R3/1973

Correspondence from Dixie Gregory, Bedford to John Gotobed: Letter regarding Bedford County meeting.

16 Apr 1797

From: 1797 To: 1797

Reads- Loss of Taylor & Smith has affected me; have not yet found 2 trusty leaders to take place; Pearse will do what he can to keep us out and get his own friends in. "I hear Mr. Whitbread has wrote to all his tenants to attend - should not the Duke do so too? it matters not whether they are freeholders or not." Sir George etc. will crowd all the said they can. "The day will turn upon the possession of the hall. I don't fear feeding the town, because some proper emissaries are off for that purpose, but I have directed them to convene none but respectable inhabitants. Observe: if the sheriff takes the hall, and it should accidentally fill with the opposite party, or there should even be a prospect of it, previous to going there, I think the Duke had better be advised to ask the sheriff for the convenience of all parties to hold the meeting before the Swan balcony. Where can there be a better place? That ground & the bridge would hold - I should imagine - 5,000 people."

item

Gregory, Dixie,
Taylor,
Smith,
Pearse,
Whitbread,
Duke of Bedford

BEDFORD, tenancy, freeholder, sheriff, political parties, Bedford Swan Hotel, Bedford Town Bridge, county meetings