Ned Ludd and The Luddites

This illustration of Ned Ludd is from a book published in 1812, called Rage Against The Machine.  Ned Ludd is *probably* a person who really existed.  His actions were the inspiration for the folkloric character of "Captain Ludd", or "King Ludd," the Luddites' imagined leader and founder.

The Ludd legend is that inspired Ned Ludd's transformation from an 18th century common man to a 19th century hero began when he broke two textile frames in a fit of rage around 1780.  After that, industrial problem or sabotage was often explained with the phrase "Ned Ludd did that."

The Austin band The Gourds refer to Ned Ludd as "Uncle Ned" in the song "Luddite Juice" off their 2009 release, Haymaker.

The great Edward Abbey novel The Monkey Wrench Gang (1975) is dedicated to Ned Ludd.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower series contains a metropolis called Lud (city).

Robert Calvert wrote and recorded another song "Ned Ludd," which appeared on his 1985 album Freq; and includes the lyrics::

They said Ned Ludd was an idiot boy

That all he could do was wreck and destroy, and

He turned to his workmates and said: Death to Machines

They tread on our future and they stamp on our dreams.

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.  This applies to the United States, Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.
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