The Lancashire
Weavers Riots ...
of April 1826 were one of the most dramatic events in the history of the English
cotton industry. For four days, the area bordered by Chorley, Clitheroe, Bacup
and Bury was convulsed as desperate crowds attacked local weaving sheds and
smashed over 1100 of the hated power looms. Six people were killed, ten people
transported for life and thirty sentenced to prison terms for their part in
the distrurbances.
The Rioters and their sentences: [Name [men]: Age: Known to be present at: Sentence
Commuted to:]
Josiah Baldwin 22 W,X,Y,Z Death Transported for life James Chambers 55 E,F,G,H,a
Death Transported for life Joseph Clayton 29 Y,Z Death Transported for life
Thomas Emmet 22 N,O,W,X,Y,Z Death Transported for life Lawrence Hardman 37 W
Death Transported for life Isaac Hindle 35 E,F,G,H Death Transported for life
John Hoyle 27 Z Death Transported for life Simeon Wright 27 F,G,H Death Transported
for life Thomas Dickenson 19 F,G,H Death 18 months imprisonment Thomas Leaver
26 G Death 18 months imprisonment William Winder 27 F,G Death 18 months imprisonment
George Ashworth 21 W,Y,Z Death 12 months imprisonment John Ashworth 22 Y Death
12 months imprisonment Robert Butterworth 30 a Death 12 months imprisonment
Mark Cockerill 29 W,Y,Z Death 12 months imprisonment John Howarth [1] 27 F Death
12 months imprisonment William Sutcliffe 22 F Death 12 months imprisonment Michael
Tomlinson 28 E 12 months imprisonment ( not commuted) Thomas Ashworth [2] 27
O Death 6 months imprisonment James Aspden 23 N, H, a Death 6 months imprisonment
James Crawshaw 19 T Death 6 months imprisonment Richard Entwistle 18 E, F, G,
N Death 6 months imprisonment Edward Houghton [3] G Death 6 months imprisonment
Richard Kay 17 F Death 6 months imprisonment James Latham 18 F Death 6 months
imprisonment James Leaver [4] 20 F, G Death 6 months imprisonment James Ormerod
18 F Death 6 months imprisonment James Shorrock 23 L,M,N Death 6 months imprisonment
Thomas Greenhalgh 20 T Death 3 months imprisonment James Howarth 25 F Death
3 months imprisonment Thomas Lomax 30 T Death 3 months imprisonment Henry Melling
21 U Death 3 months imprisonment Alexander Norris 17 E, N Death 3 months imprisonment
John Orrell 25 N Death 3 months imprisonment James Riding 29 F Death 3 months
imprisonment
Acquitted
William Almond 25 N Acquitted Thomas Bolton 27 F, I Acquitted James Buskey 16
U Acquitted William Charnley [5] 29 F Acquitted William Cockerill 23 W, X, Y,
Z Acquitted Patrick Gibbons 35 W,X,Y,Z Acquitted Aaron Gregson 17 R Acquitted
James Grundy 27 F, G Acquitted Anthony Harrison 17 R Acquitted John Holt 20
W,X,Y,Z Acquitted John Ingham 19 P,Q Acquitted Richard Rawsthorne 20 W,X,Y,Z
Acquitted James Rostron 21 P,Q Acquitted Richard Tattersall 30 W,X,Y,Z Acquitted
James Taylor 29 W,X,Y,Z Acquitted William Taylor 20 N Acquitted Edward Yates
18 U Acquitted
[Additional notes on above] [1] Wounded in shoulder at Jubilee Street ... [2]
Died in Lancaster Castle, 26th December 1826 ... [3] Wounded in neck and mouth
at Park Place ... [4] Wounded at Park Place ... [5] Wounded in arm at Jubilee
Street (arm removed)
[Name [women]: Age: Known to be present at: Sentence Commuted to:]
Ann Entwistle 46 N,S Death Transported for life Mary Hindle 27 N Death Transported
for life Betty Cunliffe 25 W,X,Y,Z Death 12 months imprisonment Johanna Oldham
20 E 12 months imprisonment (not commuted) Phoebe Tomlinson 27 E 12 months imprisonment
(not commuted) Betty Marsden 35 N Death 6 months imprisonment Alice Grimshaw
18 E 12 months 3 months imprisonment Betty Howorth 17 F,N Death 3 months imprisonment
Ann Ingham 29 R,W Death 3 months imprisonment Margaret Yates 17 N 3 months imprisonment
(not commuted) Alice Lord 19 O acquitted Peggy Lord 20 O acquitted
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The Following were tried at the March 1827 assizes at Lancaster Castle.
[Name: Age: Known to be present at: Sentence Commuted to:]
George Heys 28 N,O 3 months imprisonment (not commuted) William Barnes 57 S
Acquitted John Fairbrother 23 U Acquitted Lawrence Rostron 30 O Acquitted
[NB Some prisoners were acquitted of offences at one factory, and found guilty
for offences at another.]
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People arrested but not proceeded against.
Arrested for rioting at Grange lane, Accrington. (B)
John Bentley.
Arrested for rioting at White Ash, Oswaldtwistle. (E)
Jacob Balmer; Joseph Barnes; Benjamin Fish; Joseph Harwood; John Preston; Ellen
Grimshaw;
Arrested for rioting at Jubilee Street, Blackburn (F)
John Cook; John Crompton; James Duckworth; Thomas Entwistle; John HARTLEY; Thomas
Leaver; John Lewis; Christopher Norris; Richard Pearson;
Arrested for rioting at Middle Mill, Helmshore (N)
Thomas Almond; William Almond (the Elder); Henry Baron; Henry Cook; Thomas Duckworth;
Christopher Duckworth; Benjamin Fish (see also E); John Gibson; Jabez Green;
John Hirst; William Hurst; Henry Orrell; Thomas Sutcliffe; Abraham Wade; John
Yates; Margaret Hadcroft; Nancy Marsden; Lydia Taylor;
Arrested for rioting at Chatterton (S)
William Ratcliffe; William Rawcliffe; William Rishton;
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