Sunday 26 February 2012

26th February 1812: An informer sends a letter to the authorities in Nottingham

febuary 26th 1812

i have rote this that you may kno sum of the frame brakers, thomas bukson the barber in ould basford and thomas Willbore he lives upon the flat in new basford and the Mr dosley in ould Basford and the Maiser griner that stands in Nottingham Marked against the change on a Saturday grindin, thees is sum of the Worst of frame brakers and is at all the frame brakin and thomas Saxton in new basford is one of the head men at layin plans here to go on to get to them. the Maiser griner lives in sandy lane Nottingham against the clock and hors, and Elias carnil in bulwel is the head man at the committee and he lays plans how they must perseed and thay meen to Murder sum Men that thay do not like and the way thay meen to Murder them is that when they see them any whear for is to go after them with a rope with a nouse in the middel of it and one is to put it over is head and then thay pull it at each end of the rope til he is ded and thay meen to send sum dilegates from bulwel and basford to Manchester to the Weavers thear.

and all this is true as I have rote it as true as thear is a god in heaven but you must Exques me putin my name to it, for I dar not

This letter was sent to the Home Office by Major General Hawker, the commander in Nottingham, with a covering letter on 1st March 1812. In his letter he expresses particular concern about the stated contacts between the Nottingham Luddites and Manchester. Of interest here is the name of 'Elias Carnil', who is named as the 'head man' of the Bulwell Committee. A possible relative, William Carnell, had been committed for trial at the forthcoming Lent Assizes on 8th January 1812.

No comments:

Post a Comment