Turnout of Colliers in Potteries 1842
Researched by John Lumsdon
There has been a good deal of excitement and fearful apprehension in the minds of peaceful and well disposed during the week in this populous neighbourhood, in consequence of the illegal and riotous conduct of a large body of colliers of this district. From Monday the 11th of July until Thursday, lawless mobs, chiefly colliers, but joined by other desolate characters, sad men out of employment, have been going about the district forcibly stopping the men from work at the numerous collieries with which it abounds and creating much terror in the public mind by their unlawful proceedings. Whilst carrying on this work the parties so engaged have requested alms and food from persons they met, or at shops, private and public houses etc. In most cases the solicitations has greatly resembled a demand and in some it has been nothing less than that. In several instances a refusal to give what was thus demanded has called forth remarks about their houses been pulled down, although no particular acts of gross or personal violence has been committed, yet, from the abuse and ill treatment several have met with, who they thought wished to obstruct them, it is evident that opposition, unless backed by an effective force, would have been highly dangerous.
The ostensible origin of the discontent and disturbances appears to have arisen in this way:- Some five or six weeks ago the colliers at Mr. Sparrow’s extensive works, near Longton, where about three hundred men are employed and in consequence of a proposed reduction of their wages of from 3s 7d to 3s a day, without the usual fortnight’s notice. Mr. Sparrow has iron foundries as well as coal mines and the reason given by him to the colliers for the reduction of their wages finding the competition in the iron trade so severe in consequences of the low prices of iron at the Welsh and Scotch works he found it impossible to go on as at present, and that the men must either submit to a reduction in the price of their labour, or he must blow out his furnaces. Most of the men on this turned-out and have since been supported by subscriptions of colliers at the neighbouring pits and by other operatives. We understand that at most of the other colliers in the district, particularly those connected with the iron trade, a slight reduction of wages has been taken place, but does not seem that the men were at all dissatisfied. It is nevertheless generally believed that Chartist principles are making considerable progress amongst the colliers of this district and that Chartist speakers have had much influence in creating dissatisfaction in the minds of the colliers generally, (many of whom, from the depression in other trades, are no doubt suffering greatly for the want of full employment) and exciting the turn-outs to adopt active methods of resistance.
On Monday morning the turn-outs; accompanied by other colliers and men out of employ, proceeded to turn out the men at work at the various collieries in the district, hoping thereby to promote their object that of obtaining increased wages and shorter hours of work. A large party of them accompanied by a band of music went to Mr. C.J. Smith’s colliery, at Longton. Mr. Burgess, Mr. Smith’s agent, asked what they wanted. The reply of one of the leaders was, that they wanted to work 8 hours a day and to have 4s for it. They said they wanted the men out of the pits, and on Mr. Burgess telling them he could not allow anything of the kind, as the men were quite satisfied, they broke open the engine house door, sent some of their own party into the pits and compelled ever man to come up and leave his work. In the scuffle that took place, Mr. Burgess was thrown down and kicked and otherwise much abused. They then went on to Mr. Sparrow’s works. These men they forced out of the pit compelling some of Mr. Smith’s men to go with them. In one of the pits there some of the men had recommenced working on Mr. Smith’s terms, these men they forced out of the pits and ducked two or three in the engine pool. Having completely stopped the work, they proceeded to Mossfield colliery, the Dividy Lane, the Bentilee, Ubberley, and Ridgeway’s colliery at Bucknall. At the last two the men were not at work, but at the others the men were compelled to leave the pits and threatened with mischief if they resumed labour until they gave them leave.
On Tuesday the same lawless course was pursued by these misguided men. The Longton colliers went to Wiaton’s Wood where they were met by men from other places. They forcibly forced men out from Fenton Park works, and compelled some of them to go along with them. In visiting Lord Granville’s works they were disappointed in finding all at rest and none of the colliers at work. At a pit near Mr. Hackwood’s works, they broke into the engine house, got the steam up, started the engine and did much wilful mischief to the machinery. At the Bells Mill pit they burst open the engine-house door and broke up the floor in search of the engine-man. At the Beoden Brook Pit, three of the Hanley police, Mr. Rhodes, Hilton and Geoestry, were on the spot, with a view to watch their proceedings. On seeing them they swore not to have any constables there, and drove them off. Resistance to such numbers would have been fruitless and they were obliged to leave them to do as they liked. They were severely pelted with stones as they retired from the ground. During the day, the colliers at Bucknall, Norton, Cobridge and Tunstall were visited by the same or other mobs and the men forced or desist from work and leave the pits.
On Wednesday morning at an early hour, a large body of miners again assembled at Longton and having satisfied themselves that there was no work going on at the collieries in that neighbourhood, proceeded to follow up their plan at stopping the works at places which they had not yet visited.
A party went to some of the pits in the neighbourhood of Cheadle. Some carts that were going to the collieries there from the Potteries they turned back, and one loaded cart they upset in the road. Mr. Kinnersly’s pits, at Kidsgrove, were visited in the course of the day but Mr K. To prevent mischief had given orders for the men not to work that day. They also went to Mr. Heathcoat’s at Apedale, and Mr. Sneed’s at Silverdale and told the men what they might expect if they went to work the next morning. In the evening a large body assembled in Hanley Market Place, but, no breech of the peace took place
On Thursday a number of men went again to the neighbourhood of Cheadle and succeeded in stopping such of the collieries as were still at work. At one of the pits where they thought the engine-tender had deceived them, they, without ceremony, threw him into the engine pit and put their own men into the engine-house and wound up the men and horses from the pits. In the evening a Chartist named Ellis, from Burslem, addressed a crowd of persons in the Hanley Market Place; and Cambell, another Chartist, lectured at the George and Dragon, in that town. Numbers of colliers were walking about in the various towns, many of them begging and most of them carried thick sticks or bludgeons.
Meeting of Magistrates and Arrival of Military
The attention of several of the county magistrates being draw on Tuesday evening to the disturbed state of the district and further protection being requested by several gentlemen, who considered their property in danger a full meeting of magistrates took place on the following morning, Wednesday, at Caverswall and afterwards at Newcastle. From the information laid before them, the magistrates determined immediately to call the aid of the military. The Newcastle and Pottery troop of Yeomanry, who had notice to be in readiness was instantly summoned and remained under arms during the night. About twelve o’ clock the next day, a detachment of the 12th foot under the command of Captain Granet, consisting of about 120 men entered Newcastle having arrived at Whitmore station by special train from Weedon Barracks, where they had received the route at three o clock that morning. The magistrates issued a printed proclamation exhorting the men to desist from their unlawful proceedings and declaring their determination to make use of the force at their disposal for the punishment of the offenders and for the protection of the well-disposed, who might peaceable return to their employment.
About three o clock in the afternoon the infantry and the troop of Yeomanry commanded by Lieutenant Wilkinson preceded though Stoke to Longton. The force was headed by the following magistrates:- T.B. Rose Esq. R. Adderley Esq. Capt. Powys Smith Child Esq. J.A. Wise Esq. P.B. Brode Esq. Job Meigh Esq. R.E. Heathcote Esq. And two of three other gentlemen accompanied them.
Nothing particularly occurred whilst the party were out, a great many of the colliers having gone to the neighbourhood of Cheadle and those who remained manifested no disposition to try their strength with the military. The Magistrates and soldiers returned to Newcastle late in the evening. As they were leaving Longton some stones were thrown at them, but no mischief was done.
Yesterday morning about nine o clock, the military force was augmented by the arrival of the Congleton troop of the Cheshire Yeomanry under the command of Lieutenant W.S. Reade making all together a formidable array of military power. About twelve o clock the whole force assembled in the High St. And Marched directly to Hanley accompanied as before by Mr. Rose and a number of County Magistrates. There they found a great crowd collected and a very hostile feeling prevailing. In consequence of the mob beginning to pelt the soldiers, the Riot Act was read and the former fearing what might follow, scampered off in all directions. The soldiers returned to Newcastle about three o’ clock.
The colliers assembled early in the morning in great numbers on Crown Bank, Hanley, most of them armed with sticks. A mob went to the Chapel Field where several men were loading carts with coals. Two of them were dragged off to pits of water in the neighbourhood and forced into them and made dip over head. A similar outrage was perpetrated on a man at a colliery in Far Green. The populace who had assembled in great numbers, appeared to heartily approve of this outrageous and cowardly conduct, and the excitement was so great that the Chief Bailiff considered it his duty to require the Magistrates to send the military over, with which request they immediately complied as will be seen from the preceding paragraph.
Committal of two of the rioters, two potters, Enoch Taylor and John Wardle, were seized yesterday at Hanley in the act of throwing stones at the military. They were immediately brought to Newcastle and the charge against them investigated before several of the County Magistrates. The offence being made out against them, they were committed to Stafford gaol for trial at the Secessions.
It is generally expected that the colliers, now that they find a continuance of unlawful conduct will expose them to punishment and cannot in any way promote their interest, will quietly resume their labours on Monday morning. The families of many of them must severely feel the loss of a single week wages however small that may be.
Cheadle
The turn-out colliers from the potteries visited this neighbourhood on Wednesday and Thursday; on Wednesday they proceeded to the different collieries and threatened to throw the Banksman down the pits. On Thursday between 800 to a 1.000 assembled in the streets and paraded with sticks and bludgeons begging from door to door, and the inhabitants very humanly relieved them, some with victuals and others with money. The party having heard there was an auction in the town, they went there and took by force a table and basket, which they brought the Market Place and with their sticks and bludgeons broke them to splinters in a few minutes. The same party having heard that the bailiffs were in procession of property near the church yard, they went to the spot (“to relieve them” to use their own phrase) and demanded that the bailiffs should turn out, and when they had them out, they commenced a most outrageous and brutal attack on their persons, beating them with their sticks and bludgeons most desperately. Two of them were severely wounded and barely escaped with their lives. All the collieries are closed in the neighbourhood.