Bonds of Earth, The (16 page)

‘W
ELL, LOOK WHAT
we have here! I never expected to see you again, Alan Toms. What are you doing at the Wheal Hope?'

Piran Pyne was standing with the engineer who had arrived with the giant cast-iron beam from the foundry which would be hoisted in due course to its place in the engine-house, being positioned half inside and half outside the tall building. Once connected to engine and pitwork it would become the beating heart of the mine complex.

‘I've come to ask if you have any work going on the Wheal Hope, Cap'n?'

When the engineer had tactfully made his excuses and moved off to join the men from the foundry, Piran Pyne asked, ‘What's brought about the change of heart, Alan? You weren't interested when I offered to bring you here with my other miners.'

‘It wasn't that I didn't want to work for you, Cap'n, but, as you know, my ma is a widow, I was reluctant to leave her on her own and thought I had a steady job.'

‘So, what changed?'

Alan shrugged unhappily. ‘The mine folded, like so many others down there and instead of bringing money into the house I was adding to her problems.'

‘Did you come here especially to find me?'

Alan hesitated for a few moments, wondering whether he should lie. Deciding against it, he said, ‘No, I came this way with Jacob Barlow. We called in at the farm down by the river, looking for corn and I met Albert Bolitho there. He said you were here and I thought I might find work with you.'

‘Didn't Albert tell you the mine has been flooded so badly we've had to stop working?'

‘Yes. I realize you won't have work for a miner right away, but I was hoping you might need help ridding the mine of water and getting it working again.'

Changing the subject, Piran Pyne asked, ‘What were you doing with Barlow? The man's a dangerous troublemaker.'

‘I can't argue with that, Cap'n, but he makes certain the men who go along with him get to eat and that meant my ma wasn't trying to make what little she has stretch to feed the two of us. As I saw it I could either throw in my lot with Barlow, or leave the country like so many others, leaving her to fend for herself and I didn't want to do that.'

Piran Pyne was fully aware that similar problems were being faced by very many miners in West Cornwall and Barlow with one or two others were taking advantage of the situation to stir up trouble for their own ends. Barlow was a Cornish miner who had been working in the Durham coal mines until returning a year or so ago with the declared intention of promoting ‘Unionism'. The current problems had brought him the support of a few hotheads, but he had not won the support for which he had been hoping.

While Piran Pyne was thinking about the would-be miners' leader, Alan asked hesitantly, ‘How's Morwenna?'

Returning his attention to the young man standing in front of him, the mine captain said, ‘She was upset that you weren't with us when we came here, but she's moved on, so it really isn't any business of yours any more.'

The question had been a tentative attempt by Alan to improve his chances of being given work. Realizing it had failed, he said, lamely but honestly, ‘I know that, Cap'n. I also know I made a mistake by not coming with you for Morwenna's sake. I've found myself thinking of her more and more since you all left to come here. I'm sorry … I just wondered how she is.'

Piran Pyne thought rapidly of the possible ramifications of having Alan Toms back on the scene. He had never particularly liked him but Morwenna
had
been far less difficult to have around when she was seeing Alan….

He felt he needed to have a discussion with Annie about Alan's reappearance, but that would have to wait, there was a great deal going on at the Wheal Hope right now.

Drawing a coin from a pocket, Piran Pyne proffered it to the young miner. ‘Here's a florin, it should get you a meal and a bed at the inn you'll find in the village. Come back to the Wheal Hope in the morning and I'll let you know whether I can offer you work – but stay clear of Jacob Barlow.'

Piran Pyne's warning to Alan was well founded. After leaving Elworthy Farm the grain-seeking miners paid a call on the Spurre Home Farm but news of their approach had been given by a stable-hand who had passed them on the road while exercising one of Sir John's riding horses.

Anticipating trouble, the landowner had promptly sent a messenger to Launceston to call out the local militia. Then, mounted on one of his hunters and flanked by a party on foot which included a number of estate workers and two armed gamekeepers, one of whom was Marcus Grimble, Sir John made his way to the entrance of Home Farm. He was aware of Barlow's actions in forcing farmers to sell corn at greatly reduced prices and realized that with the known agitator in the area his Home Farm might become a target.

The corn-seeking miners had as yet caused no serious trouble in the county, most farmers having already sold their stocks of grain, but those who still held some, anxious to avoid trouble, had reluctantly sold to the miners what little they held, at the price dictated by Barlow.

Sir John's farm still had a considerable amount of wheat in its granary, crops grown on the slopes of the moor being harvested later than lowland ones, but Sir John had already made arrangements to have the grain shipped out from a North Cornwall port to markets offering a price far in excess of that being dictated by Barlow.

When the miners put in an appearance their numbers took Sir John by surprise. They were more numerous than he had been expecting, but he and his employees were inside the estate with a closed gate between them and the miners – and the two gamekeepers were armed.

Arriving at the gate the miners halted uncertainly and Sir John, seated on his horse called out, ‘This is private land. I will prosecute anyone who tries to enter, so state your business and go on your way.'

‘We represent men, women and children who are starving while farmers and landowners grow fat by selling corn at a price no working man can afford. We believe you have corn at your farm and we are willing to buy it at a fair price for those in desperate need.'

Barlow spoke loudly and confidently. He and his miners outnumbered the estate employees by at least six to one.

‘There is no corn on my farm and even if there was I would sell it to whomsoever I wish and not be dictated to by some unlawful rabble!'

There was an angry murmuring among the miners at Sir John's words and Barlow replied, ‘We are reasonable men, Sir John. If you allow a couple of us to check the farm buildings and satisfy ourselves there is no grain there we'll apologize and go on our way peaceably. On the other hand, if you're mistaken and there
is
corn there, we would expect you to sell it to us at a fair price in order to feed our starving families.'

‘I'll be damned if I do anything of the sort! You'll go on your way now before I read the Riot Act and have every one of you arrested by the militia – who have already been summoned. What's more, if anyone tries to enter the estate he'll be shot by my gamekeepers. Now, on your way before I lose patience with you and have them shot anyway.'

The fury of the miners was evident now and suddenly one man shouted, ‘What are we waiting for? He's lying because he knows there's wheat in his farm granary. Who's coming in with me…?'

With this the miner who had shouted defiance lifted the latch of the gate and pushed it open.

There was an immediate surge forward by the miners and a cheer went up. It faltered when Gamekeeper Grimble raised the gun he carried to his shoulder and peered down the length of its long-barrel. Then, with a shouted assertion from Barlow that Grimble would not dare open fire on them, they moved forward again … albeit more cautiously.

The gamekeeper's finger tightened noticeably on the trigger … and then he
did
fire, but at the last moment he raised the barrel very slightly so that the only damage was to the leaves of a tree that overhung one of the pillars of the gate.

The report caused the miners to come to a halt, but only briefly. Then, with a concerted howl of outrage they fell upon the luckless gamekeeper and he was knocked to the ground and kicked savagely by a dozen feet encased in the heavy boots favoured by miners.

The incident released all the frustration and sheer desperation that had been simmering in the miners during a long foray through the lanes of Cornwall and their fruitless search of empty granaries. Furious, they fell upon the remainder of the Spurre employees.

The second gamekeeper, ignoring Sir John's furious command for him to ‘Shoot!' fled the scene without firing a shot – and the Spurre men fled with him, deaf to the furious orders of Sir John to stand their ground.

Aware he had lost the day, the landowner backed his frightened horse away from the uproar, mouthing what he would later claim in court to be the Riot Act, before turning the horse and galloping away to the safety of Spurre Hall.

T
HE AREA WAS
soon agog with news of all that had occurred between Barlow's miners and the estate employees. After the encounter at the entrance gate, the miners set out for the Home Farm but had no sooner reached it than a shout went up that armed militia were approaching in carts and carriages, led by their officers mounted on horses.

The miners fled empty-handed, without even a glimpse of the wheat filling the granary. Scattering as they went they would be hunted down relentlessly, mainly by the mounted militia officers – of whom there seemed to be more than there were rank and file – in the manner of true fox-hunting country gentlemen.

No one outside the estate, and very few of its employees were unduly upset at the punishment meted out to the unpopular Marcus Grimble – and the humiliation of Sir John was hailed by many as being long overdue. Nevertheless, the actions of Barlow's miners had caused alarm among farmers in the area for whom a rise in the price of the various cereals they harvested had eased their financial burdens considerably.

The man-hunt continued the following morning and was going on when Jenken went down to the Elworthy Farm gate to scrub out the wooden churn kept there to hold the milk for collection by the villagers. He returned hurriedly and, in a state of great excitement, sought out Goran.

‘I've just seen some of the militiamen. They've arrested Alan Toms for being one of those who fought with Sir John's men.'

‘But he couldn't have been there; we saw him going to the Wheal Hope when he left here and that's in the opposite direction!'

‘I know, and Alan called out to me to tell Captain Pyne that he's been arrested, so he must have been up there to speak to him.'

‘Did he say anything else?'

‘No, he had his hands tied behind him and one of the militiamen hit him with his gun and knocked him over before he'd even finished talking to me, then he told me to be on my way or I'd be arrested too.'

‘It sounds as though they're arresting anyone they don't know. Where do you think they were taking Alan Toms?'

‘They were following the river upstream, so I should imagine it would be to Spurre Hall.'

‘Run to Wheal Hope and tell Captain Pyne what you've just told me. While you're doing that I'll take the pony and go across the moor beyond the estate. I won't be able to do anything to help, but I'll be able to see whether the militia take anyone away to Launceston.'

Piran Pyne listened to a breathless Jenken in silence before asking, ‘How long ago did this happen?'

‘Not much more than twenty minutes … I've run all the way here.'

‘And you think they were taking Alan to Spurre Hall?'

‘That's the way they were heading.'

‘Then I'll go straight there now and take two of my soundest men with me to witness what's said. I'm not over-fond of the boy, but there's no way he could have been mixed up in anything that went on and I'll not see him arrested for no other reason than that he's a miner. Find Goran and tell him to let me know immediately if they take Alan away. If they do we'll need to get to Launceston before they haul him before a magistrate.'

Piran took a short cut to Spurre Hall, going across the moor and not entering the estate via either of the two lodge gates which were being guarded by zealous militiamen, eager to perform a duty that seldom came their way.

Because of their route to the hall the arrival of the three miners came as a surprise to Sir John who, with a militia captain, was supervising a manacled Alan Toms being placed in an open cart for transportation under escort to the decaying cells of Launceston Castle.

The militia captain moved to block the miners' advance as they approached but Sir John stopped him and, addressing the mine captain, asked pompously, ‘Have you come to offer your apologies for the disgraceful conduct of your miners, Pyne?'

‘I have nothing to apologize for, Sir John. The conduct of the men who came here yesterday was regrettable, albeit understandable, but none of my miners were involved – and that includes Alan Toms, the man you have in chains. He was at Wheal Hope talking to me at the very time you were having your problems here. It's a fact that my two companions will verify.'

‘I have no doubt they will, miners are notorious for supporting each other – whatever the truth of the matter might be.'

‘I am not a liar, Sir John. Alan Toms was with me at the time of the incident for which he's been arrested,
unlawfully
arrested. After talking to me he went straight to the inn in North Hill village where he took board and lodging, paying for it with a florin I gave him. Had there been a place for him to stay at the mine he would have spent the night there. As it is I will have the landlord of the inn, his servants and every one of my miners called to give evidence that Toms could not have been involved in the troubles here on Spurre land. Furthermore, should my word be questioned in court I'll call witnesses to testify to my integrity, among them the adventurers for whom I've managed mines. They include the present Sheriff of Cornwall, a past sheriff and a number of peers of the realm. Your militiamen have made a mistake and it's in everyone's interest for that mistake to be acknowledged and Toms released, here and now.'

‘I doubt if any mistake has been made. When the militia appeared on the scene the rioters scurried off across the countryside like scared rats and the militiamen went after them, catching up with a great many.'

Alan Toms had been listening to the exchange between the two men and now he called out, ‘I wasn't scurrying anywhere, Cap'n. I was arrested this morning when I was on my way to Wheal Hope from the North Hill Inn where I'd spent the night.'

Sir John Spurre was the commanding officer of the North Cornwall militia and, as such, ultimately responsible for their actions. When Alan Toms had been brought in as one of the ‘rioting miners', Sir John had not questioned the arrest which had been made by a platoon of militiamen led by the enthusiastic but not very intelligent son of another wealthy landowner.

Had not Piran Pyne raised objections, Toms would have been found guilty of rioting and transported as a matter course. With the exception of the convicted man it would have been of little concern to anyone and soon forgotten.

Captain Pyne's intervention had put a different complexion on the situation. Not only would the weight of evidence he could produce undoubtedly secure the acquittal of Toms, it would also throw doubt on the credibility of the whole militia operation.

This had become apparent to Sir John, but he could see no way of overcoming the problem without being humiliated for the second time in two days. However, it was the prisoner himself who had provided him with a solution – and he grasped it eagerly.

‘Arrested only this morning? Is that correct, Lieutenant Spry?'

Taken by surprise at having his actions questioned, the young militia officer tried unsuccessfully to think of a reply that might justify the arrest he had made. ‘Yes, sir, but he—'

‘No “buts”, Lieutenant. I was given to understand the man had been arrested during the immediate pursuit of the rioters, not picked up only this morning. Release the prisoner immediately.'

Turning to Piran Pyne, he said, ‘Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Pyne. Lieutenant Spry is a young and inexperienced militia officer and has perhaps been over-zealous in carrying out his duty.'

With this, the titled landowner turned and walked stiffly away, leaving the aggrieved officer to order that Alan Toms be released.

Rubbing his chafed wrists after being freed from the manacles, Alan Toms caught up with the mine captain who had not waited to witness his release, but was walking back the way he had come accompanied by the two Wheal Hope miners.

‘I'll be forever in your debt for coming to my rescue, Cap'n. That militia officer told me to make the most of what I saw of the countryside on my way to Launceston Prison because it was likely to be the last I'd ever see of Cornwall as I'd be spending the rest of my life in Van Diemen's Land. I don't doubt he was right and I'd almost given up all hope of ever being released.'

‘I'm not convinced I've done the right thing,' came the unexpected reply.

Startled, Alan Toms said, ‘What d'you mean, Cap'n? I'd done nothing wrong, you know that.'

‘What I know is that if it wasn't for the support of fools like you, Barlow wouldn't be able to go around Cornwall causing trouble. Mines and miners have more than enough to cope with without having men like him stirring up the countryside against them.'

Piran Pyne made this observation without slackening his pace and not glancing at the young miner who was hurrying to keep up with him.

The small party walked on in silence for some minutes more before Alan Toms spoke anxiously and contritely, ‘I'm sorry I've behaved so stupidly, Cap'n. I'll think long and hard before doing anything like it in future, but back there you told the owner of the estate I was one of your men. Does that mean you'll give me work on Wheal Hope?'

‘I suppose if I'm not going to show myself up as a liar I'm going to have to!'

Looking at the young miner now, he added, ‘Heaven help you if you let me down, Alan Toms. You do and you'll wish you had gone to Van Dieman's Land.'