The Luddites

Glossop and the surrounding areas were heavily dependent upon the Cotton Mills, and so in the early 1800s when the Luddite uprisings caused riots and disruption in a number of mills throughout the north, its presence was felt closer to home - in Tintwistle.
At Tintwistle, which at that time lay in Cheshire, there was a mixture of food rioting and machine-breaking. Provision shops were entered, including one belonging to an Elice Berry, and autoreduction engaged in, with goods such as flour, meal, bacon and groceries distributed to the crowd.

Several Mills were attacked: the Vale House Mill, a cotton spinning and weaving concern belonging to Robert Thornley, had machinery and tools broken. Thornley's life was also apparently threatened.

At Millbrook, on the borders of Hollingworth and Tintwistle, a Mill belonging to the Sidebottom family was attacked, and machinery broken there.

Seven shearing frames belonging to a Thomas Rhodes were also destroyed in another mill, when a crowd of 400 people attacked it. This appears to be the only example of the destruction of shearing frames outside of the West Riding.

Two men from Newton, near Hyde, later appeared before the Court for breaking machinery: John Cooper, a 23 year-old collier was charged with destroying a blowing machine belonging to Messrs Sidebottom at Mottram-in-Longdendale, and John Smith Rigby a 22 year-old hatter, the latter charged with breaking the only shearing-frames outside of West Yorkshire at Tintwistle 12 months earlier. Their prospects were not good, not least because 3 of the manufacturers targetted in the attacks had urged the Home Secretary to bring the matters to court. However, they were acquitted & discharged by proclamation, although they both had to enter into a recognizance for £40 to appear before the court if called upon.

The Tintwistle Weavers Daughter, 1812

There was a weaver’s daughter born
When loaves were big and cheap
Work was forbid on a Monday
Tho work enough for keep
His daughter grew pretty and fine
On meat and bread he’d bring
And bloomed the human face divine
Her light sweet voice would sing
But your debts and taxes want pay’d
Coined of the poor and dead
Orders and council kill trade
And weavers cry for bread
So bent the daughter to her fate
From work she did not cower
She beam’d the yarn from Manchester
And dress’d the warp with flour
She beams the yarn from Manchester
And dresses warp with flour
The shuttle flies from morn til night
And rests at a late hour
From morn til night she cannot cease
Her life is nowt but toil
She has not time for love or sport
Her blooming flowers spoil
Still your debts and taxes want pay’d
Coined of the poor and dead
Orders and French wars hurt trade
And weavers cry for bread
She bends no more to her poor lot
A life of nowt but toil
Enriching the mighty and the great
While her own flowers spoil
She cries aloud her heros name
Her Sherwood hero Ludd
Will set a stop to wars and steam
And wages as they stood