Riots and agrarian outrages -- Colliers, &c., coming to London
-- "England in 1816" -- Riots in Newgate -- Marriage of the
Duke of Gloucester -- A chimney sweep's wedding -- Cruelty to a
"climbing boy" -- The Mortar at St. James's Park -- Lighting by
means of Gas -- The Coinage.
And what was the general state of the Country at this time? During
the very celebration of the Princess's Wedding--the people, owing to
high price of provisions, and the stagnations of trade, were in very
evil case. In those days an empty stomach, and rioting, generally
went together, and, consequently, about this time the newspapers had
to chronicle riots of a more or less serious description. On the 6th
of May, we hear of one at Bridport where the windows of the principal
millers and bakers were smashed, and a few hogsheads of beer stolen
from a local brewer. It was soon put down by the law-abiding
inhabitants of the place, and was nothing like so serious as that
which took place at Bury St. Edmunds a few days afterwards, which
sent the Sheriff of Suffolk packing off at once to London, in order
to consult with the Home Secretary, and to request his assistance in
overcoming the rioters.
For some time there had been various agrarian outrages in the Eastern
Counties, such as breaking thrashing machines, and firing barns and
ricks, and these were supposed to have arisen because an increase of
wages had not immediately followed on the rise in the price of bread.
Impunity begat audacity, and they demanded that wheat should be sold
at half a crown a bushel, and prime joints of meat at fourpence a
pound. Some of the principal inhabitants, especially at one place,
Brandon, near Bury, temporized with the Mob, and promised them that
their demands should be complied with for a fortnight, which would
give time for their grievances to be discussed.
This satisfied them for the moment, and they dispersed giving three
cheers. But they again broke out, and, this time, destroyed some
houses--and, moreover, demonstrated with bludgeons studded with short
iron spikes, and, to shew their organization, they paraded a flag,
having the legend, "Bread, or Blood!" They threw fire balls about,
smashed the street lamps, made an attack on some mills, and stole
therefrom a quantity of flour, some of which, in their unreason, they
threw into the river, and some they carried away. Some of the West
Norfolk Militia, and a party of the first Royal Dragoons, having
arrived, they were supported by the respectable inhabitants, and for
a time some kind of order was restored.
But the demon was abroad, and men began to be riotous in other
places. In Norwich the mob smashed lamps, windows, &c., and threw
fire balls about, besides stoning and wounding the Military, Yeomanry
and Militia, who were there to keep the peace. At Bury, a Mob wanted
a manufacturer to deliver over to their sweet will, a spinning jenny,
swearing they would destroy his premises if he refused. This he had
courage enough to do, and some two hundred special Constables being
enrolled--peace was once more restored.
At Cambridge they feared an irruption of the rioters from the Fen
districts, swore in three hundred special Constables, and the Vice
Chancellor, and heads of Colleges, resolved to arm the students,
if considered necessary. But the Fen Men were busy in their own
district. They rendezvoused at Littleport, attacked the house of
the Rev. Mr. Vachel, a magistrate resident there, and wrecked it,
doing about £2,000 worth of damage. They extorted money from the
inhabitants, they nearly emptied the publican's cellars, and they
loaded a waggon with every gun they could find.
The decent people in those parts thought this was carrying a joke a
little too far, and we read, "These riots have at length terminated
by the exertions of the magistrates, aided by a number of the
gentlemen, and inhabitants of Ely, and the Royston troop of Volunteer
Cavalry, together with a small detachment of the 1st Royal Dragoons,
consisting of eighteen, who had, in the first instance, been sent
for from Bury. These proceeded in a body, on the 25th of May, to
Littleport, and a very severe struggle ensued between them and the
rioters, who had secreted themselves in different houses, and were
armed with guns, with which they fired many shots at the military
and civil power, and severely wounded one of the soldiers, but not
dangerously. The military then received orders to fire, and the man
who had wounded the soldier was instantly shot dead, and another
fell, who, having lost the lower part of his face, and part of
his tongue, is since dead. When this took place, the rioters were
completely disconcerted, and fled in every direction; but, by the
perseverance and activity of the military and civil power, no less
than seventy-three of the rioters were taken, and are now lodged in
Ely Gaol. Many more were also taken, who, appearing to have been
forced to join the mob, have been liberated. Amongst those taken,
and now under confinement, are several persons of some property,
and apparent respectability of life; and it is very evident that
rapine (not want) was the principal instigation of this unprecedented
disturbance, as the parish of Littleport, on Wednesday and Thursday
nights, resembled, in every respect, a town sacked by a besieging
army, the principal inhabitants having been compelled to abandon
their homes for the protection of their lives, and leave their
properties to the mercy of this daring banditti of robbers.
At least fifty guns and nine or ten large fowling pieces, such as
are used by gunners for the destruction of wild fowl, each carrying
at least four or five pipes[22] of powder, and as many of shot, were
taken from the rioters, and plate and other articles to the value of
£300 or £400 have been recovered."
[Footnote 22: A rough-and-ready way of loading guns,
before Cartridges and Breech loaders were introduced, was
by measuring out so many bowls of a Tobacco pipe full of
powder and shot.]
In those days the _Isle of Ely_ had a Chief Justice of its own, an
office which was only abolished by the Act 6-7 William IV. cap. 87,
and to him the King sent two Justices to hold a Commission on these
rioters, which terminated with the Capital Conviction of thirty-four
persons on charges of burglary and robbery: five of them were left
for death without hope of mercy, and, on the 28th of June, they were
duly executed.
But these riots were not merely local--say in the Eastern Counties,
they were in many parts of England.
At Bideford--there was a small riot which was soon suppressed, at
Newcastle, and upon the Wear, disturbances among the "Geordies"
about the high price of food, which wanted cavalry to suppress. More
riots in Essex--another at Honiton, where they burnt a farm house,
at Liverpool (but that was purely political). In very fact trade
was very bad, and, to give one example, I take four consecutive
paragraphs from _The Morning Chronicle_ of July 3, 1816.
"As a proof of the unprecedented stagnation of trade, one day last
week there was not a single entry for export or import at the
Custom-house of London, a circumstance without parallel in the annals
of that extensive establishment."
"In the neighbourhood of Bilston-moor, where there are many
Collieries, and a number of iron works, the workmen, consisting
of some thousands, have been thrown out of employ. They have
solicited in vain for work in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and the
neighbourhood. With a view of drawing particular attention to their
case, they have resorted to the experiment of presenting a petition
to the Prince Regent in person, to be accompanied by a present of
three waggon loads of Coals. About fifty men are yoked to each waggon
to drag it to town. One of the waggons proceeds by the route of
Worcester; another by Coventry and Birmingham; the route of the third
is by Stourbridge. The men proceed at the rate of about twelve miles
a day, and receive voluntary gifts of money, &c., on the road as they
pass along, declining of themselves to ask alms: their motto, as
placarded on the carts, being--'Rather work than beg.'"
"Upwards of _ten thousand_ livery servants are said to be now out of
place in different parts of England, owing to the _prosperous_ state
of the times, and the numerous emigrations to foreign parts."
"The state of the times has had a very singular effect upon
livings--the threat now of taking the _tithes in kind_, no longer
alarms the farmer, as it is what he wishes the Clergyman to do; and,
on a Calculation, the value of Church preferment has diminished one
half."
I may as well tell the sequel of the Bilston expedition, and cannot
tell it better than in the words of the same newspaper.
"One body of the Colliers, with the waggon of coals from
Staffordshire, had reached Nettlebed, near Henley. Report had
mentioned two, nay, three such bodies, each with a waggon. One of
them proceeded by the road that leads to London through St. Alban's.
They reached that place, we understand, on Tuesday evening. The Home
Department had sent down Magistrates to each of the three roads,
by which the Colliers might approach the Capital. Sir Nathaniel
Conant[23] was dispatched to the St. Alban's road. The men were found
reposing on and about their waggon. The Magistrate stated to them the
impropriety of the step they had either taken of their own accord,
or by the advice of others--that this was not the mode to obtain
relief--that it rather tended to prevent the accomplishment of their
object, because it might lead to a breach of the peace. The Colliers
listened with much interest and attention to the remonstrances of
the Magistrate. It had not struck them, they said, in the light in
which he had placed it. They confessed they had been ill-advised,
and evinced a readiness to return immediately to their homes. In
consequence of this declaration, the Magistrate purchased the coals
of them, which were left to be distributed to the poor, and gave each
man as much money as would carry him back to his home.
[Footnote 23: From Bow Street.]
"Another waggon with a party of Colliers, the one which had come by
way of Henley, was met by the Magistrate at Maidenhead. The same
representations were made to the men, and with the same success as at
St. Alban's. The coals were bought, and, the men agreeing to return
home, received sufficient to carry them thither."
A few days later on, is a paragraph which shews that this method of
"stumping the Country" was coming into fashion. "The example set by
the Bilston Moor Colliers in dragging their waggons and petitions
through the Country, is likely to have many imitators. Besides those
that entered Birmingham on Wednesday and Thursday last, soliciting
relief, and who, on Friday week, passed through Wolverhampton on
their way to Liverpool, on Saturday week, a waggon load of coals,
drawn by eighty men, with ropes, arrived in Leicester. A strong
sensation of compunction for their sufferings was excited, and they
collected a considerable sum of money. A second load arrived on
Monday, but the Collection was, of course, for a smaller amount.
The men behaved remarkably well. They had a certificate of their
necessities, signed by the minister of their parish. Another team of
Colliers passed through Leicester on Tuesday last, begging their way
northwards."
A little piece of poetry very well sums up
"ENGLAND IN 1816.
In eighteen hundred ten and six
Old England's glory some would fix:
Peace throughout Europe; Royal Marriages,
New Streets, new Palaces, and Carriages.
New Stars, new Ribbons, and new Crosses,
A Coinage new, whate'er the loss is--
Splendid new Bridges, splendid Lights,
And Columns destined for our Knights!
Sounds not this well? Then who would think
We stood on ruin's very brink?
For, now the Picture but capsize
And view it with your proper eyes.
In London, flashy shops behold,
And new Bazaars, but nothing sold;
In every street, a carpet out,
That shews my Lady on her route,
To spend her poor remains in France,
And teach her children how to dance.
Then for the Country--Farmers breaking,
Clothiers half ruin'd, Landlords quaking,
A solemn gloom, no sun, no hay day
Between this very hour and Lady.
The Corn, too, laid, and some say rotting,
The Luddites up in arms, or plotting--
The panic general, and the Stocks
As flat, almost, as the New Docks--
Then a Subscription by the Great,
Lest all our poor should emigrate,
A boon that seems too sure a test
Of apprehension for the _rest_.
But last, and worst, a Ministry in doubt,
Too weak to stand, too strong to be turned out."
In August we had riots in Glasgow and Preston, and this in spite of
the "Association for the Relief of the Manufacturing and Labouring
poor." Nay, even the prisoners in Newgate caught the infection,
and organized a riot of their own, which had a somewhat frivolous
beginning. On the 25th of August a visitor to the prison had his
watch stolen, and naturally complained of the matter to the Keeper,
who ordered all the convicts and their visitors to be searched, and
no more visitors allowed until the watch was found. The Convicts
considered this as a breach of their privileges, and not only refused
to be searched, but took possession of the Common Yard, and turned
out, by force, all the officers, and turnkeys. Of course, this
conduct could not be allowed, and the Convicts were ultimately driven
into the upper wards--where, being armed with the iron railings of
the staircase, they barricaded themselves as well as they could, and
awaited results.
The Keeper, on his side, did not like the look of things; he did
not want any of his force injured, as they probably would be, if
they attempted to force the wards, held by these desperadoes--and
he disposed his men, so as to watch them well, to see they did
not escape, and then sent for instructions to the Lord Mayor and
Sheriffs, but all three were out of town. However, the Lord Mayor
arrived on the Scene about two in the morning, and waited till six to
see if the malcontents would yield--but, as there seemed no chance
of this, they were informed, when the usual time of calling them to
breakfast arrived, that unless they surrendered, they would have no
food that day. This was an _argumentum ad hominem_ not to be denied.
One soon gave in, and, within an hour, they were all secured.
Yet another Royal Marriage: which took place on the 22nd of July,
between William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, grandson of Frederick,
Prince of Wales, to his cousin, the Princess Mary, fourth daughter
of Geo. III., and, consequently, his cousin. It was a suitable
marriage, for they were born in the same year (1776), and had long
been attached to each other. There was nothing particular about
the ceremony except that it was solemnized in the grand saloon in
the Queen's palace, where an altar was erected--and transformed,
according to the fashion of Royal Marriages, into an unmeaning buffet
of plate. "The gold Communion plate was the most massive and costly
that ever was displayed upon one occasion. It consisted of the
Altar plate belonging to King William; from Whitehall Chapel, two
uncommonly large dishes, richly chased with appropriate devices of
our Lord's last supper with His disciples; the compartments round the
dishes having also appropriate designs. Two immensely large flagons,
from the Chapel Royal, beautifully chased; also a large number of
ewers; several chalices, or cups of solid gold. Each corner had most
superbly gilt tripods for six candles."
By way of contrast, and also to illustrate the manners, of the times,
let us read the following account of a "SINGULAR WEDDING. Tuesday
evening the neighbourhood of Drury Lane was thrown into the utmost
confusion, in consequence of an extraordinary phenomenon very seldom
witnessed. Some _sweeps_, residing in Charles Street, having been
married, they resolved to celebrate the day, and, about eight o'clock
in the evening, the bride and bridegroom, attended by eleven couples
more, all mounted on asses, and followed by several hundreds of
spectators, with tin pots, horns, dust bells, watchmen's rattles,
flambeaux, etc., proceeded through Drury Lane, and made their grand
entrance into Holborn up Newton Street to the Bank public-house,
where they stopped to get some refreshment; but in forming the
procession again, the bride's Arabian was unfortunately thrown down
by the pressure of the mob, and the lady precipitated in the mud.
This enraged the bridegroom, who immediately dismounted, and began
by dealing several blows among his neighbours, with extreme fury.
The consequence was, that a general battle ensued, and several heads
were broken. Gardner, the beadle of that district, came up, backed
by about a dozen Knights of the lanthorn, who succeeded in securing
several of the sable warriors, which finally dispersed the merry
group."
_Apropos_ of chimney sweeps, we know that there was much legislation
in behalf of the climbing boys, who were still much used, as a great
deal of senseless prejudice and opposition prevailed against the use
of Machines: and that these poor boys needed some protection from
their brutal masters, the following case on the 10th of July, at the
Middlesex Sessions will show.
"At ten o'clock yesterday morning, the trial of William Molys took
place at Hick's Hall. Our readers will recollect that the prisoner
was a master sweep, and lately stood his trial at the Old Bailey,
on a charge of murder, for having, by brutal treatment, caused the
death of John Hewlings, a child of five or six years of age, his
apprentice. He was, however, acquitted of this charge, but retained
on an indictment for an assault on the same child.
"To this charge the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.
"Mr. Walford, for the prosecution, stated the case. He related
several cases of atrocious violence on the part of the prisoner
towards the deceased John Hewlings, who was little more than five
years old, and had been for a few months his apprentice. The learned
gentleman's statement was fully confirmed in evidence.
"Elizabeth Ware proved that she saw the prisoner striking at the
child's legs with a brush, to force him up a chimney, which he was
unable to ascend, and then dragging him down, and dashing him with
violence against the floor. The child screamed bitterly.
"Sarah Reeves corroborated the last Witness's testimony, and added,
that the Prisoner declared he would 'serve the boy out' when he got
him home. The boy complained bitterly that his knees were hurt.
"Anne Chandler proved that the prisoner came to her house in
Whitechapel on the 23rd of April, with the deceased boy and another,
to sweep a chimney, into which he put up the former, who stuck in the
flue for nearly an hour. The prisoner was, at length, prevailed upon
to get to the top of the chimney, and extricate the child, which he
did, with loud imprecations upon him. The moment he got him down,
he knocked him against a chest of drawers in the room; and when the
child, almost senseless from the blow, was endeavouring to recover
himself, he kicked him across the chamber, and, in this case, as in
the former, repeated his asseveration that he would _serve him out_
when he got him home.
"Mary Craig, who lived next door to the prisoner, proved, that on
helping the wife of the latter, who was drunk, into her own house,
she saw the child on the ground near the prisoner, who desired him to
get up, which he was unable to do without the assistance of a stick.
Witness looked at the boy's leg, which she found greatly swollen. At
her suggestion, the prisoner rubbed the wounded part with ointment,
and when he found the boy still unable to walk, he dashed him on the
ground.
"George Rose, and Esther Jacobs, proved their having, on the 23rd of
April, while accidentally passing near the prisoner's house, been
alarmed with screams and cries of Murder, and Mercy. Rose kicked
in the door, and upbraided the prisoner and his wife with their
unnatural conduct. The latter held a strap in her hand, with which
she avowed she had been beating the child, and repeated that she
would do so again.
"The prisoner, on being called upon for his defence, put in a written
paper, containing a general denial of the charge, and stating that he
was a victim of persecution. He did not call any witnesses.
"The Court then summed up the evidence, and the Jury instantaneously
returned a verdict of Guilty. The Court, after severely animadverting
on the atrocity of the prisoner's guilt, sentenced him to two years'
imprisonment."
All Londoners know the Mortar on the Parade of the Horse Guards,
which was taken from the French at the siege of Cadiz in 1812,
and presented by the Cortes to the Prince of Wales. Its elaborate
allegorical carriage makes it a notable feature. It was uncovered
on the Prince Regent's birthday, August 12, 1816, and from that
moment it was assailed with a storm of ridicule principally addressed
_at_ the Regent. Pictorially the satires would scarcely suit this
fastidious age, but some rather smart things were written anent it
both in prose and rhyme. Of the latter, the following caustic epigram
is a good example:--
"ON A RECENT EMBELLISHMENT OF THE METROPOLIS.
Useless, and hollow, and unsound,
And silly splendour all the plan,
With venom'd reptiles guarded round,
How like the Mortar to the Man!"
As the noble game of Cricket is now played, the stumps are drawn
about sunset. In order to decide a match, would it not be practicable
to take example by the following? "Cricket by Candle Light.--A match
was played a few days ago, by night, on Sedley-green, near Bexhill,
between Mr. S. Beaching, and Mr. J. Thomas, to be decided in one
innings, which was won by the former. On this occasion, lanthorns
were placed in different parts of the ground, and upwards of one
hundred persons witnessed this nocturnal contest."
This use of lanthorns shows that gas had not reached country
neighbourhoods, nor has it yet in too many cases. Yet it was making
its way in the large towns. In August the town of Preston, in
Lancashire, was partially lit by gas, and this daring feat is thus
recorded: "The length of the main pipes already laid is one thousand
yards; and in this space it is estimated that more than nine hundred
lights, emitting flame equal to four thousand mould candles of six
to the pound, will be attached to the main pipes in the ensuing
winter. The plan of lighting a considerable space by means of a
single burner, placed at an elevated situation, has been carried into
effect at Preston. In the centre of the Marketplace, which is of
considerable area, there happens to be a handsome Gothic Column 36
feet in height: on the top of this is placed a vase, in which is the
burner; and it thus becomes the substitute of twenty-five common oil
lamps, but with an effect which could not be equalled by double the
number, placed in the most advantageous positions." The Chronicler's
figures appear to be rather hazy, for with one flame of four and a
half candle gas it is difficult to imagine a light given equal to
fifty oil lamps.
The Silver Coinage was getting into a dreadfully worn condition
(by the way, ours is nothing to boast of), and it had been settled
that a new coinage of shillings and sixpences, to the extent of
£2,500,000 should be minted; but, "as the period for the issue of the
new coin approached, the fears of the retail dealers became general,
lest the plain English shillings and sixpences should be confounded
with the French ones, and the whole refused. It was at Hull, early
in September, where the tradespeople first refused to receive at
their normal value, all plain shillings, or, in other words, all not
appearing to be clearly of our own legal currency. In the Metropolis,
it was at Billingsgate market, on the 20th of September, where
plain shillings and sixpences were first indiscriminately refused;
from thence, the refusal of them spread through the Borough, and,
in the evening, became general throughout the Metropolis. A great
stagnation, in all retail trades suddenly, and naturally, ensued,
and the lower orders were disposed to commit disturbances in almost
every market. This embarrassing and dangerous state of things being
made known to the Lord Mayor, his lordship took immediate measures
to preserve the peace of the City, not by means of force, but by
promptly communicating to the public, from the Mansion House, a
notice, of which the following is a Copy:
"SILVER COIN.--_Take Notice._--The Bank of England do not refuse
any shillings or sixpences on account of their being plain,
provided they are English.
"By order of the Lord Mayor,
"FRANCIS HOBLER.
"_Saturday Morning_, Sept. 21, 1816.
"In consequence of the above notice, people assembled in crowds
to take their silver to the Bank, for which they received Bank
of England Notes and tokens."
This somewhat palliated the small panic, but it was more allayed
by another proclamation from "Wood, Mayor," that the Secretary of
State for the Home Department gave notice, that "all shillings and
sixpences that can be considered as of the Established Standard in
fineness, will be exchanged for new silver coin when it is issued;"
and a further notice, "that all kind of shillings, now, or lately in
circulation, are taken at the Bank of England, with the exception of
French, or base metal; they therefore recommend to all shopkeepers,
dealers, and others, in order to prevent any breach of the peace, to
take such silver above named, as usual," perfectly tranquilized the
public mind.
We shall, next year, hear more about the new Coinage, which was being
coined at the rate of nearly 300,000 coins per diem.