Letter from Colonel Trevor (Lord Dynevor) to a Llanelli magistrate [?], 3 November 1843 [page 1 of 6]

Description

Description by George Eyre Evans:

"'Mr. Rees': possibly Walter Rees who had been maliciously fired at by "Shoni Scuborfawr," at Pontyberem, on 25 August. Sir James Graham was the Home Secretary"

Transcription:

"My dear Sir,

I saw Mr. Rees yesterday, and had some conversation with him respecting the appointing of Special Constables. The fact is that in July last there was found great difficulty in getting people to be sworn in, and to serve in that Capacity. I therefore asked Sir James Graham's advice as to the expediency of fining those who refused. He then thought it better not to do so, but since that time he has altered his opinion, and on the 25th September he wrote to me to say so, and he desired that until the County Police have been efficiently organised, the Special Constables should be sworn in, particularly in those districts where the most serious outrages have been committed.

I have delayed until now acting on these instructions in order to get all our different parties out, which has now been effected, in order that the presence of the Military and London Police might produce a feeling of confidence.

I told Mr. Rees I wished a selection should be made from the whole of those liable to serve in your district, excepting those exempt. I would chuse the most responsible parties to the amount from your district of 30; such a number would, I think, be sufficient, and the organisation adopted would be as follows:-

To name 40 to serve at each post, of which you have seven in your district, viz., Cross Hands, Llannon, Gellywernen, Pontardulais, Llanelly, Trimsaran, and Pontyberem; this would require leaving 20 for the present unemployed, and I would divide those 40 into four bodies, A B C D. A should take the first week after the appointments are made; B the next, and so on, taking their chance of being called on to go out with the Police to patrol the roads, and the whole to be liable to come out on the orders of the Magistrates. If you think it is better to have a larger body, then you can do so, and have, if you care, a larger body to serve weekly at Pontyberem, if it is thought advisable, and fewer at other places, but so that no one serves more than a week at a time, or you can, if you like, make those wh are to serve patrol regularly for the week during the night; or you may make the change daily [gone] on every day at each part or vary the plan if you see fit; but this is the ground work I propose for your adoption, and that of the Magistrates.

Pray send me a copy of my letter to Mr Chambers, as I have mislaid my own. Pray let me know as soon as you can the day on which your meeting is to be held for the swearing in of the parties, and I will attend it.

The Circulars I sent to Llanelly will answer your query respecting the Commissioners, their wish is to know how many there are to be examined, and where they live, so as to arrange accordingly, and where they themselves are to go to, and the time to be occupied in each place.

I beg that this may be considered as confidential between the Magisrates of Llanelly and myself, and it is meant to be read or shewn to them alone.

Believe me, truly yours,
Geo. Rice Trevor."

[Source: George Eyre Evans, 'Rebecca Riots: Unpublished letters, 1843-44', The Transcations of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club, vol. XXIII, pp. 72-73]