THE OATH A musical play by Ernest Ford Adapted from a story by J.T.Staton Script and Lyrics by Ernest Ford; Music and additional lyrics by Laurence Wright SYNOPSIS OF PLAY Never was the transmission from handloom to powerloom working less opportune than in 1812 England. This is the story of a working class community that is suffering from poverty, fear, unemployment, and lack of trust in the next human being. Tommy Yetton and Billy Jenkinson, two family men with son and daughter madly in love in these desperate times, are two men who could command respect amongst the out of work handloom workers and could in some eyes become leaders and trouble makers. With such respect, and industrial trouble expected by the authorities, spies of the people paid by the government to flush out such radicals are instructed to entice the two men to commit a crime against the state. Issacher Smuttril and his colleague Tomkins infiltrate 'secret meetings' but although they are successful in bringing the two before magistrates, are unsuccessful in making the charge hold, due to Jenkinsons daughter noticing that Issacher had been sworn in on an old cashbook instead of a bible. The two government 'spies' recovering from the setback continue to infiltrate the secret meetings to report back to the magistrate the action of the mobs and the people who could be dangerous to the state. A Luddite association has been formed with the help of Issacher to march on to West-howfen mill and to destroy the machinery. The time of the march has been reported back to the magistrate who plans to charge the angry mob with soldiers before any destruction can be accomplished. The followers of Issacher (paid spies) are instructed to wear white caps so that soldiers would recognise these men. The plan went wrong and West-howfen mill was burned to the ground. With the help of the spies, 3 men and a boy of 12 were denounced, tried, and hung at Lancaster Castle. The play is based on a true account of what happened on that fateful day in 1812. Click the song titles opposite to listen to the music If you are interested in producing this play please contact me by email