Catalogue description Folio(s) 441-444. Letter from Ralph Fletcher, Bolton le Moors [Lancashire], reporting...

Folio(s) 441-444. Letter from Ralph Fletcher, Bolton le Moors [Lancashire], reporting information from an informant at Sheffield [Yorkshire West Riding] in the company of Robinson trying to ascertain the existence of arms supposedly concealed in great numbers. He had been introduced to a committee of 10 persons of which he had obtained the details of eight, listed as: Francis Moody, shoemaker of 45 Fargate, Barker's Pool; Matthew Shaw, silversmith of 27 White Croft; Thomas Trouth, silversmith of Bolton Brigg Field; Timothy Gales, pressman at Montgomery's Printing Office; T Crome, printer of Waingate; William Cummage, leather ink stand maker of Tipper Lane; William Wilkinson, tailor, (meal man for a society), of Shambles; Allcock (a Quaker), leather ink stand maker of Church Lane.

The agent had met with some of the committee when they claimed to have many thousands of pike buried. He asked to purchase a few on the pretext of financing a further 100. Shaw introduced him to a recently-sworn man who would make them for 3s 6d each. The agent now had two different types in his possession.

The Sheffield district was to furnish the 15th Legion consisting of 15,000 men. He described the committee men as dangerous and their behaviour in the presence of others was even more daring than what had been observed at Manchester. He had been introduced to Crome's printing office where the dangerous papers were printed that were brought to Manchester by Robinson. Crome was so worried about being arrested that he kept two loaded blunderbusses in his attic office and had a trap on the top of the stairs.

Taylor of Royton, who had been a delegate in London, had brought cards containing new words of initiation, which had revitalised the despondent Manchester and Sheffield groups.

Another agent, formerly in the army, had been asked by Jonas Rushforth and John Scarr to train them in the use of pike. He declined with the excuse that he had not been so trained.

Fletcher states that, while the evidence that pikes were being made and concealed in the Sheffield area was strong, there was no evidence that they were actually training men in their use. The West Riding of Yorkshire was more infected with Jacobin principles than Lancashire, as shown by the advertisements in the Leeds and Halifax newspapers and the reports of Mr Radcliffe, a magistrate near Huddersfield.

Much evidence has been obtained by Samuel Fletcher, Lieutenant in the Little Lever Volunteers. Ralph Fletcher feels that Samuel should be rewarded for his selfless acts on behalf of the Government.

Fletcher asks for payment of outstanding expense claims totalling £166 0s 2d for the period up to 24 June 1801 and asks for confirmation from the new Home Secretary that he should continue to promote enquiries into seditious practices.

A postscript reports that those Rivington Hill rioters who could find bail had been discharged. Lord Alvanley [Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas] was unhappy that they had not been indicted for riot.

He finally recommends for reward two soldiers of the 17th Light Dragoons, Peter Doran and William Bowman, who had reported to Major Gore, commanding officer at Bolton, Gallant's attempts to seduce them.