The swing riots 1830-31

Question 1

What were the swing riots?

Answer 1

Refers to rural riots carried out by farm labourer in England where they burned hayricks and barns, smashed threshing machines attacks on landlords, parons (Church man) and poor law overseers.
Threatening letters were signed by ‘swing’ or ‘Captain Swing’ referencing the swinging stick of the flail used in hand threshing

Question 2

What were the causes of the swing riots (economic)?

Answer 2

-rural poverty due to farming being the only occupation and irregular dependent on season employment with low wage paided day to day
-agricultural labourers relies on poor relief which encouraged farmers to lower wages
-industrialisation increased mechanisation brought threshing machines to rural areas
-the tithe system was a tenth of annual income taxed to the upkeep of the church of England

Question 3

What were the events of the swing riots?

Answer 3

Threatening letters sent it farmer’s and land owners demanding wage increases + farm buildings and hayricks set alight + machine breaking
Rioters against the tithe system, the poor law guardians and tenant farmers
Around 100 threshers destroyed between Aug to Oct 1830

Question 4

What was the impact of the swing riots?

Answer 4

*major influence on gov and encouraged wider demand for reform leading to 1832 reform act
*did not increase wages or working conditions but wage cuts were postponed and poor relief was increased
* threshing machines did not return to the same scale
*poor law amendment act 1834 and tithe commutation act 1836

Question 5

What was the govs response?

Answer 5

-2000 rioters arrested with 19 executed 600 imprisoned and 500 transported
- troops were sent to towns to act as deterent and a reward of £500 for information to convict rioters
-passed the poor law amendment act 1834 and tithe commutation act 1836 to lessen economic hardship