February Meeting
Unfortunately, our original speaker for this meeting, Grenville Goodson from the Littleport Society, was unable to attend for health reasons. We wished him a speedy recovery and Susanah Farmer offered to continue with the same subject and give a presentation.
The Littleport Riots
To outsiders, it may be that the riots in Littleport were a small event in a small village in some out of the way place of East Anglia. However, it was followed at the time in minute detail by the local and national Press for several reasons.
The presentation was about war, climate change, and the cost-of-living crisis in early nineteenth century Littleport. War, climate change and the cost-of-living crisis?! No, it was not current affairs – they say history is continuity and change.
Drawing upon contemporary accounts and later research, it highlighted the events of May 1816, focussing on the contributory factors and subsequent events (with a couple of diversions along the way). A world map showed there were international links as part of the story
Our first stop was Waterloo. In the immediate post-war years, when import barriers were lifted and continental goods flooded the markets, there was a severe economic slump. Plus, at the end of the war with Napoleon, around 400,000 men from the armed services were thrown onto a saturated labour market. This caused great economic and social stresses, especially on local welfare.
The introduction of a Corn Law in 1815 (designed to protect British farmers by banning the importation of cheap grain from abroad) did nothing to help the poorer classes. The removal of competition forced up the price of domestic grain.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia, volcano Mount Tambora erupted spewing tons of debris into the atmosphere which lowered global temperatures, diffused sunlight, and resulted in 1816 becoming known as ‘the year without a summer’. Crops failed around the world, and already hungry people grew angry as the shortages of grain pushed basic foods like bread to exorbitant prices.
With little access to political power or legal redress, the peasantry resorted to protest to make their voices heard. Food riots were not uncommon, and the aims of the protestors were usually local and specific.
In Littleport, the riots began on the evening of 22 May at The Globe pub (now the site of Littleport Co-Op). The Globe was where the village Benefit Club met – a Friendly Society where you paid a small subscription to get relief if needed. The meeting led to calls for a rise in wages and a decrease in the price of flour.
On this night the members had had enough. The situation quickly grew out of hand as during their alcohol-fuelled discussions they decided to go on a rampage targeting the houses and businesses of individuals who they felt were responsible for their plight – local landowner and farming employer, Mr Henry Martin, the vicar, the overseers of the poor, millers, farmers and shopkeepers. The names of those picked out can be found on local land tax records.
It is still possible to pick out the route taken and we were shown some of the properties involved by walking around Littleport today, following the Littleport Society map and looking for the commemorative plaques.
The rioters moved on to Ely. Initially, the local magistrates responded by ordering further poor relief and promising to fix a minimum wage. They issued a proclamation promising a raise in wages and a cap on the price of wheat. They also promised that, if the men went quietly home, no one would be prosecuted for any crime committed up to that point. Some of the protestors returned to Littleport, but others, emboldened by their success, continued drinking and rioting in Ely.
At the same time, however, a call had been made for nearby yeoman cavalry and troops, this was the ‘stick’ to the ‘carrot’ of relief. Published accounts of local yeomanry show how much rioting was taking place at this time.
The military response of the 1st Royal Dragoons, the Royston Yeomanry, and the Cambridgeshire militia being despatched to Ely may seem rather over the top for a local disturbance. What has to be factored in is what was happening with riots and rebellion elsewhere, especially France (the British authorities did not want the equivalent of the French Revolution here). The government suspected popular disturbances of having wider aims than the traditional restoration of fair prices. The unusual level of violence at Ely and Littleport was seen as particularly alarming.
Consequently, the action and resulting trials were seen as events of national importance, and a need to make a public example of the worst offenders, to scotch what was feared to be a growing revolutionary threat.
When the military arrived, the main body of rioters had left Ely after extracting money and beer from tradesmen and returned to Littleport.
Back in Littleport, there was a skirmish between the rioters and the military at the George and Dragon where the protestors who had returned to Ely had taken refuge. One of the casualties here was a man called Wallace (who had served through the Battle of Waterloo and many other engagements without a scratch) who was shot in the arm by one of his own side shooting at the troops.
Brutal Hessians (German mercenaries) were also sent to chase the fleeing rioters. Of the rioters escaping over the fens, some were handed in for the reward, some were captured, and some escaped.
In all, 70-80 prisoners were taken to Ely and looted goods valued at £400 (equivalent today to £30,000) seized. This significant amount of looting also went against the rioters in the subsequent trials.
The trials were held in Ely, at a special Assizes, with two judges sent down from London to preside in conjunction with the Isle’s Chief Justice. The cases tried at the Assizes consisted principally of robberies and thefts, which were capital crimes.
After extensive examination of witnesses, twenty-four of the defendants were initially sentenced to death. After mounting pressure however, the judges were forced to reduce sentence, but they deemed a strong deterrent was still needed. Of the reprieved; nine were transported for life to Van Dieman’s Land and ten were given a one-year term of imprisonment in Ely gaol. Five men, seen as the ring leaders were sentenced to death by hanging.
The executions of the five men were scheduled to take place on Friday 28 June. A report of the day of the execution was read as it had been recorded in great detail. Members followed the condemned as they made their way from Ely gaol (now Ely museum) to the gallows, and back to and Bell Hotel lane where their bodies were placed in coffins and put on display for others to see.
Although they were from Littleport, the hanged men were buried in Ely in a communal, unmarked grave in St Mary’s churchyard. A nearby stone (now in the Littleport Society collection) told of their fate as a warning to all those with similar ideas of rebellion.
It could be concluded that, although the riots were probably a seen as the only way to force action against economic hardship, and hopefully to encourage landowners and suppliers to offer fair rates of pay and food prices, there may have also been the opportunity by some to settle personal grudges against specific individuals.
The local magistrates had initially tried to quell the situation but involving the military led to a (heavy-handed) restoring of order to deter further riots. The speedy response of the Special Assizes and the resulting executions, and the amount of detail reported locally and nationally were a very public exhibition of the powers of authority.
For information about specific individuals members were advised to contact (or even join) the Littleport Society as well as read the many sources available.
The Littleport Society collection holds much more than about the riots, It can be found on the first floor of The Barn, off Main Street, Littleport. Their website gives details: https://www.littleportsociety.org.uk/
There is also a booklet with a Riots trail that can be followed around Littleport, which also includes other interesting Littleport history.
Various verbatim reports were read out during the presentation. As a significant event, there are many sources to refer to and Susanah recommended:
Newspaper archives – very full reports of the riots and the trials, including witness statements as well as those actively involved.
An Account of the Ely and Littleport Riots in 1816 by C. Johnson.
The Fighting Parson and The Mutineer’s Brother*: The Men Who Smashed The Littleport Riots by Mike Petty
* a detour along the way had been the interesting fact that the Chief Justice for the Isle of Ely had been one Edward Christian, brother to Fletcher Christian!
Banished to Van Dieman’s Land: The Story of the Nine Littleport Rioters Sentenced to Transportation by Roger Rudderham.
There is also lots of information online for those who wish to find out more.