Medals of Yorkshire from the Collection Formed by the Late Richard Law

YORK, Magistrates Medal of Admission to the Courts, a copper ticket by Younge & Deakin, legend in wreath, rev. wreath, not transferable, named (I. Radcliffe Esqr., York Assizes, 20th July 1812), 44mm (D & W 89/325; MG 1556; cf. DNW M1, 1194). Extremely fine and very rare £150-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals of Yorkshire from the Collection Formed by the Late Richard Law.

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Provenance: Bt J. Blair October 2010.

Sir Joseph Ratcliffe, née Pickford, 1st Bt (1744-1819), Milnsbridge House, Huddersfield, magistrate and landowner, was the chief opponent of the Luddites – those who opposed the introduction of new machinery into the textile mills – in the Colne Valley and, despite continued threats to his family and property, contrived to send over 100 suspected Luddites to York Castle prison via the Assizes. Ratcliffe recruited an extensive number of spies and informers and it was said that the centre of Huddersfield resembled an army camp in the summer of 1812, with over 400 troops billeted in the town to quell the Luddite disturbances. Most notably, Ratcliffe helped to apprehend the three workers accused of murdering mill-owner William Horsfall at Marsden on 28 April 1812, who were executed in January 1813. Later in 1813 his ‘shameless’ campaign in pursuit of a baronetcy as a reward for his exploits was granted and he promptly left the district and moved to Rudding Park, Harrogate. Sold with further background information