).

11th November 1811: John Westley, Luddite Martyr

At dawn near the road at Bulwell Forest, and at a short distance from Edward Hollingworth's wrecked house, lay the body of the man who had been shot the night before. It would appear that his comrades had decided to leave his corpse where he had died, rather than risk returning with it and increasing the possibility they would be exposed. The man was subsequently identified as a John Westley¹, a framework-knitter originally from Leicester, but who had lived in Arnold for 12 years. Westley was a single parent, with two children aged 5 and 3, who were now orphans. The Inquest, which was held a day later, stated that a bullet had entered Westley on the left side of his body, just below the navel, and had exited on the right side, just below the ribs. The Inquest held that the death was justifiable homicide on the grounds of self-defence.

As far as is known, Westley was the only fatal casualty of the disturbances in Nottinghamshire.

10th November 1811: Frame-breaking at Kimberley

The same night of the attack at Bulwell, another group attacked frames in the village of Kimberley. The hosier there had been using 'colts' (un-apprenticed labour) and the forfeit for this grievance meant that between 8 and 10 frames were destroyed¹.

More significantly, simultaneous attacks had taken place in 2 different locations, which would often be a feature of the coming weeks.

10th November 1811: Attack on Edward Hollingworth's frames at Bulwell & the death of a Luddite

Edward Hollingworth, a Hosier at Bulwell in Nottinghamshire knew they were coming.¹ Prior to the Sunday evening of 10th November, he had removed some of his frames to Nottingham², barricaded his house, and enlisted the help of his brother-in-law and several friends³, all of whom had firearms. All they could do now was wait for what would come.

Late at night on the 10th, between 20 and 30 frame-breakers had left Arnold to meet up with 40 more at Bulwell Forest. They were formed into a line by a man calling himself 'Ned Ludd' who tried to instill confidence in the group, pointing out that they had 21 firearms amongst them. The Luddites then marched in single file to their destination.⁴

They arrived at Hollingworth's house at around 1 a.m. the following morning. They demanded entry to the property, or that Hollingworth surrendered the frames inside. Hollingworth refused to comply at all, and in the darkness, an exchange of fire broke out. After nearly 20 shots had been fired, the Luddites began to try to break in, using hammers. It was at this point that one of the attackers was mortally wounded by gunfire, and the shock and resulting alarm caused the attackers to briefly pause their attack and retreat, carrying the wounded man with them.

But it was not over: the anger the Luddites no doubt felt over the death of their comrade strengthened their resolve, and they returned to Hollingworth's house to renew their attack. Hollingworth and his men retreated upstairs and the two groups exchanged fire, up and down the stair-well. By now, the attackers had started to pull down the partition wall which supported the floor of the room the hosier and his men had fled to, and being in a hopeless situation, Hollingworth and his men decided to escape through a window at the back of the house.

Now undisturbed, the Luddites set about what they came for: all the frames in the property (5 wide frames and 2 warp-frames)⁵ were destroyed, along with the doors, window-frames and household furniture. Their work done, they retreated and dispersed.

8th November 1811: Fletcher's spy 'B' reports on the Manchester Secret Committees

On the 4th November, Colonel Fletcher's informant 'B' began writing another report about underground activities across Lancashire and Cheshire, and in particular in Manchester.

'B' first related a meeting he had that day at the Falstaff Hotel with a contact from Nantwich in Cheshire, who informed him that the underground there was 1000-strong and familiar with the use of Arms whose 'General wish was a revulation' and who believed that 'a parlimentry reform is of no use to us'.

On the 5th, 'B' reported attending the same Manchester Committee he had documented being constituted the previous month. A delegate from Royton reported that 'the Royton people is worne out with petitioning and his Ready at a days warning to Come forward if they had a Leader', noting that other delegates who had been elected to the Committee in October reported their areas shared these sentiments.

On the 6th, 'B' reported he had attended yet another meeting at the Falstaff Hotel representing different trades and chaired by an un-named Cobbler. The meeting seemed to be concerned with organisational matters and the informant admitted 'most of the Committee are str(a)ngers to me will give their names in my next'. They were due to meet again on Friday the 8th November.

On the 8th, 'B' reported he had travelled to Stockport to meet a contact there only to find that he had absconded to Dublin, taking the subscriptions of an un-named group with him - the funds amounted at £61, 3 shillings and 8 pence. 'B' expressed hope to Fletcher that this would have the effect of making people reluctant to contribute to the funds of Secret Committees across the whole country. Returning home at midnight meant that the informant had been unable to get to the Manchester Committee meeting at the Falstaff, but he reported that he had heard it had been inconclusive in its attempts to arrange a general meeting of the trades, and had set a date for another meeting on Wednesday 13th November at 8 p.m.

'B' closed his report with an expenses claim for 22 days of activity, which included his Committee subscriptions. Deducting an overpayment left him requesting £5, 14 shillings and 9 pence.

A postscript was added: referring to the address to the Lancashire Weavers posted in Manchester in October, it is claimed the author was a Mr Knight.

8th November 1811: Letter from Ned Ludd at Nottingham to Mr H at Bulwell

Mr H

at Bulwell

Sr,

Sir if you do not pull don the Frames

or stop pay [in] Goods onely for work

extra work or m[ake] in Full fashon

my Companey will [vi]sit yr machines

for execution agai[nst] [y]ou--

Mr Bolton the Forfeit--

I visitd him--

Ned Lu[d]

Kings [illegible]

Nottinghm---Novembr 8 1811

4th November 1811: 6 Frames broken in Bulwell

Like a faint rumble of thunder in the distance, frame-breaking broke out again 2 weeks after the October incident at Arnold. Six stocking frames were broken at Bulwell, and the frame-breakers seem to have targetted them for destruction on account of their being wide-frames, of the the type used to create cut-ups ('shoddy goods' as far as the framework-knitters were concerned).The thunder would be directly overhead in but a few days time.

November 1811: "Declaration; Extraordinary''

Declaration; Extraordinary.

Justice.

Death, or Revenge.

To our well-beloved Brother, and Captain-in-Chief, Edward Ludd.

Whereas, it hath been represented to us: the General Agitators, for the Northern Counties, assembled to redress the Grievances of the Operative Mechanics, That Charles Lacy, of the Town of Nottingham, British Lace Manufacturer, has been guilty of divers fraudulent, and oppresiv, Acts―whereby he has reduced to poverty and Misery Seven Hundred of our beloved Brethren; moeover, it hath been represented to us that the said Charles Lacy, by making fraudulent Cotton Point Nett, of One Thread Stuff, has obtain'd the Sum of Fifteen Thousand Pounds, whereby he has ruine'd the Cotton-Lace Trade, and consequently our worthy and wellbelov'd Brethren; whose support and comfort depended on the continuance of that manufacture.

It appeareth to us that the said Charles Lacy was actuated by the most diabolical motives, namely to get rich gain riches by the misery of his Fellow Creatures, we therefore willing to make an example of the said Charles Lacy, do adjudge the said Fifteen Thousand Pounds to be forfeited, and we do hereby authorise, impower, and enjoin you, to command Charles Lacy to disburse the said sum, in equal shares among the Workmen, who made Cotten Nett in the Year 1807, within ten Days from the Date hereof.

In default whereof, we do command that you inflict the Punishment of Death on the said Charles Lacy, and we do authorise you to distribute among [the party] you may employ for that purpose the Sum of Fifty Pounds, we enjoin you to cause this our Order to be presented to the said Charles Lacy without Delay,

November 1811--By Order Thos Death

22nd October 1811: frame-breaking returns to Arnold

All of the publications about Nottinghamshire Luddism agree that after a lull of 6 months, the disturbances recommenced on 'Mischief Night' (4th November) in 1811. However, the Home Office records hold vital evidence that frame-breaking had begun at least a fortnight earlier, and at the same location as in March - the village of Arnold.

A notice that appears to be unconnected with any other document offers 150 Guineas (total) reward for information leading to the conviction of a 'number of persons' who entered the house of a Framework-Knitter, William Marshall, at Red Hill near Arnold at one o'clock in the morning and destroyed five stocking-frames, as well as stealing a large piece of cloth. The owner of the frames appears to be James Pritt & Co, because the notice states the reward will be paid at their warehouse at St. Mary's Church Yard, Nottingham.

This document appears in the Home Office archive at HO 42/117. A J.J & D Pritt had signed a statement in the Nottinghamshire Papers in January 1811 undertaking to not reduce their prices prior to the first appearance of frame-breaking in March.

In addition, a letter from a Thomas Hayne, Lace Manufacturer, to the Home Office on 12th February 1812 states that frame-breaking recommenced 'at the beginning of October 1811, when some more frames were broken at Arnold, at Bulwell, at Basford etc'. The letter can be found at HO 42/131.

21st October 1811: Printed address to Lancashire Weavers

TO THE

Manufacturers, Mechanics, Artisans, and Others,

(INHABITANTS OF MANCHESTER AND ITS VICINITY),

Who Signed and Supported the late PETITION to the

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

BRETHREN,

NOW that the result of your late application to Parliament is known, the reasonable expectations for the present disappointed, and little hope remaining that any future petition of a similar nature, and to the same quarter, will in future be more successful, it becomes the painful duty of the Committee, entrusted with the management of this unfortunate business, to lay before you the leading circumstances therewith connected.

Your petition had 36,104 signatures annexed, which was sent to London on the 25th. May, 1811. The Petition from Scotland, presented at the same time, and for a similar purpose, had 30,000 signatures. One from Bolton 7000; which plainly proves, that the distress experienced by the Mechanics and Artisans is generally felt through the United Kingdom.

The Delegate from Manchester, and three from Glasgow, was sent to London to forward the business; where their utmost exertions were only able to obtain the appointment of a Committee, consisting of the following 21 Members, who were appointed to consider the said Petition:

Colonel STANLEY, President.
Mr. BLACKBURN,
Lord A. HAMILTON,
Sir ROBERT PEEL,
Mr. BOOTLE,
Mr. DAVENPORT,
Right Hon. G. ROSE,
Mr. WESTON,
Mr. BRADSHAW,
Mr. WILBERFORCE,
Mr. WHITBREAD,
Mr. HOUSTOWN,
Mr. PAYTON,
Sir J. SHAW,
Sir J. ANSTRUTHER,
Mr. GRAHAM,
Mr. NEWPORT,
Mr. PONSONBY,
Mr. LONG,
Mr. D. GEDDY,
Mr. ADAM,

The Report of the Committee was, by a vote of the House of Commons, ordered to be taken into consideration by Committee of the whole House, on Wednesday the 19th of June; but there being no House on that and the following day, it did not come on till the 21st, when, by a motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was again put off till the 24th; when with a view as it would apply to get clear of so troublesome question, it was a second time put off to a period, at which it was then expected the House would be prorogued, and the Session ended.

In perusing the evidence given by the Delegates on this business, you will see that the ruined state of the manufactures of the country, sufferings of the labouring classes of the community, and the different allegations of your Petition, have been substantiated to the satisfaction of the Committee to which it was referred; and by that Committee, in your report, fully acknowledge, and most deeply lamented; yet no one solitary expedient has been proposed on their part, either for a permanent relief, or a temporary mitigation, of sufferings so candidly acknowledged, and so deeply felt for. On the contrary, in the said report, the Committee seem to consider some of the measures proposed by the Petitioners of too great magnitude for the time to which they found it necessary to circumscribe their deliberations; others of a nature hostile to the principles of individual liberty, and which would ultimately be injurious even to the Petitioners themselves, as calculated to arrest the progress of national improvement, and consequently of national prosperity; as tending to circumscribe matters, which ought to be left to their own operation, and which, white water, would find their own level. Above all, the report is decidedly against pecuniary aid being granted, and hopes would thereby be created, which could never be realized; as any sum that could be given must prove altogether inadequate to the distress. Besides that, the balance of commerce, of Manufacturer, and agriculture, would be endangered.

We are only mechanics, of course ill acquainted with the reason why the same measures are frequently opposed, at one time, by the same arguments by which at other times they are vindicated and supported. When we consider the extent and severity of the sufferings of which our Petition complained, with the most unparalleled patients of the sufferers—when we consider the number of the Petitioners, their usefulness in society, their peaceable demeanour, the respectful language in which their petition was couched, and that petition altogether unconnected with party politics, not the unseasonable clamour of the discontented populace, but the prayer of starving industry, which had relief, and that alone, phrase object—was it possible that some reasonable portion of hope should not have been founded on these circumstances? But when we consider likewise, that the legislator has already interfered in matters apparently less moment—has enacted laws regulating the price of corn, fixing the assize of bread, the fixing the price of labour in the case of the Spittalfields Weavers, and Journeyman Tailors of London; for augmenting the salaries of Judges and Clergymen; for regulating commerce, and a multitude of other things, which time would fail to enumerate. To say nothing of the Act now pending, or just passed into a law, for fixing a minimum on bank paper; and considering, moreover, that every law by which society are bound together, are subject to the same objections as those brought forward against the prayer of our petition being granted; namely, that it is an infringement of individual liberty. This Committee are utterly at a loss to conceive on what fair ground Legislative interference can be improper under circumstances so necessitous. If a large mound be projected from the one bank of a river, the stream must necessarily make inroads on the opposite shore: and if laws be made to regulate the price of the necessaries of life, laws should also be enacted for regulating the wages by which such provisions must be purchased, especially when (as in our case) such wages have lost all reasonable balance and proportion.

We have been in the habit of considering the wisdom of the House of Commons equal to every emergency. We have seen that House triumph over the united efforts of prejudice and barbarity, of ignorance and unconscionable avarice, in the abolition of the slave trade. We have seen their arm extended for the protection of the weak and defenceless—their hand open liberally to the relief of the indigent. We still see them able to provide the means for defending our common country against the attacks of Europe united against us; even in cases the most critical and alarming, their wisdom has never been nonplussed: but our case, it would seem, stands an exception in the general rule of Legislation; but why it should be so, we confess we have not sufficient penetration to discover a satisfactory reason.

On the whole, when reasonable hopes have been entertained, and considerable exertions made to realize these hopes, it becomes a painful task to relate the tale of disappointment. This the Committee find it on the present occasion; and have only to say for themselves, that nothing, which the means in their power enabled them to attempt, for bringing this business to a happy termination, has been neglected; every thing that could be done, has been done to secure success; and all the consolation that remains, either to the Committee or the supporters of the Petition, is the poor reflection, that they have done their best, and that the distress of the country has been fairly, formerly, and specifically represented at the proper place.

The Committee cannot dismiss the subject, without returning their sincere thanks to the Contributors, the chearful manner in which they have exerted themselves and the support of this business, notwithstanding the general poverty and pressure of the times. A statement of the receipt and expenditure is herewith subjoined for the inspection of the Public, by which it will appear, the subscriptions and benefactions amounted to £109 6 11½; under total of the expenditure (exclusive of this address and report) amounts to £108 12 4½, leaving a balance in the treasurer's hands of 14 s. 7d.

From the foregoing statement it is evident, that although the distress of the Manufacturers and Artisans was fully proved to, and admitted by, the House of Commons, yet it is equally evident, that the House was either unable or unwilling to remove this general calamity: in either case it proves that House (as at present constituted or appointed) to be unfit to manage your affairs. They, the Members of that House, can make arrangements which advance the price of provisions—increase your taxes—introduce such a state of things as diminishes your business and employment, and reduces your wages; but when you state to them that you cannot exist under these accumulated and accumulating evils, they will coolly tell you they cannot relieve you. Had you possessed 70,000 votes for the election of Members to sit in that House, would your application have been treated with such indifference, not to say inattention? We believe not. Is it not therefore high time to look to your own concerns, to strengthen the connexion between you and your nominal Representatives, to claim the constitutional privilege of electing those Men who are to make the laws which are to govern you; who impose your taxes, and direct your exertions. Your industry and economy no longer procure you plenty, nor have you any security they ever will, while your affairs are managed by Men over whom you have no check or control, and who have the power of raising the price of provision, increasing your taxes, and diminishing the value of your labour. That such is the state of things at present, the state of the Representation abundantly proves. It having been stated, and not contradicted, that in the year 1793, one hundred and sixty-two individuals sent 306 members into the House of Commons, being a majority thereof. If therefore you have any regard for yourselves, or your wives and children, if you have any regard for your liberty, property, or security, hesitate not to solicit the PRINCE REGENT for the restoration of that Right, without which no other rights are available or secure; namely, the right of electing your Representatives, and extending the elective franchise as far as taxation.

RICHARD TAYLOR, Secretary.

Manchester, Oct. 21, 1811.

1810s: Song “The Hand-loom Weavers’ Lament.” Lancashire

Kevin Binfield includes this song in his excellent book 'Writings of the Luddites'. He uses it as an example of folk song which illustrated the distress suffered by the weavers in the period of Lancashire Luddism. The wages of a Lancashire Weaver had declined from 25 Shillings in 1800 to 14 Shillings in 1811. Binfield dates the song roughly the 1810 decade, sometime after 1807 and the American Embargo Act and the collapse in trade with South America and changing to include the exile and death of Napoleon Bonaparte. Binfield also points out that the references to 'old prices' may have meant the song was influential to another well-known song which was yet-to-emerge. The song is sung to the tune of 'A Hunting We Will Go'.

The Hand-loom Weavers’ Lament

You gentlemen and tradesmen, that ride about at will,
Look down on these poor people, it s enough to make you crill;
Look down on these poor people, as you ride up and down,
I think there is a God above will bring your pride quite down.

Chorus
You tyrants of England, your race may soon be run,
You may be brought unto account for what you’ve sorely done

You pull down our wages, shamefully to tell;
You go into the markets, and say you cannot sell;
And when that we do ask you when these bad times will mend
You quickly give an answer, "When the wars are at an end."

When we look on our poor children, it grieves our hearts full sore,
Their clothing it is worn to rags, while we can get no more,
With little in their bellies, they to work must go,
Whilst yours do dress as manky as monkeys in a show.

You go to church on Sundays, I'm sure it's nought but pride,
There can be no religion where humanity's thrown aside,
If there be a place in heaven, as there is in the Exchange,
Our poor souls must not come near there, like lost sheep they must range.

With the choicest of strong dainties your tables overspread,
With good ale and strong brandy, to make your faces red;
You call d a set of visitors—it is your whole delight—
And you lay your heads together to make our faces white.

You say that Bonyparty he's been the spoil of all,
And that we have got reason to pray for his downfall;
Now Bonyparty’s dead and gone, and it is plainly shown
That we have bigger tyrants in Boneys of our own.

And now, my lads, for to conclude, it’s time to make an end;
Let s see if we can form a plan that these bad times may mend;
Then give us our old prices, as we have had before,
And we can live in happiness, and rub off the old score.

10th October 1811: a letter from a Lancashire informant

On the 10th October 1811, Colonel Ralph Fletcher, a JP, Local Militia Commander and member of the Orange Order at Bolton-le-Moors, received a letter from one of his informants in Lancashire.¹

The writer, who he called 'B',  painted a very vivid picture of secret committees and the political underground in that County. Writing on the 5th October, 'B' reported that he had just got back from a meeting attended by 140 delegates, held in a field, a mile from the Toll Bar at Mottram, Cheshire (on the border with Lancashire). The purpose was to discuss the sending of a delegate on a trip through several counties, to test the political, economic and social waters, and how the delegate must exercise care & sensitivity so as not to be discovered. Those gathered would reconvene at Gee Cross, a few miles up the road, in a fortnight, with reports from their local areas about the numbers of people who wished to be involved in 'the Business', as the 'B' puts it.

'B' talks of the widespread nature of the discontent in the land: there is talk of delegates travelling between Glasgow and Ireland, with Stockport in Cheshire being some kind of central meeting place of importance. There is talk of possible assistance in 'the Business' from France.

More revealing is 'B's' insistence that the country areas are more advanced than the towns in their readiness for change: the Manchester Committee is chosen by delegates from Saddleworth, Royton, Hollinwood, Glodwick and Ashton-under-Lyne, all places in Lancashire, with the Committee meeting in the Falstaff Hotel in Market Place.²

The fact that the content of many of these discussions, as far as 'B' could ascertain, were largely concerned with petitioning the Prince Regent and Reform and vague about anything else is part of the strange character or Lancashire and Cheshire Luddism, which would only emerge into the open 5 months later. Fletcher's mysterious informant was to write many more letters over the coming months.

Northern Anarchist Network: The Luddites 200th Anniversary commemorative booklet - a call for articles, artwork and ideas

An 'Enoch' Sledgehammer, as manufactured by Enoch & James Taylor of Marsden & put to good use by Luddites

 We've been contacted by the Northern Anarchist Network (NAN) about a commemorative booklet about the Luddites they are planning for 2012, and we're reproducing their press release below. Expressions of interest can be made directly to the NAN or via our email address:

2011 & 2012 sees the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings in the midlands and north of England. After an initial sudden outburst in Spring 1811 amongst framework-knitters in Nottinghamshire, discontent gestated until November 1811, when the self proclaimed 'Army of Redressers' emerged once again, this time proclaiming allegiance to the mythical avatar 'General Ludd'. Though the outbreaks were initially located in and around Nottinghamshire and were concerned chiefly with industrial disputes, they soon entered into parts of South Derbyshire and Leicestershire, before extended further north to Lancashire & Cheshire amongst weavers and most notably amongst the cloth-dressers of West Yorkshire in 1812, by which time the uprisings had taken on a wholly different character: opposed to the Napoleonic War, tyranny and the direction that a particularly militant version of laissez-faire capitalism had begun to take, using new technology to drive down wages and break the power of highly organised workers. Though the uprisings continued in a muted form all the way into 1816 in the Midlands, the back was broken in the north by early 1813, with show-trials, mass executions, deportations and the virtual occupation of the region by 12,000 troops, more than were currently engaged in conflict on the continent in the Napoleonic Wars.

The Northern Anarchist Network plans to facilitate a booklet to mark the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings at their zenith, in April 2012. We are looking for contributions, chiefly original articles and artwork, but any kind of work that fits into the printed format will be considered (i.e. poetry, creative writing). Articles of any reasonable length will be considered.

We welcome original submissions of all kinds, but it you are stuck for ideas, we have some themes we have come up with that interest us:

• The local history of Luddism from where you live
• Caravats in Ireland 1806-1811 & the parallels with Luddism
• Enclosure of the commons, 200 years ago and today
• The 'neutrality' of technology
• The role of technology in the modern workplace
• Why does 'the left' ignore the Luddites?
• The politics of rioting
• E.P. Thompson & the Luddites
• Disappearing workers, skilled and unskilled: from self-service checkouts to 3D printing
• General Ludd in the North, Captain Swing in the South

You may have your own ideas, and we would welcome discussing them with you.

We are Anarchists, but we welcome contributions from comrades across the Libertarian Communist spectrum, and beyond: we are happy to consider articles from those who feel outside any political spectrum but are willing to contribute regardless.

Although this is the Northern Anarchist Network, we welcome ideas from anywhere in the world.

We plan to have the booklet published by April 2012, and will be seeking expressions of interest until the end of October 2011. We request that a first draft is submitted by the end of November 2011 at the very latest.

We feel that for a number of reasons, the history of the Luddites and their messages and significance down the generations have been distorted and all-too-often ignored, quite often wilfully. There is an opportunity over the next 12 months to rehabilitate and to begin to regularly celebrate the machine-breakers from 200 years ago from whom we can still learn so much.

Our silence

If you've been following this blog, you may have wondered why it's gone quiet. There are several reasons for this:

• In terms of the historical side of this project, after a brief spurt of activity in early 1811, Luddism goes quiet, and then explodes in November 1811 and continues to burn for many months. On that basis, other than some contextual posts in late October of this year, we won't be writing about the history until November 2011.

• We're doing the research and donkey-work now, and it's hard work...

• We have other irons in the fire!

• There haven't been that many events to bring to wider attention.

In the meantime, if you want to stay up to date with the latest bits of news and ephemera that may be of interest, and also engage with us, the best places to go to are our pages on twitter and facebook.

So, in the meantime, thanks for your patience!