THE THORNCLIFFE RIOTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 660, 12 April 1870, Page 4

THE THORNCLIFFE RIOTS.

[the times, jan". 22.] The threatened attack upon the property of Messrs Newton, Chambers, and Co., of Thorncliffe, and \ipon the houses of the men iii their employ, was made yesterday morning. Since the recent attempted riot the authorities have had ample proof that the attack would be made whenever a favourable opportunity presented itself. A force of police, under Sergeant Greenwood, have in consequence been kept stationed at West-wood-row, a blocic of 30 houses recently erected by the Thorncliffe Company upon their own property, and occupied by non-TJnionisis. Another body of police was stationed at the Chapeltown-row. The surrounding district has been picked up by police. About 6 o'clock yesterday morning information was brought to Sergeant Greenwood that a large number of men were assembling in Tankersley park, which is near the Westwood-row. He immediately mustered his men, leaving two to protect the Row, and proceeded with the others to Tankersley Pit, distant about a mile. About the same time information was re- • ceived at Barnsley that the colliers employed at the Worsbro Dale and other colliers in the neighbourhood, instead of commencing work, lvere marching for Thorncliffe. Police were immediately despatched hence for Thorncliffe. Sergeaut Greenwood had scarcely arrived at Tankersley Pit when he saw approaching a large body of men armed with pistols, bludgeons, and other weapons. Many had their face 3 blackened, and others wore masks. The police encountered them, and after a short scuffle the attacking party fell back. At this moment Greenwood received information that a second body of rioters were attacking the Westwood-row. He at once proceeded in the direction of the houses, and met coming thence from 300 to 400 armed men, who immediately attacked the police with stones, so that they wore compelled to seek shelter in the Westwood railway station.' One officer (Tyler) was struck by a large stone, and was for some time insensible, while another (Walker) had three of his teeth knocked out, and was otherwise severely injured. While the police were thus engaged with one- part of the mob, the other portion attacked the houses, breaking the windows and frames, and some of the doors and the furniture, the chairs being broken up and made use of as weapons of destruction. The immates of the house hastily barricaded themselves in the upper rooms, and fortunate it was that they did so ; otherwise there would doubtless have been a serious loss of life as many of the rioters had pistols, which they discharged indiscriminately. While breaking the furniture the mob took care to possess themselves of any money that could be found, and one family lost Ll4 ; a woman who had left her pocket in the kitchen, in which were L 2 10s, had it stolen ; a third person was robbed of L 8; while a silver watch belonging to Sergeant Greenwood was stolen from the house in which the police were located. In the same house a prisoner, who was handcuffed to a chain was released, and the chain broken to pieces. Outside the row of houses were several large grates in which fires Avere kept burning so as to throw a light around in case of attack. Some of these the rioters carried into three of the houses, and piled ou them clothes, bedding, and other things, and theu left them burning. After a good deal, of exertion the flames were put out, but not before the clothing. &c, had been destroyed. Some hundreds of the' rioters proceeded towards Tankersley Pit, and were seen by Mr Superintendent Sykes, who was coming from Barnsley with a body of 10 mciii On being met the police force was assailed with a shower of stones- Mr Sykes then ordered his men to advance with drawn cutlasses, when several of the mob were severely cut; one of them was apprehended as he was about to strike the superintendent with a piece of a. chair. He turned out to be a collier named George Gosling, belonging to the Oaks Colliery, and he received a by no means gentle cut from the sword of the superintendent. The mob then went into Tankersley park, the two portions haviug joined. The two sections of the police force also came together, making 20 men. Mr Sykes then ordered his men to form in single tile, and, with their cutlasses drawn, ho ordered them to advance at " the double" and attack the mob before them. The body of the rioters, who had been massed together, gave way when they saw the police coming towards them, and, throwing away their sticks and other weapons, ran. away iv all directions. The row of houses presented a most desolate

appearance. Every window was smashed, and the lower rooms of eveiy house were completely stripped. The attack was made about the time the men were leaving for work, and on becoming aware of the approach of the rioters they took up a position at the top of the stairs leading to the upper rooms where their wives and families took shelter upon beds and in closets. The rioters not only smashed every article of furniture and destroyed provisions, but in several cases, as has been stated, collected wearina apparel and bed linen into a heap in the middle of the room and set it on fire. The occupants of many of the houses were left in a most pitiable condition — mothers and children without an article of clothing or any food to eat. Few of the men saved more than what they had on. In one house a woman was lying in the last stage of consumption, and her husband had scarcely taken her on his back to carry her upstairs when the whole of the window frame was forced in upon the bed on which she had been lying. The rioters gathered up bed and bed linen, and set them on fire. One man named White, who attempted to prevent the mob entering his house, was very savagely kicked and ill-treated, and his wife and child seriously injured. The company ordered provisions to be sent to the unfortunate people, and during the day carpenters were busily employed repairing the houses. The riorers as they left the houses threatened to make a similar attack upon the Chapeltown row, and as it was feared they would carry out their threats, large bodies of police were collected from Sheffield, Rotherham, Wakefield, Bradford, and other places. Captain M'Neil, chief constable of the West Riding, arrived at an early hour, and directed the disposition of the force. All the roads in the district were patrolled by police, and every precaution was taken to guard against surprise. Up to a late hour last night no further disturbance had occurred. The rioters, there is very little doubt, came mostly frem the neighborhood of Barnsley and Mexbrough, and as a good many of them are known, they will at once be apprehended. One of them is in a very serious state, having been cut down by a blow from a cutlass ; he bled a great deal, and was unable to walk. He was carried a short distance by some of his comrades, but the police know where he is. In addition to the members of the force injured, two women who were in the house at the time of the attack were seriously hurt, one of them being struck on the head by half a brick. The neighborhood is in a very excited state.