Richard Oastler

Richard Oastler (20 December 1789 - 22 August 1861) - labour reformer and abolitionist who fought for the rights of children in the Factory Act 1847 and was a leader of the factory reform and anti-poor law movement.

The following is a list of records mentioning Richard Oastler held at the Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Leeds offices of the West Yorkshire Archive Service.

WYAS Bradford

Description Date WYAS Reference
Two signatures of Richard Oastler nd [mid 19th century] DB3/C41/11
Letter from W E Forster of Burley in Wharfedale, to Matthew Balme - giving opinion on the monument to Richard Oastler 7 Dec 1867 DB4/C9/13
Letter from W E Forster of 80 Eccleston Square, SW London, to Matthew Balme - concerning arrangements for the inauguration ceremony [for the monument to Richard Oastler at Bradford] 15 Feb 1869 DB4/C9/14
Letter from W E Forster, Privy Council Office, [London], to Matthew Balme - to enquire into arrangements for the ceremony and procession [at the unveiling of the statue to Richard Oastler, Bradford] 11 May 1869 DB4/C9/15
Letter from N Newdegate of 3 Arlington Street, Piccadilly, [London], to Matthew Balme of Ivy House, Bolton, near Bradford - expressing his hope to attend the inauguration ceremony for the monument to Richard Oastler 3 May 1869 DB4/C9/37
Letter from John Rand of Manningham Thorpe, Bradford, to Matthew Balme - regretting his inablility to receive Lord Palmerston on his visit for the inauguration of the monument to Richard Oastler at Bradford 9 Apr 1869 DB4/C9/45
Letter from Lord Shaftesbury in London, to Matthew Balme - concerning the date for the ceremony to unveil the statue of Richard Oastler 25 Sep 1868 DB4/C9/56
Letter from Lord Shaftesbury to Matthew Balme - concerning the attendance of Mr Forster and the American minister at the ceremony to unveil the statue to Richard Oastler 18 Feb 1869 DB4/C9/57
Letter from Lord Shaftesbury to Matthew Balme - concerning his attendance at the ceremony to unveil the statue of Richard Oastler in Bradford 12 Mar 1869 DB4/C9/58
Address to the operatives of the United Kingdom to raise a monument in memory of Richard Oastler, 'the good old Factory King' 30 Sep 1861 DB4/C9/77
Letter from Richard Oastler of Norwood near London, to Squire Auty, [Bradford] - referring to the movements of Mr Kydd and the forthcoming election 29 Jun 1852 DB4/C9/85/1
Letter from Richard Oastler of Norwood near London, to Squire Auty, [Bradford] 1 Jul 1852 DB4/C9/85/2
Letter from Richard Oastler of Norwood near London, to Squire Auty, [Bradford] 16 Aug 1853 DB4/C9/85/3
Letter from Richard Oastler of Wimbledon, Surrey, to Squire Auty, [Bradford] 22 Aug 1853 DB16/C12/9b
Poem and music to 'The Homes of Old England For Me' nd [c1840s] DB16/C12/9c
Newspaper cuttings book compiled by John Clark of Bradford - subjects include Richard Oastler 1859-1882 DB16/C29
Notebooks containing 'The History and Annals of Bradford, or a Family Book of Reference of the Most Important Events that have Transpired there in Ancient and Modern Time', by John Clark of Bradford, volumes 2 and 3 - subjects include Richard Oastler nd [19th century] DB16/C32
Richard Oastler Monument, Bradford, papers 1861-1864 DB17/C28/6
Subscription book for a monument to the late Richard Oastler nd [1860s] DB17/C28/6a
THE MORNING CHRONICLE, newspaper - giving a report of Richard Oastler's speech as a proposed candidate for the Huddersfield elections.

Three letters written between Butler Wood of Bradford, chief librarian; G C Denning, Bradford Town Clerk; and William Hart of London; concerning the above newspaper, Aug-Sep 1920

 8 May 1837 DB17/C28/6b
A Letter to Run-A-Way M.P. By Richard Oastler - Richard Oastler lambasts an M.P. for not standing against him in argument 12 Apr 1836 DB27 C1/2/3
Faithful Advice and Warning to the Factory Workers (old and young) of Yorkshire and Lancashire 2 Feb 1836 DB27 C1/25/1
The Oastler Testimonial - Charity dinner in support of Richard Oastler 1 Jan 1842 DB27 C1/26/1
Letter to Lord Brougham - From Richard Oastler 21 Mar 1850 DB27 C1/36/2
Slavery in Yorkshire! 17 Apr 1832 DB27 C1/48/2
Slavery in Yorkshire - Letter to the editor of The Intelligencer from Richard Oastler 29 Jul 1833 DB27 C1/49/1
Letters to the editor of the Bradford Observer - Letters from Richard Oastler to the Bradford Observer 17 to 24 Oct 1834 DB27 C1/52/1
Siege of Bradford - Letter to the Editor of the Leeds Intelligencer from Richard Oastler 9 Dec 1837 DB27 C1/62/1
The Working Men Are Thinking - Address at the meeting of Trades' Delegates, by Richard Oastler 4 Mar 1850 DB27 C1/78/1
Richard Oastler The Address of the Committees to the Public - Speech re Annuity for Oastler nd [? 1846] DB27 C1/85/1
Squire Auty, letters from Richard Oastler and others re political matters 1845-1868 DB71/C4/8
Richard Oastler, volume of pamphlets on politics 1834 DB71/C7/3
Edition of 'The Home, The Altar, The Throne and The Cottage' - edited by Richard Oastler 31 Dec 1853 SpSt/9/43
WILLIAM SCRUTON OF BRADFORD, ANTIQUARIAN, SCRAPBOOK OF AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOGRAPHS, ENGRAVINGS AND DOCUMENTS RELATING TO PROMINENT VICTORIANS AND LOCAL PEOPLE – includes references to Richard Oastler 1693-c1894 38D96
Feature and picture about Richard Oastler KC797 page/51

WYAS Calderdale

Description Date WYAS Reference
Letter from Richard Oastler, Leeds, to James Lister, Shibden Hall - Concerns receipt of interest due to Thomas Thornhill from the Turnpike Trustees 10 Jul 1817 SH:7/LL.T/12
Letter from Richard Oastler, Huddersfield, to James Lister, Shibden Hall - Refers to receipt of interest due to Thomas Thornhill from the Turnpike Trustees 12 Jul 1823 SH:7/LL.T/18
Letter from Richard Oastler, Huddersfield, to James Lister, Shibden Hall - Refers to receipt of interest due to Thomas Thornhill from the Turnpike Trustees 16 Jul 1824 SH:7/LL.T/25
Letter from Richard Oastler of Fixby Hall, Huddersfield to J Milner - Concerns Vicar's tithes 10 Dec 1828 HAS:1385 (600)
Letter (photocopy) from Lawrence Pitkeithley, Huddersfield, to John Fielden, Todmorden. Concerns the growing Chartist movement, the National Petition and the employment situation in Nottinghamshire. Refers to Richard Oastler 26 Oct 1838 WYC:1228/5 [formerly acc 1788 at WYAS Leeds]
Richard Oastler of Fixby Hall, Fixby, correspondence 1836 MISC:333/20

WYAS Kirklees

Description Date WYAS Reference
Pamphlet - 'View Extraordinary of Sir John's Huddersfield Menagerie' by Jay Aitch, attacking Sir John Ramsden and the Whigs , and supporting Richard Oastler; printed by J Hobson, Leeds 1837 KC174/5/25
Poster - 'Mr Oastler's Farewell to Fixby Hall' giving details of proposed procession fro Fixby Hall to Huddersfield on occasion of Richard Oastler leaving his work as steward of the Thornhill Estate; printer T Kemp, Huddersfield 1838 KC174/5/112
Richard Oastler re: Poor Law Amendement Act 1834 1837-1840 KC174
'The Battle of Bradford' - Extract from 'The Northern Star' of Richard Oastler re: Poor Law and troops going into Bradford. Fixby Hall

J Hobson, printer, Nothern Star Office, 5 Market Street, Briggate, Leeds

 Nov-Dec 1837 KC174/118
'Lord John Russell and the Huddersfield Whigs' - 'Letter' to Lord John Russell from Richard Oastler, Fixby Hall accusing him of using Post Master as a spy and warning of the possible riots against the Poor Law

Tinker, printer, Huddersfield

 1838 KC174/119
'Letter from Earl Fitzwilliam by Richard Oastler, Fixby Hall from The Northern Star' - re: Poor Law 1838 KC174/120
'Second letter to Earl Fitzwilliam by Richard Oastler, Fixby Hall from the Northern Star' - re: Poor Law 1838 KC174/121
'Letter to the Earl of Haddington by Richard Oastler, Fixby Hall from the Northern Star' - attacking the 'New Poor Law'

Joshua Hobson, printer, 5 Market Street, Leeds

 1838 KC174/122
'Deacon Batley, Deacon Shaw & Co. Rebellion in the Screwgut Camp!!!' - Extract from a letter to Marquess of Normanby, Secretary of State from Richard Oastler, Sloan Street, Chelsea re: Poor Law from the 'Champion Newspaper 12 Apr 1840

C Tinker, printer, Market Walk, Huddersfield

 1840 KC174/123
Account of money paid by Richard Oastler on account of rebuilding Calverley Mills 1823-1824 DD/T/R/a/169
Thornhill Estate, correspondence, mainly to J H Ramsbotham, land agent, from Honoria Thornhill and Thomas Thornhill - Includes letter dated 7 Nov 1845 from Richard Oastler, Leeds, to George Higham, solicitor, Brighouse, re book probably sent to Riddlesworth by Oastler's father with Fixby Hall title deeds - were sent on Mr Thornhill's order `when the Luddites were so busy' Jan-Dec 1845 DD/T/C/281
Agreement for conveyance -

(1) Richard Oastler on behalf of Thomas Thornhill (2) George Addinell on behalf of Sir John Lister Kaye Bart. 2 allotments

 29 Jan 1821 DD/T/DD/VII/1
Handbill `The Case, Thornhill v Oastler' - Re trial of Richard Oastler for debt in London on 10 Jul 1840 1840 DD/T/LP/48
LAWRENCE PITKEITHLEY COLLECTION - Lawrence Pitkeithley was born in Kinross, Scotland, about 1795. He later became a general dealer in Huddersfield and then in Manchester. In 1831 he was one of the six "Short Time Committee" members who persuaded Richard Oastler to lead the campaign for the Ten Hour Bill. In 1839 he was a delegate to the Chartist Convention. He died in Manchester in 1858. 1793-1970 KC1040
Thornhill of Fixby - Details the life and letters of Thomas Thornhill of Fixby in Yorkshire and Riddlesworth in Norfolk. Born 15 Dec 1780 and died 29 May 1844; Also the Fixby letters 1839-1844 which include references to Richard Oastler plus racing and estate affairs. Also letters from family papers of G E P Thornhill of Newark, Notts 1968 WYK1151/2
GEORGE BINNS, ACADEMY FARTOWN, EXERCISE BOOK - Comprises an exercise book used for copying. Includes copies of drawings and a copy of an address presented to Mr Richard Oastler by Mr Tweedale on his return to Huddersfield on 20 Feb 1844 following his release from Fleet Prison 1840 WYK1402

WYAS Leeds

Description Date WYAS Reference
Richard Oastler, Radical Reformer, Letters 1832 & 1843 WYL22
1. Letter - Richard Oastler to J Foster, written from Fixby Hall,

2. Letter - Richard Oastler to T Ramsey, written from Queen's Prison,

3. Cutting from illustrated London News, - portrait and biography of Richard Oastler + cutting from the same of monument erected in his honour in Bradford,

4 Oct 1832

1 Feb 1843 9 Mar 1844 15 May 1869

 WYL22/E/15 [formerly GA/E/15]

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