The London Riots

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 115, 9 March 1886, Page 2

The London Riots

LATEB PAETICULAES. A furious mob now marched through St. James street and Piccadily, on its way to Hyde Park to hold a meeting, the men cursing the authorities, attacking shops, sacking saloons, getting drunk, and smashing windows. On its way to the Park front the mob made an effort to enter the War Office, but turned awajr when the sentinel at the entrance con? fronted the intruders with his bayonet. Conspicuous among the buildings attacked, were those occupied by the Devonshire Club, and that occupied as a residence by Mr Arnold Morley. The police along the line of route to the Park were simply brushed out of the way by the rioters as if they had been so many men of straw, and many of the officers were terribly maltreated for interfering. That part of the Trafalgar Square mob which went to Hyde Park was composed of hordes which, had filled up Cockspur street, Pall Mall and St. James street, when Carlton Ciub was attacked. This long drawn up throng bent at Begent street, which begnrs.at Pall Mall, about half way between the Nelson monument and St. James street. and moved northward through Begent street to Piccadilly, a quarter of a mil* away, and passing round Segent Circus, went north again through Begent street, half a mile to Oxford Circus, «and turned here to the left, and went west' down Oxford street to Hyde Park, a distance of three-quarters of a mile. This route was undoubtedly chosen by the leaders for the purpose of keeping the crowd on safe ground, as they would be on thjfe north side of the Park. If the mob bid gone along St. James street to Piccadilly^ and thence to the Park, it might have run too near the barracks on the south side of thePark. It was that part of the mob which, was drawn east through St. James street to Begent street that attempted to eater the War Office opposite St. James Square. Mr Arnold Morley's residence is in Piccadilly, a portion of this route. The house, being formerly occupied by Mr J. Bright' was well-known to the mob. When the rioters approached the house Mr Morley was in. He loudly called for help. A number of policemen for a moment stood in the way of the men, Vat finally they, were cast aside like chaff by the iost of desperate men, who rushed up Mf Motley's steps. He had locked and barrio caded the door, but it was burst open, and the house over-run, despite his frantic protests. When the invaders went away they left scarcely a sound pane of glass' in the building. A great number of otherprivate housed along their route fared much worse, including the Devonshire Club's house, which had been previously attacked in St. James street. The attack upon this building took place at the very begimnrng of the riot, and was very savage. Hatchett's hotel, a well-known hostelry, at 67 and 68, Piccadilly, was also assaulted. When the mob assailed this locality, many of their rank and file, being hungry, made a rush for the hotel. They haditm their possession in ainoment; sacked it of all food aud drink, and left the building badly wrecked. As the mob were leaving they saw a carriage which hsvl been pressed up against the kerb by the procession aud abandoned by its frightened occupants. It was seized in an instant and broken up, the wheels, spokes, shafts, and other good pieces be- ' ing carried away for clubs. The Turf Clubhouse, being in Piccadilly, presented another temptation to the rioters, and as they went by they smashed all the front doors and windows. All along Begent street and Oxford street, between Piccadilly, and Hyde Park, the houses were attacked indiscriminately and their windows smashed. The official estimate of the losses by these riots amounts to £30,00t. There have been disturbances elt-ewhere. The hosiery operatives of Leicester out on strike were parading the streets on the 11th, smashing windows in. the factories. The police charged upon them, but were unable to disperse them. Rioting was resumed on the 1 2th at midnight. The mob was very stubborn, and refused to obey the police. After considerable fighting, however, they were disp ; . • :il. Trouble re-commenced on the 13th, whdn several places were sacked. There was much uneasiness at the probable outcome. Placards were posted in Birmingham on February 11th, calling, a . meeting of unemployed workmen for the 15th. The posters were headed "Come in thousands; why starve amid plenty ? Justice to the starving poor."