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Archiver > GENANZ > 1997-04 > 0860094235


From: David Marks <>
Subject: Re: Machine Breaking
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 20:03:55 +0100


In article <>, Gary Patton
<> writes
>I have just come across information relating to an ancestor who was
>deported to Australia for 'Machine Breaking'. In the course of my
>investigations I have discovered quite a number of other 'convicts'
>who were convicted of the same offence.
>Was there a spate of this across the UK in the early 1830's ?. My
>particular 'case' relates to Wilton, Wiltshire England.

Machine Breaking refers to the agricultural riots which swept parts of England
in the 1830's. Bands of agricultural workers, fearing for their livelihood with
the introduction of machinery such as Threshing machines would set fire to barns
and hayricks and smash the machinery. I believe that this was not only confined
to agricultural machinery. These riots are often referred to as the "Swing
Riots" as it was common for the rioters to leave a "visiting card" in the name
of a fictitious "Captain Swing". Hope this is of some interest. There is, I
believe quite a lot written on the subject. I know that our local library has a
book which lists all the men from Buckinghamshire who were tried and/or
convicted.
Cheers--
David Marks

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