Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1834/1/5/38
  • Title
    Depositions of John Ivory, yeoman of Meppershall. Samuel Jarvis, farmer of Meppershall. Charles Pestell, farmer of Meppershall, John Pestell of Meppershall. George Harris, tasker of Meppershall. In the case of James King, William Bygrave, Robert Bales, Richard Balls and David Ansell accused of rioting at Meppershall.
  • Date free text
    21 November 1833
  • Production date
    From: 1833 To: 1834
  • Scope and Content
    John Ivory: he was a farmer living at Meppershall. On the morning of Monday 18 November, about 7am, there were about 20 labouring men in the lane near to his farm. 7 or 8 of them came into the yard. James King, Thomas King and William Bygrave were 3 of them. He asked them what they wanted and they said they would have his ploughman and they would make him go along with them. They also wanted the man cutting chaff. He told them they had no business with him and should not have him. The man’s name was George Roberts and he was going to plough. Thomas King took hold of his collar and dragged him out of the stable. William Bygrave was by his side saying "come on, come on". They took Roberts into the lane and then went to another man named John Stevens who was cutting chaff for him. They dragged Stevens out of the barn and took him away with them. They then went down the lane and he saw them turn Mr Charles Pestell’s horses back that were going to plough. Samuel Jarvis: he was a farmer and lived at Meppershall. About 6.30pm about a score of men came unto his yard. Thomas King and his father James King were among them. They went to his wheat barn where James Cooper was at work and told him to come out of the barn. Cooper said he would not and he had nothing to do with them. Thomas King said that if he did not come out he would kick him out. James King said that Cooper had better come out or he would do worse to him. Cooper came out of the barn, shut up the doors and went up the lane towards Mr Ivory’s. Charles Pestell: he was a farmer at Meppershall. On 18 November he saw 60 to 70 men coming from Kirkley’s farm at Meppershall Hoo. James King, William Bygrave, Richard Bales, Robert Balls and David Ansell were among them. The men went to his brother, John’s man at plough and 2 of them caught hold of James Martin the ploughman and pulled him from the plough. Martin said he would not go but they said he should and they made him. They then went to the other ploughman, George Grey, and said they would make him go. Richard Balls laid hold of Grey and pulled him from the plough. They took Grey and Martin towards the other plough in the same field and said they would have that ploughman too but they did not get him. His brother, John, to whom the plough belonged, came up. John Pestell: on Monday he went to the field in Meppershall were the men were. He counted above 70. James King was one of them as was William Bygrave, Richard Balls, Roberts Bales and David Ansell. He went up to them and asked what they wanted. They said they had come for his men and he argued with them for a quarter of an hour and told them to touch a man if they dared. The men said they wanted more money and they said that when the men rioted at Clifton they got more money. After a bit he made them let his men go and the men went out of the field. A little while they turned up again at his farm yard and he spoke to them again and the same sort of conversation took place. He told them if they touched his men they should be sent to gaol. They went up to the barn and asked the man in the barn whether he would join them and the man said he would not. After a good deal of conversation the men went away and he went to the public house. George Harris: he was a tasker for Mr Kirkby at Polehanger. On Monday morning he was at work in the barn and there was a great deal of men. He should thing there must have been 50 men come up to the barn and he was told to come out of the barn or they would fetch him out. He came out. James King, Thomas King, William Bygrave and Richard Bales and Roberts Bales were among the men, as was David Ansell. He wanted to go back to his work and Samuel Burnage and Matthew Ansell laid hold of him and would not let him.
  • Reference
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