Sunday 4 December 2011

4th December 1811: Military called out to protect factory in Loughborough

Following the Luddite attack in Loughborough the previous night, what Conant & Baker called a 'spirit of commotion' existed, to the extent that the Magistrates there called out the military to guard the local factory of Lacy and Heathcoat.

The sources for this event disagree: Conant & Baker state in their report (at HO 42/119) that the factory belonged to Lacy & Seals, a manufacturer who had been one of the first in the area to yield to Luddite attacks (on page 76, Darvall says they had agreed to pay regular prices at the end of November & were a Nottinghamshire firm). However, the Nottingham Review of 6th December 1811 states the factory belonged to Lacy & Heathcoat, manufacturers of twisted lace, whose factory was the target of a Luddite 'spectacular' 5 years later. I have chosen Lacy & Heathcoat in the absence of anything else to confirm this because they were a Loughborough firm.

No comments:

Post a Comment