To the Castle! A Walk through Nottingham,

retracing the Reform Riots Between Sunday 9th and Tuesday 11th October 1831 the streets of Nottingham once more became the scene of fierce clashes between an ‘infuriated rabble’1 and (special) constables, soldiers and paramilitary Yeomanry.

Events came to a head on Monday 10th October after rioters were allegedly:

‘… uttering yells of frantic glee [expressing their] destructive intentions … . [A] cry “to the Castle” soon announced the next object of attack.’2

Undisturbed by the troops and constables, who were busy fighting off a simultaneous attack on the House of Correction at the other side of town, rioters made a bonfire of Nottingham Castle, property of the loathed Fourth Duke of Newcastle.

‘About nine o’clock, the spectacle was awfully grand … .’3

‘… thousands thronged the Castle-yard, to gaze … the dreadfully novel spectacle … a tremendous sacrifice to the demon of anarchy and crime.’4

This is one of the most famous events in Nottingham’s long and turbulent history of social struggles,5 in which the town’s inhabitants earned a distinct reputation for being a ‘combustible and dangerous mob’.6

The fighting was part of a series of uprisings which became known as the Reform Riots. The destruction of the Castle is referred to in almost every account of Nottingham’s history, but little is known about those who torched it.

On the ‘To the Castle!’ walk we look into the questions who the rioters were and what motivated them to engage in their direct action.

We want to do so in a joint effort with all those who come along, retracing the story of the riots, the rioters and their lives.

1 Hicklin; p. 125. 2 Ibid; p. 162. 3 Mercury; 15th October 1831. 4 Hicklin; p. 165. 5 Other famous examples include Luddist or Chartist

activities. The legends regarding a certain archer fighting for good governance are interesting with regards to the history of literature and their relevance to planners of theme parks, but should not distract from real struggles.

6 Thomis; pp. 1-2.

We are a group of people with different political backgrounds, interested in what has been called ‘history from below‘, ‘grassroots history’ or ‘social history‘.

As Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have such a long and turbulent history of socioeconomic transformation, disturbance and conflict, there is a lot to be unearthed.

In fact, the most amazing, inspiring, shocking and outrageous stories leap out wherever the surface is scratched.

For information, images, maps, audio files, documents, etc. regarding all our activities please visit our (very irregularly updated) online presence:

peopleshistreh.wordpress.com

peopleshistreh@riseup.net

Recommended Reading

Unedited sources

DD763/8; Some Particulars of the Life, Trial, Behaviour, and execution of George Beck, George Hearson, and John Armstrong, who were Executed in Front of the County Jail, Nottingham, on Wednesday, February 1, 1832, For Burning Mr. Lowe’s Mill at Beeston.

NeC 5026; An anonymous letter to the 4th Duke of Newcastle, dated Nottingham, October 19th, 1831, recounting the riots in Nottingham and the surrounding districts and complaining about the conduct of the magistrates.

Newspapers

Nottingham Journal …; 15th October 1831.

Nottingham Journal …; 21st January 1832.

Nottingham Review …; 14th October 1831.

The Nottingham and Newark Mercury; 15th October 1831.

Edited Sources/Literature

Bryson, Emrys (1983): Portrait of Nottingham; Robert Hale; London.

Deering, Charles (1970): The History of Nottingham; S.R. Publishers; East Ardsley.

Dinwiddy, J.R. (1986): From Luddism to the First Reform Bill – Reform in England 1810-1832; Historical Association Studies; Basil Blackwell; Oxford.

Engels, Friedrich (2009): The Condition of the Working Class in England; Penguin; London.

Gaunt, Richard A. (ed.; 2003): Unhappy Reactionary: The Diaries of the Fourth Duke of Newcastle-Under-Lyne 1822-50; Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire; Nottingham.

Hernon, Ian (2006): Riot! Civil Insurrection from Peterloo to the Present Day; Pluto Press; London.

Hicklin, John (1836): The History of Nottingham Castle – From the Danish Invasion to its destruction by rioters, in 1831; London.

Hobsbawm, Eric (1964): The Age of Revolution – Europe 1789-1848; Weidenfeld & Nicolson; London.

O’Brien, Jo: Women’s Liberation in Labour History – A case study from Nottingham; Spokesman Pamphlet No. 24; Nottingham.

Thomis, Malcolm I. (1969): Politics and Society in Nottingham 1785-1835; Basil Blackwell; Oxford.

Thomis, Malcom I./Preston, R.A./Wigley, John: ‘Nottingham and the Reform Bill Riots of 1831: New Perspectives’; In: Train, K.S.S. (1974): Transactions of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire; Volume 77; Nottingham.

Thompson, E.P. (1980): The Making of the English Working Class; Victor Gollancz; London.

Welch, M.A. (ed./1974): Working Class Unrest in Nottingham 1800-1850 – Part 3 Reform; University of Nottingham; Nottingham.

Wright; D.G. (1970): Democracy and Reform 1815-1885; Longman; London.

Wylly, H.C. (1908): The military memoirs of Lieut.-General Sir Joseph Thackwell G.C.B., K.H.; Colonel 16th Lancers – Arranged from diaries and correspondence; London.

Items marked with are available at The Sparrows’ Nest – Anarchist Library & Archive (www.thesparrowsnest.org.uk). For a wide array of primary sources visit the Nottinghamshire Archives. Newspapers are available in the Local Studies section of the Nottingham Central Library.

Nottingham Rising The Great Cheese Riot of 1766 & the 1831 Reform Riots

By Valentine Yarnspinner (Loaf On A Stick Press; 2014)

With this book, we have re-published our popular pamphlets, To the Castle!... and Damn his Charity…, together for the first time in a handsome paperback edition.

Damn his charity: In 1766 a riot broke out during Nottingham’s Goose Fair. Large cheeses were snatched and rolled down Wheeler Gate and Peck Lane, apparently bowling over the mayor. The first part of this book looks into the story behind this tale and places the Great Cheese Riot within the context of the wave of Food Riots which took place that autumn.

To the Castle!: In October 1831 Nottingham Castle was burned down during the Reform Riots. Although this event is often referred to, little is known about who the rioters were and what may have motivated them. We took a close look at the direct action of these ‘misguided rascals’ and discuss their identities, motives as well as living and working conditions in early nineteenth century Nottingham.

ISBN 978-0-9569139-5-1

Paperback £6

Abridged timeline of the Nottingham Reform Riots This list has been principally compiled with information from the Mercury and the Journal, both dated 15th October 1831, Colonel Thackwell's account of the riots, printed in Wylly’s The military memoirs of … Joseph Thackwell… and the account of the riots in Fellows and Freeman’s Historical Records of the South Nottinghamshire … Yeomanry …. For detailed references see chapters 2.1.-2.4. in the People’s Histreh pamphlet To the Castle…

Street/area Venue Occupation of

owner/occupant Event(s) Day(s) Time

High Street Post Office/ near the

White Lion N/A mail coach arrives

Sunday 9th Oct

10am

Clumber Street Hedderly's shop** druggist some kind of fracas occurs (possibly windows are being smashed)

Sunday morning

Clumber Street and its side streets

N/A N/A crowds grow; disputed whether stones were thrown at windows before about 7pm

Sunday late afternoon

Clumber Street; Market Place and side streets

N/A N/A spectators turn up; police unable to control crowd; possibly stones thrown

Sunday dusk (6 to 6.30pm*)

Bridlesmith Gate Ward's shop** druggist windows smashed Sunday 7pm

Clumber Street Hedderly's shop** druggist windows smashed; riot act read; mayor’s head struck by stone

Sunday 7pm

Stoney Street Manson’s house** M.D. windows smashed Sunday 7-7.30pm

Market Place; Long Row Wright's shop** bookseller; printer windows smashed; shop demolished; mayor’s leg hurt

Sunday 8.30pm

Market Place; Long Row; Clumber Street

N/A N/A military arrives and start to disperse crowds Sunday 9pm

Market Place; various parts of the town

N/A N/A military repeatedly disperse crowds; ; various houses targeted in the course of the night

Sunday evening; night

Market Place N/A N/A 12-15,000 attend an official meeting; various reformist speakers address the crowd

Monday late morning; midday*

The Forest Sharp's mill** N/A flour and corn scattered; sails cut Monday between 2.30 and 3pm*

Colwick Hall N/A Magistrate mansion attacked, numerous rooms trashed Monday 6-7pm*

St John’s Street House of Correction N/A attack repelled Monday 7.30pm

Nottingham Castle N/A N/A stormed; set on fire Monday 7.30-8pm*

Nottingham Castle N/A N/A full ablaze; huge crowds gather to watch Monday 9pm

Nottingham Castle N/A N/A soldiers engage a crowd; people fight back Tuesday morning

Beeston Lowe's silk mill - trashed and burned Tuesday early afternoon*

near crossing of Beeston Road and Derby Road

gates to Wollaton Park N/A attack on Wollaton Hall repelled; one woman severely injured; 15-17 prisoners taken

Tuesday afternoon*

near the Sir John Borlase Warren

Chimley's Close N/A stones hurled at Yeomanry; they fire pistols; rioters withdraw

Tuesday afternoon*

Market Place; Bridlesmith Gate

? N/A Auckland shot in the chest by soldier Tuesday afternoon*

? ? N/A mayor proclaims curfew Tuesday 5pm

near the river ? N/A a last crowd dispersed Tuesday midnight

Stop 1: St. Peter’s Square Stop 2: Poultry Arcade Stop 3: Crossroads Clumber Street, Pelham Street, etc. Stop 4: (Old) Market Square

Stop 5: The Castle Stop 6: Bridlesmith Gate Stop 7: Shire Hall (Galleries of Justice)