Timeline of events
The Swing Riots in Hampshire : A timeline for November 1830
Introduction
The opening of the Captain Swing Riots of 1830 is regarded as the destruction of a threshing machine in Lower Hadres near Canterbury in Kent.
After a decade of agricultural distress the public unrest is distilled into a spontaneous campaign against the newly-arrived agricultural machinery
which deprived workers of employment in the Autumn months. Tensions with the local clergy, land-owners, magistrates and representatives of authority also surface.
During September and October the rioting would grow in scale and destructiveness as it spread west into Sussex and northwards into Essex at the same time generating the popular myth of ‘Captain Swing’ as the embodiment and orchestrator of the revolt.
The riots then went on to cover almost every county in the South and East Anglia spreading into the edges of the West Midlands.
The rioting in Hampshire and Wiltshire were to be the most significant and violent of the whole country encompassing arson, demolition of machinery and buildings, burglary, larceny, robbery, ‘felony under the act’, breaking threshing machines, sending threatening letters, and riotous assembly.
In Hampshire more than seventy towns and villages were to be affected with thousands of people (mostly male) involved. Subsequently, around three hundred were to be tried at a Grand Assize in the Great Hall in Winchester at the end of the year.
Below is a timetable of the key events:
29th September
In conjunction with one of the regular meetings of the ‘Radical & Musical Society’ in the White Swan pub in Sutton Scotney (at which were read aloud the latest articles by radical thinkers such as William Cobbett) 170 men mostly agricultural labourers, signed a petition addressed to the newly crowned King William IV. He is implored to intervene to support the rural working class who were suffering from profound poverty. The petition was to be carried across southern England on foot to the Royal Pavilion in Brighton by Joseph Mason, a small-holder from Bullington. The King was not present and the petition was eventually sent to him in London. His response was that this was a matter not for him but for the Government-of-the-day.
Saturday 13th November
A second petition demanding reform is drawn up in the White Swan. Many of the signatories were to go on to become active in the riots.
Tuesday 16th November
The Duke of Wellington resigns from his position as the Prime Minister in London following a loss of support amongst his ministers over proposals for reform. He decides to return to Hampshire where he has retained the role of Lord Lieutenant, a critical position in times of social turbulence. On the same day a threatening letter from Captain Swing is received by his household at Stratton Saye, his country home north of Basingstoke, calling him a ‘Despot’ and demanding political reform and ‘full and fair representation of the people’ - thereby adding a political dimension to the Swing agenda and aligning it directly with William Cobbett’s demands for change.
Wednesday 17th November
Farm labourers probably from Westbourne in Sussex descend on Warblington Parish to smash up a thrashing machine at Emsworth before retreating back across the county line. In Fareham the local farmers set up a system of night-patrols to protect their property. Fires are set in Droxford, Hamble and Portsdown Hill. Rioters appear in Whitchurch demanding money before moving on to Charlcot where they destroy threshing machinery.
Thursday 18th November
Ricks are fired for the first time in North West Hampshire at St. Mary Bourne and also at Wadwick. A mob came across from Sussex heading towards Horndean. Nine threshing machines were destroyed in the Havant area. Wages meetings to discuss a proposed increase in pay were held at Micheldever and Overton. In Barton Stacey the local curate, Rev. James Joliffe, is confronted with demands for meat and drink and, under intimidation, hands over five shillings. An angry meeting and demonstration is held at Overton attended by Henry Hunt, the high profile Hampshire-born campaigner for political reform. Hunt acted as intermediary between protesting labourers demanding higher wages and local farmers. Fifty men descend on Down Grange farm near Basingstoke demanding higher wages. A winnowing machine is destroyed. In the Havant and Warblington area there is extensive destruction of machines. There is rick-burning at St. Mary Bourne and at the Wellington estate at Stratfield Saye.
Friday 19th November
In south-east Hampshire the authorities begin to mobilise the military and marines to various locations where unrest looks likely. About 200 Special Constables are sworn in. Rioting breaks out at Alexander Baring’s house in Alresford. In the evening a crowd marches to the Grange, Alexander Baring’s house, and confronts a younger member of the Baring family. Meanwhile an attack on Avington House, the property of the Duke of Buckingham, is expected. However, the local residents and labourers gather in its defence and the rioters disperse. Threshing machines are destroyed at Micheldever, Warnford, West Meon and East Stratton. In Overton there are demands that all threshing machines should be put out of action. In Sutton Scotney a mob of about 800 is drawn together from Wonston, Hunton, Micheldever, Stratton, Barton Stacey, Chilbolton and Longparish. They disperse across the Dever valley area and break machines in a number of farms. Most significantly there is a confrontation between Wm. Bingham Baring, a scion of the Baring banking family, and a crowd which is intent on destroying machines at Northngton Down Farm. In the subsequent melee Baring is knocked over and threatened by Henry Cook, a prominent 19 year old rioter from Micheldever. This attack was to lead, subsequently, to Cook’s conviction and execution in mid-January. The mob goes on to East Stratton, close to another major Baring property, where the Baring steward is forced to hand over money. The mob then heads to the pub in the village and much liquor is consumed. Later a threshing machine is destroyed in Sutton Scotney. Meanwhile a mob had gathered in Andover and a threshing machine is smashed in a farm in Upper Clatford. That evening there is a major conflagration at Barton Manor Farm.
Saturday 20th November
Troops arrive in Alresford summoned to meet expected rioters. In Andover there is a meeting of local farmers who agree to increase labourers’ wages if the church will reduce its demand for tithes. Meanwhile a crowd of about 300 had gathered outside and then roamed the town intimidating a printer to hand over some money. Later in the day they head to Upper Clatford in order to target the Tasker’s Waterloo Iron Foundry. Once inside the works they destroy buildings and machinery alike. They remain until mid-night in what is one of the largest and most destructive episodes of the riots in Hampshire. In Martyr Worthy hundreds gathered to demand money from local land-owners while a number of farmers had their threshing machines destroyed. Some workers are intimidated into joining the mob against their will.
Sunday 21st November
In the west of the county a large gang of labourers gathers to vandalise local houses and destroy threshing machines in the King’s Somborne to Stockbridge area. In the afternoon they are met by dragoons who arrest sixteen of the rioters while the rest flee. In Vernham Dean there is extensive intimidation and destruction of preoprty .In Crawley a house is broken into and ransacked while its owner is at church in the afternoon. In Avington two policemen from London arrive and up to 150 men from the area are sworn in as special constables.
Monday 22nd November
Soldiers from the 9th Lancers arrive in Andover to begin making arrests arising form the destruction of the Taskers factory. In Thruxton the threshing machine belonging to Sir J W Pollen is broken up. Major confrontations arose in the Itchen Abbas area involving hundreds of rioters and af ace-off with Rev. Robert Wright, a high profile local cleric and a magistrate. Special Constables are brought from Avington to make arrests but also threshing machines are destroyed. About thirty men are escorted to the County Gaol in Winchester by Dragoon Guards. Meanwhile in Selborne a mob entered and destroyed the Poor House. This was to be another major event within the overall calendar of Riot events. There were also confrontations with the local clergyman the Rev WR Cobbold over his tithes. In neighbouring Headley a threshing machine was destroyed. In St. Mary Bourne a crowd forced its way into the house of the local cleric, the Rev. William Easton, intimidating his family and demanding money with the cry ‘Money or Blood’. In Leckford groups of rioters went round to the local farmers demanding money. Moving on to Stockbridge they confronted the clergyman the Rev. Hutton and demanded that he reduce his tithes. In Michelmersh farmers had their threshing machines destroyed. Down Grange, the home of Mrs Cassandra Hankey, was visited by rioters for the second time. The blacksmith’s forge was broken into, sledge hammers stolen and the winnowing machine destroyed. In Broughton a threshing machine was destroyed. In the villages around Basingstoke there was extensive intimidation of farmers and the destruction of machinery. At Corhampton a hay-making machine was destroyed and landlords intimidated into handing over money. At Durley threshing machines were broken up. In Alresford the Swan Inn hosted a meeting for the local magistrates to sign up Special Constables. Horse and foot patrols were organised. In the Gosport area a local magistrate, Captain John Brett Purvis, receives a letter accusing him of being a ‘tyrant’ and threatening him with imminent death. In Vernham Dean there is a fresh outbreak of violence against machinery while in Mottisfont money and beer are extracted with threats. In Romsey 250 men are enrolled as Special Constables. In the Baddesley area that night a number of rioters are apprehended by Special Constables as they prepare to destroy a threshing machine.
Tuesday 23rd November
In the Portsmouth Garrison troops prepare to move to Petersfield to deter violence. In Monk Sherborne violence is threatened to intimidate a woman into handing over money. At Hambledon a large group of labourers is pacified outside the George Inn by a promise to raise their wages. At Headley a mob repeated what had previously done to the Selborne Poor House, pulling large parts of it down and removing the residents (mostly the aged or very young). By the end of the day the house had been completely destroyed. In the Owslebury area a mob invaded farms and destroyed threshing machines. Similarly in Quarley. Demands for money are frequently made. And the same in Sidmonton. Burghclere, Highclere and East Woodhay all see the destruction of machines and farmers threatened to hand over money. The property of the Earl of Carnavon is targetted. At Shadfield Common a magistrate reads the Riot Act to a gathering mob. The military arrive and made arrests. There is extensive rioting in the Horton Heath/ Durley/Swaything/Stoneham area with machine breaking and financial extortion experienced by a number of local people. Among them is Dr. Jones, a county magistrate, who was surrounded by a mob of about 250 people shouting out “For our lawful rights, to break machines and get higher wages.’ The Riot Act was read but the men went on to break further machines. Soldiers are sent for from Winchester and when the dragoons arrived over fifty rioters are arrested of whom ten were sent to the County Gaol. In Ewhurst a mob was dispersed by a prty of the 9th Lancers. Over forty rioters are arrested and sent to Basingstoke. In East Dean and Tytherley the turnpike gates are destroyed and the houses of the toll collectors set on fire. The rioters announce that they intended to “Destroy all parsons, excise men and turnpike gates in the country.” The Vicar of Longparish, the Rev Henry Green, receives a SWING letter threatening the destruction of the vicarage. Fordingbridge and Stuckton suffer a major assault on its factories by a very large mob led by the so-called ‘Captain Hunt’ – James Thomas Cooper, who appears to have been also active in Wilshire in co-ordinating violence. There was devastation and subsequent drunkenness on a wide scale across the town centre of Fordingbridge including at the Greyhound pub. (Cooper was arrested at the end of the day and, following the Grand Assize, was to be executed in mid-January alongside with Henry Cook from Micheldever).
Wednesday 24th November
In Southampton the saw mill of Mr Baker were set alight and completely destroyed resulting in a loss of about £7,500. In Rockbourne there was an assault on the house of Eyre Coote and demands fmade or money. Soldiers arrived and in the subsequent fight some of the rioters were wounded and a number were captured and sent to the County Gaol in Winchester. In Fordingbridge a number of Special Constables are sworn in. James Thomas Cooper, the riot leader posing as ‘Captain Hunt’ who had been captured the day before, has to be given a protective escort from assault by the angry townsfolk. In Sherfield Hatchett a mob gathers to pressure the local cleric Rev Thomas Penton to drop his tithes and raise the wages of his labourers. Subsequently there was a confrontation with a local magistrate and an attorney who were then driven out of the village. In Embley there was a confrontation between a mob and local farmers. Money was handed over to persuade the labourers to leave. In Binstead a threshing machine was destroyed and in Redbridge a number of people were intimidated into handing over money. In Portsmouth a SWING letter was received by a wine merchant with the threat that his business would be set on fire.
Thursday 25th November
From this day on the riots largely petered out although there continued to be occasional fires and confrontations. Instead the momentum now shifted to the authorities, the military and the special constables who were rounding up those likely to be charged at the forthcoming Grand Assize. What might be regarded as the final act of violence before the Grand Assize opened on 18th December was the burning of a wheat rick in Wherwell on the 14th of December. The story from now on was largely dominated by the forces of the law and the operation of the criminal justice system. First the Gaol House – and then on to the Grand Assize.