Luddite Rising

Luddite Rising, movement in early industrial Britain, consisting of organized groups of English craftsmen who, in 1811-1812, rioted to destroy the machinery of the new textile industries that were destroying their livelihoods. The disturbances started in the vicinity of Nottingham in the final months of 1811 and quickly spread to Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire. The “Ludds” or Luddites operated at night, wearing masks; their leader, real or imaginary, was known as “King Ludd”. They offered no violence to individuals, and for this reason they often enjoyed strong local support in their areas. In 1812 a Luddite band was shot down on the orders of an employer called Horsfell, who was later murdered in reprisal. In consequence, the government of Lord Liverpool ordered ruthless repressive measures which led to a mass trial at York in 1813, at which most of the convicted Luddites were sentenced to be hanged or transported. Luddite rioting recurred in 1816, when the Great Depression caused by the end of Britain's war with France caused much hardship; nor did it cease altogether until the renewed prosperity of the 1820s.