292 THE WEDGWOODS. 



offence at the assizes, which were held within a few days 

 afterwards. Barlow was convicted and left for execution ; 

 and notwithstanding great exertions were made to save his 

 life, he suffered the extreme penalty of the law. The Govern- 

 ment were alarmed at the popular disposition to tumult: 

 and poor Barlow became a victim rather to the public safety 

 than to the heinousness of his crime." 



From a contemporary account a letter from Newcastle- 

 under-Lyme, published in the Derby Mercury of March 20, 

 1783, which I for the first time here reprint the following 

 interesting particulars are gleaned : 



11 The people in the pottery and neighbourhood of this town are 

 in a state of absolute anarchy. On Friday last a boat-load of flour 

 and cheese, going up the navigation to Manchester, was seized by a 

 mob of about 400 persons. They opened the hatches, kept posses- 

 sion of it all night, and on Saturday proceeded to sell the flour, &c., 

 at their own prices. An express had been sent to Lichfield to 

 obtain some of the Militia who were stationed there to come to our 

 relief. Two companies were accordingly dispatched ; and Mr. Inge, 

 Dr. Faulkner, and Major Sneyd, with the utmost politeness and 

 alacrity, came here. On Saturday afternoon, there happening to 

 be a company of the Carnarvonshire Militia in town, on their route 

 homewards, the commanding-officer, in the most obliging manner, 

 complied with the request of the magistrates to assist them in case 

 of need. The magistrates, military, and many of the most respect- 

 able inhabitants of this town, immediately went down to Etruria, 

 near Mr. "Wedgwood's manufactory (where the mob still kept the 

 boat), determined to quell and disperse them. The military were 

 kept at some distance from the spot, in order that an opportunity 

 might he given to reason with the persons assembled ; and the 

 magistrates and others had the satisfaction of seeing that in a short 

 time they yielded to reason ; and, being promised all the assistance 

 that the law could give against the forestallers and others that kept 

 up the markets, and that a subscription would be entered into to 

 obviate the present scarcity as far as they could, they agreed to 

 disperse, provided the boat was not removed. 



" But on Monday they assembled again in greater numbers, and 

 sent deputies to the magistrates with a written requisition of what 

 they would have done; in fine, they grew so ill- behaved, that, 

 though there was a very liberal subscription entered into, they had 



