Unrest during Liverpool's ministry Flashcards
Spa Fields meeting, London. Nov-Dec 1816
Huge meeting in Spa Fields, London
Working class hero Henry Hunt due to address the crowd
Thousands of people came to London with a carnival atmosphere
Before the meeting, leaflets circulated among the crowd calling for men to take arms
Before Hunt arrived a small section of the crowd rioted , breaking into gun shops, seizing weapons and marching towards the Tower of London and BoE
Riots lasted several hours and there was looting
Armed rioters met at the Royal Exchange by troops who dispersed or arrested them
Majority of the crowd were peaceful and loyal to the King
When Hunt arrived he called for tax cuts and parliamentary reform
The men put on trial were acquitted
The March of the Blanketeers. March 1817
Crowd of around 5000 marchers, mainly unemployed hand weavers, gathered in Manchester along with thousands more onlookers. Planned to organise a protest march to London where a petition would be handed to the Regent
They demanded parliamentary reform, corn law abolition and the reinstatement of the habeus corpus
Listed economic greivances surrounding high taxes and unemployment, particularly in the Lancashire textile industry
Hopeful that they would win support and so attract more marchers on the way
Expected to be put up at night by locals but each carried a blanket in case they had to sleep out
Magistrates had the Riot Act read, the meeting was broken up by the King’s Dragoon Guards, 27 arrested
About 300 decided to begin the march despite this. Didn’t get far as cavalry pursued and attacked them. Violently stopped by troops in Stockport, where one man was shot and several were wounded by sabres, leaders were imprisoned
In the same month parliament passed the Seditious Meetings Act, making it illegal to hold a meeting of more than 50 people
Radical protest forced to go underground. Govt responded using spies and informers in order to catch the rebels
The Pentrich Rising (June 1817)
Most famous govt spy was simply known as Oliver
Infiltrated a group of frustrated workers in Derbyshire and led them to believe that if they rose up and marched on Nottingham, this would be the start of a national rebellion as they would receive the support of other areas
Unfocused revolutionary demands included the wiping of national debt
In June 2017, 200 men with pikes, forks and guns set off from Pentrich in Derbyshire to march to Nottingham
En route they were disorderly and riotous, damaging property and demanding food and drink from houses and pubs they passed, A servant was accidentally shot dead.
When they arrived in Giltbrook, a village about 6 miles outside Nottingham, they were rounded up by troops
Following a trial the three main leaders were hanged and beheaded and 14 were transported
Govt’s involvement led to public outcry. The last words by one of the rebels were ‘this is the work of the govt and Oliver’
Peterloo (Aug 1819)
4 huge meetings planned to demonstrate radical working class strength. Last one to take place in St Peter’s Fields, Manchester
Lancashire radical clubs and political unions prepared. Some took part in military style drilling before marching into Manchester
Whole families turned out in sunday best to hear Hunt speak. Around 60,000 present
Manchester magistrates decided to sort out the issue and local authorities prepared
Troops on standby as magistrated gave the order for the arrest of Hunt. As the cavalry tried to reach him, the crowd close ranks to stop them
In the following panic, the yeomanry used their swords to clear a path and later the troops were sent in
Conflicting opinions about what happened. Some said the yeomanry were drunk, others said they were inexperienced and were afraid for their lives
11 killed and 400 injured, many crushed in the stampede as they tried to escape
Event became known as Peterloo as a mocking comparison to British victory at Waterloo
Cato Street Conspiracy (June 1820)
Group of around 30 extremeists - some of whom had been involved in the Spa Field riots - plotted to kill cabinet members
Group infiltrated. George Edwards, the second in command, was a Home Office spy. Fictitious cabinet dinner was invented and even publicised in the press so that Edwards could suggest this as a moment to attack
Arrested in February despite the fact that one police officer was killed
Very few reformers at the time would have supported this kind of revolutionary violence and there was little complaint when 5 of the plotters were transported and 5 were executed
Govt used it to justify the Six Acts that were passed 2 months later
Luddism
Men were angry that mills and factories had installed new machinery in the industrial towns of Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire (1810-11)
Felt their craft and livelihood were under threat
Men attacked machinery at night
Left notes threatening further attacks if the machines were not removed
Attacks organised locally and not politically motivated
Attacks shocked the authorities
Machine breaking was a made a capital offence and thousands of troops were stationed in the midlands and the north to stop it
What were the 1820 six acts
The Six Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1819, following the Peterloo Massacre, with the intent to suppress radical and reformist activities. These acts aimed to curb public meetings, free speech, and the proliferation of seditious literature. Here are the key details of each act:
The Training Prevention Act: This act prohibited military-style drilling and training, making it illegal for people to engage in such activities without authorization. The government aimed to prevent the formation of armed groups that could challenge state authority.
The Seizure of Arms Act: This act allowed local magistrates to search private properties for arms and to seize weapons that were deemed to be held for unlawful purposes. It was intended to disarm potential revolutionaries.
The Misdemeanors Act: This act expedited the legal process for those accused of certain misdemeanors. It reduced the time between arrest and trial, aiming to swiftly bring to justice those charged with offenses related to sedition and public disorder.
The Seditious Meetings Act: This act restricted public meetings of more than 50 people unless they had prior approval from a magistrate. It aimed to prevent large gatherings that could potentially incite rebellion or mass unrest.
The Blasphemous and Seditious Libels Act: This act increased penalties for the authors of blasphemous or seditious literature. It sought to curb the spread of radical ideas through print.
The Newspaper and Stamp Duties Act: This act imposed higher taxes on newspapers and pamphlets, making it more expensive to produce and distribute them. The goal was to reduce the circulation of publications that could promote dissent or criticism of the government.
Together, these acts represented a significant clampdown on civil liberties, reflecting the government’s fear of revolutionary uprisings in the wake of the French Revolution and domestic unrest. The Six Acts were part of a broader pattern of repression during this period in British history.
