Yorkshire Textile Workers Threaten a Factory Owner (ca. 1811–1812)

In the early nineteenth century, the new mechanization of textile manufacturing endangered the livelihoods of the handworkers engaged in manual textile production. During the years 1811–1816, many English hosiery weavers found themselves replaced by stocking frames. Croppers, whose task was to finish woven cloth by cropping (shearing) it, were threatened by the introduction of the shearing frame. The workers retaliated by smashing the “detestable” machines that had claimed their jobs. They adopted the name “Luddites” after a likely apocryphal Edward “Ned” Ludd, lauded as the first to destroy a shearing frame. Hostile missives, like that which follows, were often sent to the owners of stocking or shearing frames, and made frequent reference to “King Ludd,” a protector of the downtrodden.

Sir,

Information has just been given in, that you are a holder [owner] of those detestable Shearing Frames, and I was desired by my men to write to you, and give you fair warning to pull them down, and for that purpose I desire that you will understand I am now writing to you, you will take notice that if they are not taken down by the end of next week, I shall detach one of my lieutenants with at least 300 men to destroy them, and further more take notice that if you give us the trouble of coming thus far, we will increase your misfortunes by burning your buildings down to ashes. . . . We hope for assistance from the French Emperor1 in shaking off the Yoke of the Rottenest, wickedest, and most Tyrannical Government that ever existed. . . . We will never lay down our arms till the House of Commons passes an act to put down all the machinery hurtfull [sic] to the Commonality and repeal that2 to the Frame Breakers. . . .

Signed by the General of the Army of Redressers,

Ned Ludd, Clerk

From G. D. H. Cole and A. W. Filson, eds., British Working Class Documents: Selected Documents 1789–1875 (London: Macmillan, 1951), pp. 113-115.