58 Bradford-upon-Avon. 
complaint was, that he had converted one of his old carding engines 
into a scribbling machine, which the hand-scribblers believed would 
eventually throw them out of employ. .A demand was, therefore, 
made by the mob that Mr. Phelps should deliver up the machine 
into their hands, or else pledge himself never more to work it. On 
his refusing to do so the rioters began to throw stones, whereby 
many who by this time had come to the assistance of Mr. Phelps 
were seriously wounded. They continued their assault until not 
only all the windows of the house were broken, but much of the 
furniture damaged. Feeling that their lives were in danger, Mr. 
Phelps and his friends fired on the mob, and a man, a woman, and 
a boy were killed, and two others dangerously wounded. Still the 
tumult was unappeased, and, as the only means whereby to save 
the further effusion of blood, Mr. Phelps surrendered the obnoxious 
machine into their hands, and they burnt it upon the bridge. Some 
of the principal rioters were subsequently captured, and sent to take 
their trial at the ensuing assizes. The coroner’s inquest which sat 
on the slain bodies, returned a verdict of ‘justifiable homicide.”! 
From s.p. 1800—1858. 
The check given by these disturbances to the onward progress of 
our town was but momentary. For half a century after that time 
the stream of prosperity flowed steadily on. The parish during 
that period numbered more than 10,000 souls within its borders. 
At last the tide began to turn. In the year 1841, the failure of 
the local Bank and of several of the largest manufacturers threw 
hundreds out of work, and cast an abiding gloom over our town, 
the effect of which has hardly yet passed away. Then no less than 
400 were forced to seek shelter within the walls of the workhouse, 
a number much beyond the capabilities of the then existing build- 
ings properly to accommodate, and the limit allowed by law. Added 
to these, 300 able-bodied men were employed in out-door labour, 
in making roads or other parochial improvements. For the 
1 The prisoners’ names were Samuel Norman, James Bryant, William Green- 
land, and Benjamin Derrett. Against Derrett no bill was found. The rest 
were acquitted. 
