Siartwyr Casnewydd Cyf.14, p.11

Disgrifiad

Tudalen 1:
[Top right hand margin:-] 11
Ag[ain]st John Rees Thomas Pritchard Fireman of Locomotive
Engines - in Messrs Harford's employ says - On
Saturday the 2nd Nov[embe]r I came from Sirhowy to
Newport with the Superb Engine & arrived that evening.
On the next day (Sunday) I heard many reports of the
Chartists coming down which I did not believe -
On Monday morning early I got the Steam up &
made ready for the return of the Engine & left the Wharf
about 8 o'clock- The Engineer's name was Samuel Smith
When we got to the Waterloo we met some haulliers
coming back with their horses who said it was no use
for us to go on as the Mob was coming down - We did
not believe it & took to the full road in order to pass
the trams which had been left on the empty road-
We went on to the Gaer Pool & there we met the Mob
coming down - We immediately backed the Engine &
returned to the Waterloo & waited there till the Mob came
opposite the Waterloo- A man walked in front of
them dressed in a square cut coat called a Pilot Coat
with a pike in one hand & a light walking stick in the
other- It was Jack the Fifer - He turned round to them then held up his stick &
cried "Halt" the Mob immediately halted - The first
thing I saw after that was, a x Man with a dirty blanket
smock and a Gun and pistol in his hands & a man with a blue dress coat went into
[Note left hand margin:]- q pick or pitch fork according to [Saml] Smith the Engineer -
[Saml]Smith thinks Jack the Fifer had a blue dress coat - not a pilot coat but is not certain]
[Note left hand margin:]- x Smith thinks he would know him again

Tudalen 2:
the Waterloo & were there about 3 or 4 minutes & then both
came out again - the man with the blanket smock had
two guns and a pistol when he came out- He gave
one of the Guns to one of the crowd who had a blue coat-
[Note left hand margin:- Smith says the Gun was a very long one which the man in the smock had first-]
The first man I have spoken of dressed in blue dress coat went
amongst the rest- I believe he had a pike but am not
certain- he was armed with something - Jack the fifer
& the man in the Blanket smock then spoke together
a few minutes & then the latter called out "All
you that have guns come forward" the mob then
formed 6 abreast & a man with a gun at each end
making eight as far as the guns would reach-
They stopped at the Waterloo about 3/4 of an hour
altogether & then marched towards Newport, I think
Jack Rees gave the word then - We waited then until
they all went by- Some toward the middle ordered us
to "come on" we , that is myself & W[illia]m Morris the
Haullier said "we must put the Engine in order first
or else we should be in danger" - they said "well
look sharp" or some thing like it- The whole crowd
reached from the Court a Bella weighing machine
to the Gaer pool - & many of them told us if we met
any more coming down to tell them we had seen

Tudalen 3:
them at the Waterloo & they were going on all night- As soon
as they had all passed we went towards Risca -
[Note in left hand margin:- A man in plaid coat about the middle ordering others on]
Whilst taking in Water at Bassaleg many of the crowd
overtook us running back & so many got on the carriages
that we could only see the wheels - we ordered
them to get off but it was no good- At the Welsh Oak a Man
with a spear told us to stop the Engine which we did & he
said what the Devil are these you have got here on the Trams
he said to the in Welsh "Damn you come down" Some
of them came down for fear but the crowd was too many for
him to conquer - he had a blue dress coat & light waistcoat
I think I should know him again- I am sure of it-
Finding it was no good trying to get the off he went towards
Newport on the Tramroad-

Whilst we were stopping at the Waterloo & just as the Mob came
up Smith the Engineer recollected he had left some things in Newport
& said he would go & fetch it & overtake me on the road - He
ran back towards Newport - & afterwards overtook the Engine at the
[F]ull [M]oon on the Tredegar road - He told me that as
he (Smith) was running back from Newport to overtake
me he saw Jack the Fifer come back also who
told him "Damn 'em we have knocked down 3 or
4" - - Smith knows Jack the fifer better than I do-
I have never joined a Chartist Lodge nor Smith to my knowledge-
[signature on right hand side of page:-] Thomas Pritchard
[faint pencil annotation below stating:] There being no work for Smith imm[ediat]ely after the Riots he
went to Chepstow the Friday after& crossed the Passage in the
Evening to see his friends _ he was told a man in a blanket
smock had crossed in the morning

Tudalen 4:
[Page - Centre:-]
Important

Reg[in]a v[ersus] John Rees [Pencil note below : ]
- Man in Blanket
Smock
& man in plaid coat

Evidence of Thomas
Pritchard and Samuel
Smith -
Ebbw Vale

[centre bottom margin:-] 596