Ned Ludd

It has been claimed that the name "Ned Ludd" came from an "Edward Ludlam"[3] who was buried at St Mary's Church, Anstey.

In 1779, after either being whipped for idleness[6] or taunted by local youths,[7] he smashed two knitting frames in what was described as a "fit of passion".

John Blackner's book History of Nottingham, also published in 1811, provides a variant tale, of a lad called "Ludlam" who was told by his father, a framework-knitter, to "square his needles".

[10] News of the incident spread, and whenever frames were sabotaged, people would jokingly say "Ned Ludd did it".

[8] They said Ned Ludd was an idiot boyThat all he could do was wreck and destroy, andHe turned to his workmates and said: Death to MachinesThey tread on our future and they stamp on our dreams.