Isabella Varley Banks also known as Mrs G Linnaeus Banks (1821-1897) wrote her novel entitled
'Bond Slaves The Story Of A Struggle' in 1885. Although a work of fiction it probably contains some of the best descriptions of the events and those involved in the riots of 1812.

 Isabella researched in great detail before putting pen to paper at a time when the events were still in living memory. The resulting novel is not only largely factually correct but today gives a good insight into the day to day lives of those involved.

For those interested in local events the chapters entitled At The Dumb Steeple and The Alarm Bell, tell of the gathering of the Luddites at the Dumb Steeple and the attack on Rawfolds' Mill.

You can read the novel below. To do so you must have a Suitable PDF Reader installed on your computer.

Click HERE to jump to At The Dumb Steeple and The Alarm Bell

Click HERE to view the full novel.

View full screen.

Isobella Banks nee Varley was born on the 25th March 1821 in Manchester above her fathers chemist shop. Throughout her life she maintained a keen interest in Manchester's history and its political development. During her lifetime she wrote a number of novels, poetry works and contributed regular articles to a number of newspapers that her then husband, George Linnaeus Banks, a journalist and lecturer was in the employ of.

 She is probably best remembered for her 1876 novel the Manchester Man considered  to be an important social historical work.

Throughout her life Isabella maintained a dislike of the "modernisation" that was rapidly bringing changes to industry, day to day life and the face of Manchester, this is perhaps reflected in her choice of subject matter.

Bond Slaves was first published under the title In Bondage A Yorkshire Story in 1886 in the pages of the Saturday Supplement of the Leeds Mercury. It was serialised over twenty three editions of this weekly supplement.

Details of how Isabella researched the book are contained in its preface including the part that the well known Mirfield man Joshua Ingham (1802-1866) of Blake Hall had played in it.