Joseph Nadin was born in 1765. He worked as a spinner but he later
became a thief-catcher. Paid by results, he gained a reputation for
arresting innocent people. Nadin received £2 and a Tyburn ticket
for every person convicted of a felony. A Tyburn ticket exempted the
holder from any public office in the town of residence. It is claimed
that Nadin received over £10 for these Tyburn tickets and his
activities as a thief-catcher made him a wealthy man.
In 1803, impressed by his success as a thief-catcher, the Manchester
authorities made Nadin their Deputy-Constable. Nadin soon developed
a reputation for corruption, for example, he received money from most
of the owners of brothels in Manchester.
As well as arresting criminals, Nadin was given responsibility of
dealing with the growing social unrest in Manchester. In 1812 Nadin
arrested thirty-eight weavers for political offences. Nadin was much
hated by local radicals and they claimed that for twenty years he
was the "real ruler of Manchester".
On 16th August 1819 William Hulton instructed
Joseph Nadin to arrest Henry Hunt and the
other leaders of the demonstration. Nadin replied that this could
not be done without the help of the military. Hulton then ordered
Lieutenant Colonel L'Estrange, the commander
of the military forces in Manchester and Major Trafford, the commander
of the Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
to arrest the men. It was while the military attempted to make these
arrests that eleven people were killed and over four hundred were
injured.
Nadin retired from his post as Deputy Constable in 1823. He had by
this time obtained a large fortune from his corrupt activities and
was able to buy a large house and land in Cheshire. Joseph Nadin died
aged eighty-three in 1848.
(1)
On 16th August 1819, William Hulton asked
Joseph Nadin to arrest Henry Hunt and the
other organisers of the meeting at St. Peter's Field.
William
Hulton: Is it not possible for the police aided by the Special Constables,
to execute the warrant?
Joseph Nadin: Never with those Special Constables, nor with ten times
the number, nor with all the Special Constables in England.
William Hulton: Cannot it be executed without military force?
Joseph Nadin: It cannot.
William Hulton: Then you shall have the military force.
(2)
Joseph Nadin gave evidence at Henry Hunt trial explaining why he did
not serve the warrants at St. Peter's Field. He described being attacked
by a mob of 2,000 at a riot at New Cross earlier in August, 1819.
I dare
not do it, from the reception I had received a few days before, and
that on attempting to execute a warrant. The Boroughreve and constables,
and me, and two or three beadles, were called to New Cross. The paper-sticker
was posting bills. We had sent a bill-sticker and two of our men with
him. We went to the place, where it was said our men were in the house,
and they were stoning the house; we went through the mob when a shower
of stones came upon us. Mr. Moore and Mr. Clayton got away, and Andrew
with me, and the two beadles could not get away well. We got on the
outside and turned down Oldham Street, and then Mr. Moore and Mr.
Clayton were bringing in the Military.
(3)
In his book Personal Recollections of Manchester, Archibald
Prentice commented on Joseph Nadin's treatment of radicals.
The radical
movement had its origin in 1812, but had for a time been repressed,
by the same unjust means which had been employed to put down the movement
for reform and peace. Some working men, probably on the suggestion
of the shrewd old John Knight, a manufacturer in a small way, thought
it advisable that an opportunity should be afforded to the friends
of peace and parliamentary reform to express their sentiments on those
subjects, which they conceived to be the two measures most calculated
to relieve their present sufferings. On 11th June, 1812, the men met
at the Prince Regent's Arms.
"On our arrival," says Knight, in a preface to the report
of the subsequent trial, "we were shown into a room capable of
accommodating forty or fifty people, and after waiting a considerable
time, while the company assembled and got some refreshment, we proceeded
to business, about a quarter before ten o'clock. I began by inquiring
the residences and occupations of the individuals who composed the
meeting, and then proceeded to read the petition that had been prepared.
I afterwards made some observations on the deplorable circumstances
of the labouring classes. I recommended frequent and general petitioning,
which I endeavoured to enforce as the best method of obtaining relief.
At eleven o'clock we began the financial part of our business, and
Mr. Oldham had just laid £1 2s. on the table, which I was taking
up, when Nadin entered, with a blunderbuss in his hands, followed
by a great number of soldiers, with their guns and bayonets fixed.
Nadin advancing to the table at which Washington and I sat, inquired
for what purpose we were there assembled, on which Washington, handling
him a copy of the resolutions, replied, that our object was peace
and parliamentary reform. Nadin said, "I do not believe you;
that is only a pretence." He then searched our persons, ordered
our names, occupations, and residences to be put down, our hands to
be tied, and ourselves to be taken to the New Bailey. I said he surely
could not think of preventing us from going home. He showed no warrant,
but said we should be examined immediately, as the magistrates were
sitting."
So firm, shrewd old John - not shrewd enough to fear that the legality
and constitutionally of his meeting were any protection from the rough
hands of Joseph Nadin - was marched off with his thirty-seven compatriots,
a gallant guard of soldiers accompanying the manacled men to to the
prison-house.
(4)
Social reformer, Samuel Bamford was arrested
several times by Joseph Nadin. Bamford wrote an account of Nadin in
his book Passages in the Life of a Radical.
Joseph
Nadin was about 6 feet 1 inch in height, with an uncommon breadth
and solidity of frame. His head was full sized, his complexion sallow,
his hair dark and slightly grey; his features were broad and non-intellectual,
his voice loud, his language coarse and illiterate, and his manner
rude and overbearing to equals or inferiors. He was exceedingly crafty
in his business, and somewhat unfeeling. He was certainly a somewhat
remarkable person in uncommon times. He showed that he had the homely
tact to take care of his own interests. He housed a good harvest whilst
the sun was up, and retired to spend his evening in ease and plenty
on a farm of his own within the borders of Cheshire.
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