Folios 301-332. Affidavits sworn by witnesses to events at Birmingham [Warwickshire]...

HO 42/19/141

1791 July 30

Folios 301-332. Affidavits sworn by witnesses to events at Birmingham [Warwickshire] from 14 to 17 July:

David Davis, wiredrawer, on the behaviour of magistrates Joseph Carles and Dr [Benjamin Spencer] on 14 July towards the mob outside [Dadley's] Hotel [in Temple Row];

Thomas Law, brassfounder's servant, on Spencer's behaviour on 14 July;

John Durham, buckle and ringmaker's servant, on the demolition by a large mob on 15 July of John Ryland's house in Easy Row and the lack of concern of Carles and Spencer at the theft of property from the house;

Thomas Wolrich Lander, gilder, on the behaviour of Carles, Spencer and John Brooke, attorney, on 14 July in standing on the Hotel steps, waving their hats at the cry of 'Church and King', whereupon 'stones were thrown at the windows in great numbers';

John Hillman, gilder, on hearing Carles on 14 July outside the Swan Inn in Bull Street congratulating the mob after the Hotel's windows had been destroyed;

John Durham, buckle and ringmaker's servant, on Carles' behaviour on the morning of 17 July from his carriage in John Street;

Mary Dodd, wife of Thomas Dodd, silverer and gilder, on words overheard spoken by Carles on 15 July berating the rioters for going too far in burning John Ryland's house;

William Moreton, buckle maker's servant, on having heard Carles instruct, on 14 July, part of the mob to join the others at the New Meeting House where, on arrival, they joined in its destruction;

James Johnson, buttonmaker's servant, on Carles' behaviour on the evening of 17 July from his carriage at the end of Thomas Street before the arrival of the soldiers;

Thomas Foxall, brushmaker's apprentice, on seeing the rioters at Dr [Joseph Priestley's] house early on 15 July and hearing Spencer order them not to hurt the house as it did not belong to Priestley but 'to Mr Lloyd, a respectable man';

William Donald, hosier, on the attack on 14 July on the New Meeting House and on Carles' behaviour outside the Bank in Bull Street where he appeared drunk;

William Smith, buttonmaker's apprentice, on Carles' action on 14 July in stopping the mob from taking revenge on the hotelier when the diners had all left, and in redirecting the mob towards the Meeting Houses;

Benjamin Loach, gunsmith's apprentice, on hearing Carles' instructions to the crowd on 14 July in Bull Street to 'go down to the Meetings and do no further mischief';

Griffith Prichard, tailor, on hearing Carles' instructions to the crowd on 14 July in Bull Street to do no other mischief than pulling down the Meetings;

Thomas Wolrich Lander, gilder, [supplementing his testimony above], on the direction of the mob away from the hotel towards the New Meeting House;

Thomas Rutter, buckle and ringmaker's servant, on the demolition by a large mob on 15 July of John Ryland's house in Easy Row and the lack of concern of Carles and Spencer at the theft of property from the house.

Public Record(s)

English

Open Document, Open Description