Riots in 1817
The Times, Tuesday, Apr 01, 1817
PROVINCIAL NEWS
[From the Carlisle Patriot.]
CARLISLE, MARCH 28.
It is this week our painful task to detail the particulars of some lawless proceedings nearer home than those which we have lately described as having taken place in another part of the county.
On the night of Friday, the 21st instant, a considerable number of weavers, and others moving in a similar sphere, assembled on Grinsdale-common, with the avowed intention of proceeding to acts of plunder and destruction; but for reasons not known to us, they dispersed without committing any violence, though we are informed, a proposal was made by some of the party to fire some corn-stacks near Knockupworth, but which the majority rejected: this fact is ascertained by a person who watched their motions, and heard their
deliberations, when concealed behind a hedge near the stacks.
About nine o'clock on Monday night last, the same description of persons began to assemble from different parts of the city and suburbs; but as we have reason to believe, chiefly from Caldewgate, at a row of buildings (the very focus of reform) known by the name of "Belle Vue," situate at a small distance from Newtown. Before ten o'clock, upwards of two hundred men, and a few women, had congregated together at this place, and proceeded thence direct to Sandsfield (the port of Carlisle,) armed with bludgeons and some fire-arms. On their arrival at Sandsfield they forcibly entered the public-house occupied by Mr. James DAVIDSON, and demanded the keys of the different warehouses, which they entered, but found there only two boxes of soap, belonging to Mr. Robert ALLISON, of Carlisle, and a few other articles of trifling value, which they bore off.
Fortunately, some flour, recently arrived by sea from Liverpool, had just been removed to Carlisle. From the warehouses, the mob returned to the public-house, and regaled themselves with what ale and spirits the house contained. A party also entered the public-house at Old Sandsfield, where they likewise demanded the keys of the warehouses of Joseph NIXON, the landlord, but they found nothing of value except ale and spirits, which they drank without ceremony. Being disappointed of plunder at Sandsfield, the marauders immediately proceeded to the water corn-mill, situate at Monk-hill, near Burgh-by-Sands,
occupied by Richard TAYLOR (but standing at nearly a quarter of a mile distant from his dwelling-house), who is altogether unconnected with any person engaged in the shipment of grain or flour from this county to Liverpool and other parts of Lancashire. Two doors of this mill were broken open, and flour, oatmeal, barley-meal, wheat, oats, and barley, to the amount of seventy or eighty pounds, were wasted and carried away. This property partly belonged to the miller, and partly to various persons residing in the neighbourhood, who had sent their grain to get it ground.
It was not till five o'clock on Tuesday morning that Mr. TAYLOR knew what had been done in the night; on his entering the mill at that hour, he beheld with consternation the destruction that had taken place; and on examining the premises, 18 bludgeons, a lantern, several pieces of candles, about the third part of a large ham, and a red leather pocket-book containing the discharge of Charles MALVELL, jun. from the 3d battalion of the Royal Artillery, who is a weaver, and has lately resided in the vicinity of this city. About five o'clock on Tuesday morning, Charles MILLAN, of Jollie's-buildings, weaver; Thomas HURTNESS, of Brown's-row, weaver; Betty M'CLATCHY, wife of John M'CLATCHY, of Shaddongate, weaver; Mary BELL, of Shaddongate, single woman; and Mary LUSH, a girl of about 16 years of age, of Shaddongate, were apprehended, laden with flour and oatmeal, near Caldewgate, by KIRK and BARNES, two constables, and immediately conveyed to the gaol. Another man made a desperate resistance, and escaped, though probably not without injury, as KIRK fired at him, and it is supposed that the shot took effect.
PROVINCIAL NEWS
[From the Carlisle Patriot.]
CARLISLE, MARCH 28.
It is this week our painful task to detail the particulars of some lawless proceedings nearer home than those which we have lately described as having taken place in another part of the county.
On the night of Friday, the 21st instant, a considerable number of weavers, and others moving in a similar sphere, assembled on Grinsdale-common, with the avowed intention of proceeding to acts of plunder and destruction; but for reasons not known to us, they dispersed without committing any violence, though we are informed, a proposal was made by some of the party to fire some corn-stacks near Knockupworth, but which the majority rejected: this fact is ascertained by a person who watched their motions, and heard their
deliberations, when concealed behind a hedge near the stacks.
About nine o'clock on Monday night last, the same description of persons began to assemble from different parts of the city and suburbs; but as we have reason to believe, chiefly from Caldewgate, at a row of buildings (the very focus of reform) known by the name of "Belle Vue," situate at a small distance from Newtown. Before ten o'clock, upwards of two hundred men, and a few women, had congregated together at this place, and proceeded thence direct to Sandsfield (the port of Carlisle,) armed with bludgeons and some fire-arms. On their arrival at Sandsfield they forcibly entered the public-house occupied by Mr. James DAVIDSON, and demanded the keys of the different warehouses, which they entered, but found there only two boxes of soap, belonging to Mr. Robert ALLISON, of Carlisle, and a few other articles of trifling value, which they bore off.
Fortunately, some flour, recently arrived by sea from Liverpool, had just been removed to Carlisle. From the warehouses, the mob returned to the public-house, and regaled themselves with what ale and spirits the house contained. A party also entered the public-house at Old Sandsfield, where they likewise demanded the keys of the warehouses of Joseph NIXON, the landlord, but they found nothing of value except ale and spirits, which they drank without ceremony. Being disappointed of plunder at Sandsfield, the marauders immediately proceeded to the water corn-mill, situate at Monk-hill, near Burgh-by-Sands,
occupied by Richard TAYLOR (but standing at nearly a quarter of a mile distant from his dwelling-house), who is altogether unconnected with any person engaged in the shipment of grain or flour from this county to Liverpool and other parts of Lancashire. Two doors of this mill were broken open, and flour, oatmeal, barley-meal, wheat, oats, and barley, to the amount of seventy or eighty pounds, were wasted and carried away. This property partly belonged to the miller, and partly to various persons residing in the neighbourhood, who had sent their grain to get it ground.
It was not till five o'clock on Tuesday morning that Mr. TAYLOR knew what had been done in the night; on his entering the mill at that hour, he beheld with consternation the destruction that had taken place; and on examining the premises, 18 bludgeons, a lantern, several pieces of candles, about the third part of a large ham, and a red leather pocket-book containing the discharge of Charles MALVELL, jun. from the 3d battalion of the Royal Artillery, who is a weaver, and has lately resided in the vicinity of this city. About five o'clock on Tuesday morning, Charles MILLAN, of Jollie's-buildings, weaver; Thomas HURTNESS, of Brown's-row, weaver; Betty M'CLATCHY, wife of John M'CLATCHY, of Shaddongate, weaver; Mary BELL, of Shaddongate, single woman; and Mary LUSH, a girl of about 16 years of age, of Shaddongate, were apprehended, laden with flour and oatmeal, near Caldewgate, by KIRK and BARNES, two constables, and immediately conveyed to the gaol. Another man made a desperate resistance, and escaped, though probably not without injury, as KIRK fired at him, and it is supposed that the shot took effect.