James Diggles of Rastrick worked as a footman for John Armitage of Rastrick.
He had worked for Armitage since he was a boy.
On Friday, 5th November 1824, he was drinking in a pub
at the top of Bradley
with a group of gamekeepers - John Stott, gamekeeper to Sir George Armytage, Emanuel Brook, gamekeeper to John Armitage, James Diggles, and Enoch Garside, an assistant - when an argument started between one of the gamekeepers and another group of drinkers. The argument was said to have been a grudge by one of the drinkers, James Ellis, against John Stott.
About midnight, the gamekeepers left the pub and were set upon by the group of 8 men.
One of the assailants hit Diggles violently about the head.
Diggles and Emanuel Brook were taken to John Armitage's house where they were seen by Dr Alexander of Halifax and 2 local surgeons, Dr Simeon Fryer and Dr Hopkinson.
Diggles died 4 days later, on the following Tuesday, from his injuries to his head.
All of the assailants were apprehended.
At the York Assizes on 4th April 1825, >>>>>>>Christopher Tiffany [aged 19]>>>>>>>>, >>>>>>>John Dyson [aged 20]>>>>>>>>, >>>>>>>James Ellis [aged 21]>>>>>>>>, >>>>>>>James Tiffany [aged 21]>>>>>>>>, >>>>>>>John Bray [aged 22]>>>>>>>>, >>>>>>>Henry Nuttall [aged 25]>>>>>>>>, and >>>>>>>John Dawson [aged ??]>>>>>>>>, were acquitted of Diggles's murder.
Anthony Bray, who had been seen as the main person to have inflicted the wounds on James was found Guilty of manslaughter
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Malcolm Bull 2017 /
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Revised 14:03 on 8th May 2017 / mmd250 / 5