I would like to have more information about this account. Is it included in a book? Thank you. Carolyn On 8-Aug-08, at 1:51 PM, David Parker wrote: > I am reading an account of the struggles of Essex Farm workers > during the period 1750 to 1914. > > In the early chapters it talks of a fire in 1822 at Great Clacton > causing £1,200 damage and at Dovercourt. Incendiarism was used as a > protest in an effort to avoid identification. In reference of the > Swing Riots, some eight years later, it mentions a fire at Ramsey, > with the arrest of several prisoners, and then continues "Besides > Ramsey eleven other villages were affected, particularly Great and > Little Clacton, Great Holland, Kirby, Tendring Thorpe-le-Soken, and > Walton. An eye witness reported "Kirby and Clacton are in a complete > state of insurrection, some of the labourers declaring that they > could help themselves and they would do so.' This exaggeration was > probably occasioned by the sight of the whole labouring population > parading without hindrance through their villages: at least a > hundred marched at Great Holland, 140 at Little Clacton, 150 at > Tendring, 200 at Ramsey and 300 at Walton" > > This is the area in which my wife's ancestors were living and > working and maybe rioting. I can find no record of any of them > being arrested, charged, tried or sentenced for any riotous > behaviour, but bearing in mind the living and working conditions, > the passions and the numbers involved I would be surprised if they > had not been included at least in the marching. Can anyone suggest > where I can search to learn if any were more active. > > Thank you > > David. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message