Ned Ludd

Ned Ludd, possibly born Edward Ludlam, is the person from whom, it is popularly claimed, the Luddites took their name.

In 1779, Ludd is supposed to have broken two stocking frames in a fit of rage. After this incident, attacks on the frames were jokingly blamed on Ludd. When the "Luddites" emerged in the 1810s, his identity was appropriated to become the folkloric character of Captain Ludd, also known as King Ludd or General Ludd, the Luddites' alleged leader and founder.

History

Supposedly, Ludd was a weaver from Anstey, near Leicester. In 1779, either after being whipped for idleness, or after being taunted by local youths, he smashed two knitting frames in what was described as a "fit of passion". This story is traceable to an article in The Nottingham Review on 20 December 1811, but there is no independent evidence of its truth. John Blackner's book History of Nottingham, also published in 1811, provides a variant tale, of a lad called "Ludnam" who was told by his father, a framework-knitter, to "square his needles". Ludnam took a hammer and "beat them into a heap". News of the incident spread, and whenever frames were sabotaged, people would jokingly say "Ned Ludd did it".

General Ludd (The Blacklist)

"General Ludd" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American crime drama The Blacklist. The episode premiered in the United States on NBC on November 11, 2013.

Plot

Elizabeth uncovers an elaborate plot to destroy the country's financial system when a new name on the blacklist, General Ludd (Justin Kirk), is revealed by Red. Red demands access to the ViCAP database in return for his help. Meanwhile, Tom informs Liz that her adoptive father Sam's cancer has returned. Due to the terror caused by General Ludd's group, Liz is unable to fly to her adoptive father Sam's (guest star William Sadler) hospital. Meanwhile, Red goes to the hospital and talks to Sam, who says he wants to tell Liz the truth about her family. Red tells Sam that Elizabeth must never know the truth, and then smothers Sam with a pillow after the latter expresses the wish that he not die a slow death from his disease. General Ludd is able to steal a hard drive containing the blueprints for newly minted U.S. currency. However, Red is able to capture him and steal the hard drive before turning Ludd over to the FBI. Elizabeth finds out that her father has died. Red uses his new access to ViCAP to look up the number the Chinese gave him in "Wujing"; it's the number of a file on a woman named Lucy Brooks. Red comforts Elizabeth as she mourns her father.