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THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION Why did Pentrich get involved? Thomas Bacon, a war veteran and framework knitter living in Pentrich (plaque 10), was active in the reform meetings. He travelled to various reform meetings, around the Midlands and North, and reported back that an insurrection was planned. Men from Yorkshire, Nottingham and elsewhere were planning to march on London and overthrow the government. Unknown to local people a newcomer in their midst, known as Oliver, was also a government spy and was reporting back to the government all that went on. By May 1817 meetings in the North were being broken up and ringleaders imprisoned, but Oliver persuaded local men that the rising was to go ahead by doing so, he overstepped his role and became an agent provocateur, inciting less educated people to rise. Thomas Bacon began to fear arrest and went to ground at Booth’s Hovel (plaque 6). He had no part in the rising. Replacing Bacon as leader was Jeremiah Brandreth, known as the Nottingham Captain. An unemployed stockinger from Sutton-in-Ashfield, who was described as sallow and ill looking. On June 5th he arrived in Pentrich and took part in meetings at Asherfields Barn (plaque 2) and the White Horse public house (plaque 8). It was revealed that the rising would be on June 9th, setting off for Nottingham at 10pm, they would collect men and arms en route. When they reached Nottingham, Brandreth told them, they would get 100 guineas, bread, beef and ale. |
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