E.J. Hobsbawm1 quotes the Rev. Richard Adams recalling that on November 22nd :
Both labourers and farmers – including some of the largest tithe-payers in the parish – were involved. That evening, as the rector, the Rev. Richard Adams, later recollected, “a vast number of people went past my gateway, some halloing & laughing, and making other noises”. Two days later, the labourers returned “and asked me an advance of wages, and I said I would give them 2s. per day from Michaelmas to Lady, and is per day from Lady to Michaelmas-1s. 6d. per coomb for threshing wheat, 1s for barley, and 9d. for pease and oats, at which they were very well satisfied” But this was only one side of the affair; for on the morning of the 23rd, the day after the labourers’ first demonstration, the following encounter (as related by the rector) took place between himself and the farmers.
At ten o’clock, Bush came into my kitchen while I was finishing my breakfast; he said he came for a reduction of tithes. I replied, it appears very extraordinary that you should now require a reduction, for when you and Turner came through my yard last Sunday you told me you were satisfied. I saw all the farmers together afterwards. Bareham [the farmers’ leader] asked if I would make a reduction of tithe, to which I replied, as I have been taking up your tithe it can be no concern of yours; and Bareham then said, he would not cast his tithe again or pay it. I said, if it were reasonable and right, and the neighbourhood would reduce their tithe, I would do so. Abusive language was used after this observation; Boreham said they would have the tithe, but that I should have nothing at all if they did not please.2
The following article relating to a preliminary hearing was printed in The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette, April 2nd 1831:
The King v. John Bush, Ezra Bareham, John Turner, Edw. Turner, and Wm. Burgess.
This was an indictment preferred by the Rev. Mr. Adams, of Edingthorpe, the Rector of that parish, against the defendants, who are considerable owners and occupiers there. It appeared that differences have existed between Mr. Adams and several of his parishioners respecting the Tithes, part of which have lately been collected in kind, and in consequence of a great number of the peasantry collecting at Mr. Adams’ house some time since and demanding a reduction of Tithes to enable the farmers to pay them an in- crease of wages, and producing agreements which had previously been prepared by certain individuals in the parish. Mr. Adams with his witnesses went before the Grand Jury at Thetford, and upon a true bill being found, he obtained a bench warrant against the defendants, which was put into the hands of a proper officer, and the defendants appeared in Court and entered into recognizances with proper sureties to try the import- ant question at the next assizes.
The following article appeared in The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette, July 30th 1831:
Rex v. Barcham and others. – (Special Jury.)-
Mr. Austin in opening the case stated, that this was an indictment against the several defendants, farmers and labourers, living at Edingthorpe, for having conspired to compel the prosecutor to take less for his tithe than he was entitled to by law.
Mr. Kelly then addressed the jury. This was a prosecution against the several defendants on a charge of a very serious nature, viz. that of having conspired to compel by menaces and threats the prosecutor to take a smaller sum for his tithe than was entitled to by law. The prosecutor was the Rector of Edingthorpe, in this county, and was entitled to the great and small tithes; Ezra Barcham, Bush, Jo. Turner, and C. Turner, were four of the principal occupiers of land in that parish; Edm. Turner and Wm. Burgess were farmers but occupiers of a less extent; Shreeve and Ingall were labourers. The prosecutor he might introduce to the jury as a gentleman fairly entitled to respect and honour, for his great humanity and his constant and kind consideration for his parishioners. Up to the moment of this transaction taking place, never had any complaints been made either of the amount or mode of taking the tithe. He might say indeed that its amount had been of a very moderate extent compared with other parishes, the great and small tithes together averaging but 6s. an acre; that was the rate at which Bush and J. and C. Turner paid; Ezra Barcham paid his in kind.- Towards the close of last year, disturbances prevailed throughout the county3, and unfortunately extended to the neighbourhood where these parties resided. He need not say anything as to the difficulties arising out of such a state of things, or as to the course which it behoved those placed above the labouring population to pursue. In the time of danger the public mind was easily exasperated, and it particularly became persons in the situation of most of the defendants to use the power they possessed in moderating rather than exciting those of the lower class. The public mind was in the state to which he alluded at this time. Now whatever grievances the people might be led to allege, or whatever plausible grounds of complaint might be attempted to have been taken hold of on the subject of tithes as the reason for a want of employment, it would be most unjustly made against the prosecutor for no line of conduct more humane or forbearing, could be adopted by any one in the situation of a Clergyman than had been by Mr. Adams. But when the labourers were in an excited state, they were easily led by a word or hint to believe their own condition to be attributable to a wrong cause and were readily drawn to acts of great outrage and violence.-This moment was selected by the principal defendants to inflame the minds of the lower orders to compel the prosecutor to accept a smaller sum than his agreement for his tithes. He (Mr. Kelly) would not too much anticipate the evidence he should call, but it would be right that he should shortly state the facts to shew that there was a conspiracy – a confederation amongst the defendants to compel the prosecutor to a reduction. On the 23rd of November, Bush & the other farmers went to the prosecutor’s house, and at first quietly, and afterwards in forcible terms told him he must lower his tithes; they gave no reason, nor stated any fair grounds of complaint, and Mr. Adams said he would not agree to any such thing; he spoke to one or two and endeavoured to prevail on them to intercede with the rest, to remain quiet, and to make their demand at a more seasonable time, when the state of things was less excited, and when any arrangement could be better made.
After this conversation had passed the defendants went away. In the course of the day, a mob, including several of the defendants, and acting under the directions of the four principal ones, came to his house and reiterated their demand of a reduction of tithe; this was done not merely by talk but also by menace; and he should shew that they had gone most systematically to work, for papers were given to the multitude in order to procure the signature of Mr. Adams, and on their arrival at his house, these papers were produced by the mob, and which were in the hand-writing of Ezra Barcham; one was to this effect – “This day the Rev. R. Adam’s agrees with John Turner to accept 4s. an acre for his great and small tithes during his life.” The other papers were for similar agreements with the other defendants. Mr. Adams was required to sign them; he again remonstrated, and the multitude went away. At nine o’clock the same night however, they all came again and renewed their attempts to compel him to reduce his tithe, and brought the papers for him to sign which they said Bush had given them. Under intimidation and not knowing what might be the consequences if he still resisted, and in order to get rid of such a demand at such a moment, he at last agreed to refer the question of the tithes of the parish to Mr. Youard. He, Mr. Kelly, would say that it was immaterial what had taken place since, whether the tithes had or had not been reduced, for this one thing was certain, that if the persons had assembled together to compel the prosecutor by menace to take less than he was entitled to, it was an unlawful conspiracy which the law would punish.
The Rev. Richard Adams was then called, who stated he had been Rector of Edingthorpe nearly 40 years, and he recapitulated in detail the facts alluded to by the learned counsel.
On his cross-examination by Mr. Serjeant Storks and Mr. Andrews on the part of the defendants, Mr. Adams said, he did not hear the mob demand an advance of wages on the Monday night as they went past; never said to the mob “go on and prosper”; the mob would make him shake hands; might have said when there was a dispute about tithes, “they had always been raised, they had better be quiet”; Turner never said he need not sign the papers and that they were only prepared to satisfy the mob. His parishioners had before annoyed him respecting tithes.
John Daniels and Richard Grymes, two of the persons originally included in the indictment, but against whom the charge was withdrawn, to enable them to be brought as evidence, were called and stated that J. Turner told them to gather the people together and go and frighten Mr. Adams to lower his tithes; and that Bush gave them the papers to take. On their cross-examination they admitted they had gone round the neighbourhood with the mob when they visited the different farmers, and when their machinery was destroyed; the people told Mr. Barcham they must have 2s. a day; believed Mr. Adams did say “God prosper you” when the multitude went past his house.
The case for the prosecution having been closed; the Chief Baron said nothing was so unhappy as that a clergyman should be living on other than amicable terms with his parishioners. It was very desirable that some arrangement should then if possible be made, considering that this transaction had occurred in times of excitement; that those times having most happily gone by might also be one reason why this case should not be pressed further. Mr. Kelly – My Lord, all we wish for is peace.
Lord Lyndhurst – Would it not be better then that at my suggestion peace should be restored. No parties had any right whatever to dictate to a clergyman with respect to his tithes; the great disorders which at the time existed it is desirable should be put an end to, and the arrangement of the case now by the prosecutor may be the means of cementing a cordial reconciliation.
Mr. Kelly – My Lord, without referring to past transactions, I can say that the only desire of my client is peace and harmony.
Lord Lyndhurst – Let the arrangement be then upon my interposition. The defendants no doubt will not object to express a wish that harmony should be restored.
Mr. Serjeant Storks, My Lord – I should be sorry if I did not feel as strongly as my learned friend in the spirit of conciliation and in the desire to live in harmony. On the part of those whose representative I am, I will not be behind hand in that disposition, and I yield to the benevolent interposition of your Lordship, in the hope, the fervent, I will add the pious hope, of putting an end to all further disagreement. It is not required of me to go further, but casting my memory back to the period to which this transaction refers, I will express on behalf of my clients a sincere regret that any such scenes should have taken place, and I hope this will be an abundant atonement if even they had for a moment forgotten themselves.-I trust that I have said all that is required of me on behalf of my clients, at the same time all that is due to them as men of respectability and character as they have ever been, and they will go out of this court equally I trust untarnished.
Lord Lyndhurst. – I am very glad my suggestion has been acceded to; parishioners must know that a clergyman has a right to his tithes, and that they have no right to dictate to him. I hope that harmony will be restored, and that Mr. Youard’s decision will be agreed to.
Footnote
- E.J. Hobsbawm and George Rude, Captain Swing, Pp 152ff ↩︎
- Norwich Mercury 30/7/1830 quoted by E.J. Hobsbawm ↩︎
- This is a reference to the “Captain Swing” uprisings of 1830 which were targeted against the payment of tithes, poor wages and the threat of redundancy provoked by the arrival of threshing machines. ↩︎
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2/1/23 | Hobsbawm references |
| 19/11/23 | Published |
Deopham History 