Historic Book

Extract from

“Ancient and Modern · Volume 1”

by Henry Heginbotham

Published in 1882

Pages 74

A young man named Ludlam, called by the people “Captain Ludd,” was the leader. The excitement quickly extended to the cotton districts, where the object was to destroy the steam looms. The hand-loom weavers were easily induced to combine for this purpose because they believed that the introduction of the power-loom with its appliances would, to a great extent, supersede their hand labor.

One result of their combination in this neighborhood was that on the 14th March 1812, large crowds entered Stockport and, after breaking into the provision stores and distributing their contents, attacked the residences of some of the principal inhabitants.

The first windows they destroyed were those of the house of the late Peter Marsland, Esq., in Heaton Lane, now the business premises of Messrs. Clubley and Brown, but then a mansion standing alone in the midst of a beautiful garden, with its greenhouses and pleasant walks on the banks of the river Mersey, which flowed along as a clear and limpid stream.

The rioters then proceeded to Tiviotdale, where they attempted to break the windows of Mr. Marsland’s mill by throwing stones across the river.

After this, they passed along the Underbanks and up the Hillgate, demolishing the windows of John Birch, the constable, and attacking the houses of those who were obnoxious to them.

When they arrived at the Higher Hillgate, they made a fierce assault upon the factory of Mr. William Radcliffe (the inventor of the dressing-machine) and inflicted very serious damage.

The residences and factories of Messrs. Hindley and Bradshaw, Messrs. Bentley and Co., and those in Cooper and Thomas Street, as well as others in the neighborhood, shared the same fate.

Having committed these outrages, they went to the Edgeley Mills belonging to Mr. Goodair. At that time, these works stood in the fields at some distance from any other building, there being, in fact, but few houses between them and St. Peter’s Square. The rioters here broke the windows, through which a number entered into the mill, cutting out the warps and destroying the looms.

After this, the mob hastened to Edgeley Cottage, Castle Street, the residence of Mr. Goodair, which they forcibly entered, setting fire to the house, and making a bonfire of the furniture in the garden.

The Riot Act was read there by the Rev. Charles Prescot, the Rector of Stockport, and the military was sent for to support the yeomanry. The Scots Greys came, immediately followed by other Dragoons, and some infantry.

The people still refusing to disperse, the horse soldiers charged them with drawn swords, whilst the foot used their fixed bayonets. Many persons were wounded, and a great number taken prisoners.

After a preliminary inquiry before the Magistrates, some of them were discharged with a caution, while the ringleaders were committed to Chester Castle.

Riots of a similar character took place in various parts of the county with similar results. The chief offenders, twenty-eight in number, were tried by a Special Commission, presided over by Judges Dallas and Burton, which commenced its sittings on the 25th of May.

The prisoners arrested at Goodair’s were charged with having with divers others to the number of some hundreds assembled about the dwelling-house of John Goodair, of Edgeley, Manufacturer, and willfully and feloniously set fire to and burnt part of the said house.

At the close of the Commission, fourteen were condemned to death, only two of whom were executed.

Eight were transported for life, and the remainder imprisoned for various periods.

Among those thus imprisoned was a woman who, from the leading part she had taken in the disturbances, had received from the rioters the sobriquet of “Mrs. Ludd.”

While detained in the Stockport lock-up prior to her committal, she so enchanted her jailer that after her release from prison, he proposed to marry her.

To this, she consented, and thus became the mistress of that very place in which she had been held in durance vile.

From this romantic union, several persons are now descended, who occupy respectable positions in this neighborhood.