HO 42 /199 ff. 305-9 Revd G. Burrington, Chudleigh, Devon, 25 Nov. 1819, to Sidmouth, concerning a man whom he has committed for showing seditiously a picture of the Manchester Meeting on 16 Aug as dispersed by the Yeomanry.’
Chudleigh near Exeter
Nov. 30th 1819
My Lord,
I think it is a duty I owe to the Publick to acquaint your Lordship that yesterday, the 24th inst., a Gentleman informed me, that he had heard, that there was a man in Chudleigh with a show-box containing among other prints or pictures (which by the aid of a magnifying-glass made the persons depicted on them to appear as large as life) one, which purported to be a meeting of the Radical reformers, which lately took place at Manchester, and that the person exhibiting the print or picture in his description of it to the populace, made use of seditious expressions. In consequence of this information, I sent a Constable, with orders to see if there were any such person in Chudleigh, and if he were, to observe what he was doing. He soon returned and told me that the man was exhibiting his show at a short distance from my own house; but that he had reason to believe, if he went to see what the man was exhibiting, or hear what he said, the man would be apprized by some of the By-standers, that a Constable was near, and would desist from exhibiting or commenting upon the objectionable picture. I then ordered the Constable to get some respect person to attend to what the man was doing, & saying. This he accordingly did by desiring William Tuckett to undertake it. Soon after William Tuckett returned, & told me that (among other things) he heard the man say, that the slaughter at Manchester was committed by the Cavalry. This morning, William Tuckett made the deposition which I have the honour of enclosing marked No.1. At the same time, the man who exhibited the picture was brought before me and examined. It appears that his name is John Jenkins, was bound an apprentice to a weaver, & that his master dying, he work’d at his trade for some time, then entered into the 3rd or Plymouth Division of Marines, after 5 years [illeg.] was discharged, since which time he has been travelling about the country. The consequence of his wandering abroad, & not being able to give a good account of himself, I committed him to the House of Correction at Exeter, as a Vagrant, till the Sessions. The constables who brought John Jenkins before me took from his showbox, by my orders, the print or picture herewith sent, marked No. 2, and endorsed by the said Constables on the back. When John Jenkins was before me, I asked him where he procured the print or picture and he said at a stationer’s shop at Plymouth, but did not know the person’s name that sold it to him. On my observing that the print or picture had no publisher’s name, he produced a piece of paper, herewith sent, marked No. 3, containing an explanation of the print or picture, and, which he said, he had cut off from it. On my observing to him the gross impropriety of exhibiting such prints or pictures in the manner he did, he observed that many others, to his knowledge, had pictures of the same kinds in their showboxes.
I have thus, my Lord, detailed to you the whole of this transaction; and request to know, if, under all the circumstances of it, it is your Lordship’s pleasure that further steps should be taken in this affair, and, if so, that your Lordship would have the goodness, through your Secretary, to point out to me the mode in which I should proceed.
I have the honour to subscribe myself, my Lord
Your Lordship’s
Most Obedient
Humble Servant
Gilbert Burrington
Magistrate for Devon
Prebendary of [obscured]
Vicar of Chudleigh, Devon.
P.S. I take this opportunity of inclosing a Copy of a Declaration made by myself and others, on the 15th Inst.’
[Note added]. ‘Thank him for his Vigilance & his Communication. As Jenkins will have undergone 5 or 6 weeks Imprisonment before the Sessions Lord Sidmouth does not consider it proper to pursue the matter further.’
Devon, to wit: The information and deposition of William Tuckett of the Parish of Chudleigh in the said County cheesemonger taken on oath before me, Gilbert Burrington Clerk one of his Majesty’s Justices of the peace, in and for the said County, this twenty fifth day of November, in the sixtieth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord, George The Third, King, Defender of the Faith and in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nineteen.
Who on his oath saith that about the hour of four in the afternoon of the twenty fourth day of this instant November a man calling himself John Jenkins was wandering abroad in the said Parish of Chudleigh and exhibiting publicly in the said Parish of Chudleigh, a certain print or painting giving a description of the cavalry rushing in upon a large assembly of people, and destroying the people. And this Deponent further saith that the above-named John Jenkins when he exhibited the said print or painting addressed the Bystanders stating to them that the said print or painting contained a true description of the slaughter at Manchester which he said was committed by the cavalry who he said destroyed more than an hundred people. And this Deponent further maketh oath and saith that the said print or painting so exhibited by him, the said John Jenkins as aforesaid and the expressions used by him, the said John Jenkins were both of them as the Deponent verily believes meant and intended to inflame the minds of his Majesty’s Subjects and to bring his Majesty’s Soldiery into hatred and contempt and further this Deponent saith not.
[Signed] Wm. Tuckett
Sworn the day and year first above written, Before me Gilbert Burrington
[Note from the Public Record Office, 16 Dec. 1982. ‘A hand coloured engraving showing the forcible dispersal of the reform meeting in St Peter’s Fields, Manchester has been removed to the Museum, wall case VIII.’
[Enclosure: a printed declaration].
CHUDLEIGH, NOVEMBER 15th 1819
We, the undersigned Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders and Residents of the Parish of CHUDLEIGH, deeply impressed with the dangers which threaten this Nation, from the dissemination of blasphemous and seditious publications, some of which have been distributed in this county, deem it expedient publicly to express our determination,
To use our utmost endeavours to prevent the propagation of all blasphemous and seditious publications;
To inculcate, in our respective neighbourhoods, due respect for our excellent constitution, and subordination to the laws of the land, of which the Christian Religion forms a most important part;
And to support, by every means in our power, the constituted authorities of the country, for the preservation of the public peace and tranquillity.
Gilbert Burrington Vicar of Chudleigh, and Magistrate
Clifford
Hugh Charles Clifford
Montague E. Parker
Francis Parker
John Templar, clerk
John Comyns, clerk
Joseph Cuming, clerk
Geo. Cocks, Cap. R.N.
Mark Batt
Christopher Hellyer
W.J. Speed, Cap, H. P. 90th Regiment
Geo. Dolling
Thomas Yarde
Charles Kendall
N. Webb, Lieut. R. N.
Wm. Bond
W.Y. Bond
Joseph Barnes
John Whiteway
John Hayes
James Leare
Richard Stamp
Wm. Wright
J. W. Buckland
Henry Salter
Wm. S. Adams
Thomas Collings
John Flood jun.
Richard Richards
William Honeywill
John Floud
Thomas Weeks, jun.
John Joll
Daniel Bickley
William Tuckett
John Pulling
Henry Heywood, Capt. Militia
Charles Bond
William Cleave
William Cleave, jun.
Joseph Cleave
John Weston
Lawrence Edwards
Thomas Yarde, jun.
Hanry Yarde, Major H.E.I.C.S.
Mostyn Jones, Lieut. Militia
Henry Strowbridge
Henry Mugg, clerk
William Tuckett [sic]
Joseph Collins
Francis Newcombe Day
James Davison
John Bundrock, R. N.
William Searle
John Petherick
George Pulling
George Davis
William Rolstone
Anthony Bowden
T. Arscott, Cap. R. N.
Walter Broad
Isaac Winsor
John Flood, Sen.
Richard Rose
John Badcock
Thomas Bailey
Elijah Jago
Francis Matthews
John Saunders
Richard Wills
Richard Truman
Francis Melluish
William Weeks, sen.
William Weeks, jun.
John Babb, jun.
William Roleston
James Efford
John Martin
John Tapper
William Lamble
Thomas Hex
James Pitts, jun.
John Pidsley
Jonas Adams
John Prowse
William Bailey
John Wotton
Jonathan Bowden
Thomas Prideaux
John Wright
Jonas Adams, jun.
George Bailey
William Wright, jun.
James McGhee, Lieut, R. N.
G Dyer, Lieut. R. N.
John Tuckett, sen.
William Job
Edward Searle
John Pridham
W. Heywood, M. C.
S. P. Bamford
John Cox
Thomas Archer
Thomas Archer, jun.
Robert Cleave, sen.
Robert Cleave, jun.
William Cleave
James Cleave
Walter Cleave
Samuel Cleave
Joel Orchard
William Beer
John Goodridge
John Goodridge, jun.
Thomas Pike
William Pike
Thomas Pike, jun
James Edwards
Joseph Edwards, jun.
James Edwards
Richard Widdicombe
John Widdicombe
John Cornish
William Cornish
John Wright
George Wills
George Wills, jun.
Jos, Widdicombe, jun.
Thomas Vooght
William Vooght
Edward Shave
John Tapper
John Jones
William Jones, Lieut. R. N.
Thomas Leare
George Cornish
George Cornish, jun.
James Cornish
James Moore
John Rogers
Josias Shamler
EFFORD, PRINTER, CHUDLEIGH
309
Chudleigh near Exeter
Nov. 30th 1819
My Lord,
I think it is a duty I owe to the Publick to acquaint your Lordship that yesterday, the 24th inst., a Gentleman informed me, that he had heard, that there was a man in Chudleigh with a show-box containing among other prints or pictures (which by the aid of a magnifying-glass made the persons depicted on them to appear as large as life) one, which purported to be a meeting of the Radical reformers, which lately took place at Manchester, and that the person exhibiting the print or picture in his description of it to the populace, made use of seditious expressions. In consequence of this information, I sent a Constable, with orders to see if there were any such person in Chudleigh, and if he were, to observe what he was doing. He soon returned and told me that the man was exhibiting his show at a short distance from my own house; but that he had reason to believe, if he went to see what the man was exhibiting, or hear what he said, the man would be apprized by some of the By-standers, that a Constable was near, and would desist from exhibiting or commenting upon the objectionable picture. I then ordered the Constable to get some respect person to attend to what the man was doing, & saying. This he accordingly did by desiring William Tuckett to undertake it. Soon after William Tuckett returned, & told me that (among other things) he heard the man say, that the slaughter at Manchester was committed by the Cavalry. This morning, William Tuckett made the deposition which I have the honour of enclosing marked No.1. At the same time, the man who exhibited the picture was brought before me and examined. It appears that his name is John Jenkins, was bound an apprentice to a weaver, & that his master dying, he work’d at his trade for some time, then entered into the 3rd or Plymouth Division of Marines, after 5 years [illeg.] was discharged, since which time he has been travelling about the country. The consequence of his wandering abroad, & not being able to give a good account of himself, I committed him to the House of Correction at Exeter, as a Vagrant, till the Sessions. The constables who brought John Jenkins before me took from his showbox, by my orders, the print or picture herewith sent, marked No. 2, and endorsed by the said Constables on the back. When John Jenkins was before me, I asked him where he procured the print or picture and he said at a stationer’s shop at Plymouth, but did not know the person’s name that sold it to him. On my observing that the print or picture had no publisher’s name, he produced a piece of paper, herewith sent, marked No. 3, containing an explanation of the print or picture, and, which he said, he had cut off from it. On my observing to him the gross impropriety of exhibiting such prints or pictures in the manner he did, he observed that many others, to his knowledge, had pictures of the same kinds in their showboxes.
I have thus, my Lord, detailed to you the whole of this transaction; and request to know, if, under all the circumstances of it, it is your Lordship’s pleasure that further steps should be taken in this affair, and, if so, that your Lordship would have the goodness, through your Secretary, to point out to me the mode in which I should proceed.
I have the honour to subscribe myself, my Lord
Your Lordship’s
Most Obedient
Humble Servant
Gilbert Burrington
Magistrate for Devon
Prebendary of [obscured]
Vicar of Chudleigh, Devon.
P.S. I take this opportunity of inclosing a Copy of a Declaration made by myself and others, on the 15th Inst.’
[Note added]. ‘Thank him for his Vigilance & his Communication. As Jenkins will have undergone 5 or 6 weeks Imprisonment before the Sessions Lord Sidmouth does not consider it proper to pursue the matter further.’
Devon, to wit: The information and deposition of William Tuckett of the Parish of Chudleigh in the said County cheesemonger taken on oath before me, Gilbert Burrington Clerk one of his Majesty’s Justices of the peace, in and for the said County, this twenty fifth day of November, in the sixtieth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lord, George The Third, King, Defender of the Faith and in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nineteen.
Who on his oath saith that about the hour of four in the afternoon of the twenty fourth day of this instant November a man calling himself John Jenkins was wandering abroad in the said Parish of Chudleigh and exhibiting publicly in the said Parish of Chudleigh, a certain print or painting giving a description of the cavalry rushing in upon a large assembly of people, and destroying the people. And this Deponent further saith that the above-named John Jenkins when he exhibited the said print or painting addressed the Bystanders stating to them that the said print or painting contained a true description of the slaughter at Manchester which he said was committed by the cavalry who he said destroyed more than an hundred people. And this Deponent further maketh oath and saith that the said print or painting so exhibited by him, the said John Jenkins as aforesaid and the expressions used by him, the said John Jenkins were both of them as the Deponent verily believes meant and intended to inflame the minds of his Majesty’s Subjects and to bring his Majesty’s Soldiery into hatred and contempt and further this Deponent saith not.
[Signed] Wm. Tuckett
Sworn the day and year first above written, Before me Gilbert Burrington
[Note from the Public Record Office, 16 Dec. 1982. ‘A hand coloured engraving showing the forcible dispersal of the reform meeting in St Peter’s Fields, Manchester has been removed to the Museum, wall case VIII.’
[Enclosure: a printed declaration].
CHUDLEIGH, NOVEMBER 15th 1819
We, the undersigned Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders and Residents of the Parish of CHUDLEIGH, deeply impressed with the dangers which threaten this Nation, from the dissemination of blasphemous and seditious publications, some of which have been distributed in this county, deem it expedient publicly to express our determination,
To use our utmost endeavours to prevent the propagation of all blasphemous and seditious publications;
To inculcate, in our respective neighbourhoods, due respect for our excellent constitution, and subordination to the laws of the land, of which the Christian Religion forms a most important part;
And to support, by every means in our power, the constituted authorities of the country, for the preservation of the public peace and tranquillity.
Gilbert Burrington Vicar of Chudleigh, and Magistrate
Clifford
Hugh Charles Clifford
Montague E. Parker
Francis Parker
John Templar, clerk
John Comyns, clerk
Joseph Cuming, clerk
Geo. Cocks, Cap. R.N.
Mark Batt
Christopher Hellyer
W.J. Speed, Cap, H. P. 90th Regiment
Geo. Dolling
Thomas Yarde
Charles Kendall
N. Webb, Lieut. R. N.
Wm. Bond
W.Y. Bond
Joseph Barnes
John Whiteway
John Hayes
James Leare
Richard Stamp
Wm. Wright
J. W. Buckland
Henry Salter
Wm. S. Adams
Thomas Collings
John Flood jun.
Richard Richards
William Honeywill
John Floud
Thomas Weeks, jun.
John Joll
Daniel Bickley
William Tuckett
John Pulling
Henry Heywood, Capt. Militia
Charles Bond
William Cleave
William Cleave, jun.
Joseph Cleave
John Weston
Lawrence Edwards
Thomas Yarde, jun.
Hanry Yarde, Major H.E.I.C.S.
Mostyn Jones, Lieut. Militia
Henry Strowbridge
Henry Mugg, clerk
William Tuckett [sic]
Joseph Collins
Francis Newcombe Day
James Davison
John Bundrock, R. N.
William Searle
John Petherick
George Pulling
George Davis
William Rolstone
Anthony Bowden
T. Arscott, Cap. R. N.
Walter Broad
Isaac Winsor
John Flood, Sen.
Richard Rose
John Badcock
Thomas Bailey
Elijah Jago
Francis Matthews
John Saunders
Richard Wills
Richard Truman
Francis Melluish
William Weeks, sen.
William Weeks, jun.
John Babb, jun.
William Roleston
James Efford
John Martin
John Tapper
William Lamble
Thomas Hex
James Pitts, jun.
John Pidsley
Jonas Adams
John Prowse
William Bailey
John Wotton
Jonathan Bowden
Thomas Prideaux
John Wright
Jonas Adams, jun.
George Bailey
William Wright, jun.
James McGhee, Lieut, R. N.
G Dyer, Lieut. R. N.
John Tuckett, sen.
William Job
Edward Searle
John Pridham
W. Heywood, M. C.
S. P. Bamford
John Cox
Thomas Archer
Thomas Archer, jun.
Robert Cleave, sen.
Robert Cleave, jun.
William Cleave
James Cleave
Walter Cleave
Samuel Cleave
Joel Orchard
William Beer
John Goodridge
John Goodridge, jun.
Thomas Pike
William Pike
Thomas Pike, jun
James Edwards
Joseph Edwards, jun.
James Edwards
Richard Widdicombe
John Widdicombe
John Cornish
William Cornish
John Wright
George Wills
George Wills, jun.
Jos, Widdicombe, jun.
Thomas Vooght
William Vooght
Edward Shave
John Tapper
John Jones
William Jones, Lieut. R. N.
Thomas Leare
George Cornish
George Cornish, jun.
James Cornish
James Moore
John Rogers
Josias Shamler
EFFORD, PRINTER, CHUDLEIGH
309