Politics - some stories from 19th century Cumberland.
From the Carlisle Journal (CJ) and Carlisle Patriot (CP)
Cumbria today is a quiet place, and it is difficult to imagine the people rioting, but it was a different matter in the early 19th century.
April 11th 1812 CJ
An account of the recent disturbances in Carlisle.
In treating this subject, it is our intention merely to state the leading facts. The late proceedings of the populace have, we believe, originated in three causes - the very low wages of our manufacturing poor, the dearness of every necessary article of life, and the late artificial scarcity which has been produced by agents from Liverpool etc. who have bought up, at very advanced prices, all the grain in the market.
On Saturday last, the bread corn was bought up in a very few minutes, consequently many of the heads of the families were disappointed and obliged to return home empty... Early on Monday morning great quantities of grain were conveyed from the depots of the corn buyers to the port of Sandsfield, five miles distant. The populace, unable to endure the sight of so much grain passing by their doors whilst themselves and families were at the point of starvation, impressed several carts, loaded them and were about to return when the magistrates and the soldiers of the 55th arrived... we understand that the magistrates, having promised that the markets in future should be duly regulated... succeeded in conciliating the populace who relinquished their booty and returned peaceable home.
A little before seven in the evening, the military entered the city with drums beating... when a woman in the suburbs, displeased at the conduct of one of the officers, threw a stone at him. This caused him to pursue her with his sword drawn, which further inflamed the minds of the people, who threw several stones as the soldiers crossed the bridge. Marching up one of the principal streets, another of the officers struck a boy with his sword, which had the tendency of increasing the public irritation...
(The start of a riot in Carlisle, in which a pregnant woman, the wife of one of the soldiers of the 55th regiment, was killed. Verdict of the coroner’s inquest - accidental death).
March 4th 1815 CJ
(Concerning a petition from the Inhabitants of Carlisle against the Corn Laws)
It is with pleasure we observe that the inhabitants of this city and neighbourhood have again come manfully forward to give their constitutional opposition to a measure which the most enlightened have deemed pregnant with evil - both as it will affect the commercial prosperity of the kingdom, and eventually the landed interest itself. Within a few days, upwards of 5000 signatures have been obtained to the petition to the House of Commons, towards which the public attention was last week directed in this paper, amongst them several connected with agriculture. The columns of signatures extend a length of not less than 176 feet.
March 20th 1824 CJ
The petitions from this city to both Houses of Parliament praying for the mitigation and gradual abolition of negro slavery in the British Colonies, signed by 1081 persons, were forwarded to London on Saturday last.
One from Whitehaven, very numerously signed, was sent off on Tuesday, and we are happy to observe that similar petitions are about to be sent from Penrith, Alston, Brampton, Longtown, Workington, Maryport, and also from several country parishes in this county.
There was much poverty in Cumberland, especially amongst the weavers in Carlisle and elsewhere, and great opposition to the Corn Laws. In June 1826, there was an election in Carlisle, one of the candidates being Sir JRG Graham of Netherby. His Tory rival, Sir Philip Musgrave, addressed a large crowd of weavers in Carlisle, who replied with a volley of stones. It ended in a riot: after the mayor had read the riot act, the military were called in and some of the soldiers fired upon the crowd, killing two young women. Another man died later.
March 11th 1826 CJ
The classes of people out of employ in our vicinity are still in a lamentable state of distress. Already symptoms of disaffection begin to manifest themselves. “Blood or Bread” and “Honourable Death before Starvation” are written in many parts of the town in very legible characters...
3rd June 1826 CP
Sir James Graham, Baronet’s
CORN AND CURRENCY
This day published by B Scott, Carlisle, James Ridgway, London, and all Booksellers: Corn and Currency - in an address to the Landowners by Sir Jas. Graham, of Netherby.
June 3rd 1826 CP
Mr Lattimer of Longtown Brewery, who is the owner of weaving shops in Caldewgate, Carlisle, on lately receiving his rents, gave back one guinea to each of his tenants, in consideration of the difficulties of the times, and reduced the four loom shops from eight to six guineas- an act of liberality worthy of imitation.
June 10th 1826 CJ
Carlisle Election
Dreadful Outrages and Loss of Life
In our last we announced the expected arrival of Sir James Graham to come forward for the representation of Carlisle on Tuesday morning, but we did not even hint at the expected intention of Sir Philip Musgrave, the candidate of the Lowther Interest.
About eight o’clock in the morning, one of the constables went round with a score or two of bills, which were called Addresses to the Freemen by the worthy baronet, announcing his intention to offer himself, and that he would wait on the freemen the earliest opportunity - a few of them were posted about the town, but we venture to say not half a dozen are now to be seen. This afforded food for an hour’s talk, as many were surprised at his coming at all - and taking into consideration the unpopularity of the baronet, we confess we thought no little of his courage.
About ten o’clock it was said that Sir Philip was in Carlisle, and that he had arrived in a chariot and pair without any show, and in as private a manner as possible... The next morning (Tuesday) about eleven o’clock, the worthy baronet in the course of his canvass, proceeded to a place called Milburn’s Row, situate at the bottom of Shaddongate, in the west suburbs of the city, the inhabitants of which are mostly destitute weavers and their wives, and idle boys who began questioning him and with no extraordinary degree of politeness, on his conduct regarding the Corn Laws and Reform... the Corn Laws seem to be uppermost and when they were brought into question, they showed the feelings which existed amongst them in no very smooth terms...
Sir Philip’s friends who went with him, with more rashness than wisdom, endeavoured to persuade the mob that Sir Philip’s politics and his conduct in Parliament were everything that was good, but in was in vain - words brought on words, and these brought on stones. Volleys were fired with scarcely any intermission, and Sir Philip, we are sorry to say, got severely bruised. The gentleman canvassers were obliged to run as fast as their corporation legs could carry them... one grave-looking personage was not very politely treated with a cold dip in the dam. The baronet himself was taken into a house adjoining Messrs Cockburn’s pipe manufactory, where he remained.
The town about twelve and from that hour till three, was in an unusual state of agitation, unusual even in time of election... the magistrates were busied in swearing in special constables to the number of two or three hundreds...
About three, a detachment of the 55th Regiment of Foot consisting of unskilled, inexperienced and undisciplined lads, was sent down for the professed purpose of rescuing Sir Philip Musgrave. They went into the heart of Shaddongate and were immediately assailed with a shower of stones; and for the purpose of pelting them, about thirty or forty women were seen running about in groups with their aprons full of stones. The soldiers were evidently exasperated and they received orders to fire. They did fire and with a fatal alacrity.
One of the soldiers was observed to load and reload his piece and at the last fire, he sent a ball through the window shutter and window of a parlour across the front room, through the back part of the head of a poor innocent girl who was in the school at the time. The girl, whose name was Isabella Pattinson, instantly fell, never to rise again. She survived until eight o’clock in the evening, and then died.
A young woman named Mary Birrell, much respected among her neighbours, received a shot while seeking a younger brother in the absence of their mother, with a key in her hand, while she was standing near her own door. The shot came in at the left side of her head, and lodged in the brain. She lived about an hour and twenty minutes afterwards.
A young man named Robert Noble received a shot while he was seeking for his children, in the back, which went through and out the left side of his breast. He is still living, but it is not expected that he can possibly recover...
The mob dispersed amazingly quickly. Women were seen to put up their aprons over their heads, as if that frail substance would have protected them from the balls. In a short time, the place was completely clear and tranquil and the soldiers went away. During the remainder of the day the town was as expected in an unusual state of excitement.
Nothing of great moment occurred until the evening when Sir James Graham’s carriage came into the town - a band of music and appropriate flags were sent. At half past ten, the distant roll of drums was heard, and Sir James came in an open carriage up Botchergate... he approached the town in this splendid manner, and amongst the repeated huzzas of the audience, and the windows crowded with faces, amongst whom we distinguished several fair night caps.
Sir James was drawn in this manner down English Street amid repeated and enthusiastic cheers, and the barouche in which he was thus conveyed stopped before the Grapes Inn, and the worthy baronet addressed as dense a crowd almost as could have been collected at noon-day, in the most marked attention, to the following effect:
“Gentlemen - the reception which you now give me, I assure you, exceeds my most sanguine expectation, it is a reception which a man placed in my situation, from time and circumstance, has every reason to be proud of, and I assure you I feel your kindness to a greater extent than I can possibly express. It is the ebullitions of a people who are anxious to place their cause in a representative whose feelings are congenial to their own... ”
(Sir James Graham of Netherby won the subsequent election)
December 23rd 1826 CP
The Carlisle Journal of last week affects to apologise for the absence of Sir James Graham Bart. from the House of Commons on the presentation of the weavers petition from this city against the present Corn Laws. The Hon. Baronet’s apologist gravely informs the weavers that he was unavoidably absent on account of indisposition.
Mere Fudge! The weavers of Carlisle knew very well that Sir James was never favourable disposed towards the petition and therefore did not expect his services on the occasion. The Hon. Baronet is not the only MP we could mention who has acted in a similar manner, when he has an unpleasant duty to perform.
December 13th 1827 CJ
Scotch Caution
A Worthy Scotsman, proceeding with a friend through the streets of Carlisle, at the moment the intelligence was first announced of the death of Mr Curwen and the intention of Sir James Graham to vacate his seat for the City and offer himself for the county, very characteristically observed:
"I'm thinking it wad be muckle better gin Sir James wad no gie up his place for the city 'till he kens if he can mak sure o' the county".
(John Christian Curwen, MP for East Cumberland, died in December 1827, and Sir James Graham vacated his Carlisle seat to run for the county).
December 18th 1830 CJ
Magistrates have attended Longtown and various other towns in this county during the past and present week for the purpose of swearing in special constables. Most of the farmers and their servants availed themselves of the opportunity to be sworn in.
(The "Swing" riots had lately been causing great civil disturbance in the south of the country, and a hay rick had lately been burned in Carlisle. While the riots were only sporadic in the Carlisle area, the authorities were aftaid the rioting could spread. The newspapers warned potential rioters that arson was a capital offense).
November 5th 1831 CP
County Meeting
To the High Sheriff of the County of Cumberland
We, the undersigned, FREEHOLDERS of the County of Cumberland, do hereby request you to convene a meeting of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry and Freeholders, to consider the expediency, at this most important crisis, of publicly manifesting our attachment to our gracious sovereign, of praying him to retain in his Councils his present Ministers, and to co-operate with them in passing speedily into Law that desirable measure of Reform which the House of Lords so inauspiciously have rejected.
Signatures from Longtown:
John Yule, George Rome MD, John Baxter, Thomas Baxter, James Baxter, Wm Graham, Francis Lamb, Robert Gibbons, Thomas Plenderleath, Joseph Bell, Wm Corrie, Wm Tweddle, David Wright, Wm Johnston, Robert Little, John Tinning, Robert Ferguson, Robert Wright, James Napier, Wm Sword, Wm Ferguson, George Elliott, James Marrs, Andrew Wood, Wm Nicholson, John Armstrong, Robt. Plenderleath, Wm Graham, Thomas Tweddle, John Irving, John Graham, John Donnelson, Thomas Wilson.
June 23rd 1832 CP
Festivities at Longtown
Whilst the tenantry of Sir James Graham and the inhabitants of Longtown were celebrating the passing of the Reform Bill on Friday last, at the different inns in the town, Samuel Irving Esq. entertained a large party under his own roof. That gentleman, being no admirer of the Bill, did not join in the festivities of the day, but anxious to contribute to the seeming general happiness of those around him, he kindly made preparations and gave an excellent dinner to upwards of a hundred poor females who felt much obliged for his good cheer, and went away convinced that in Mr Irving, they had as sincere a friend as any of those who had so long and loudly called for “The Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill”.
(The Carlisle Journal, on the same date, gave an account of a procession of gentlemen, farmers, weavers and a band, through the town, followed by a meal at the Inns of Longtown, paid for by Sir JRG Graham, in celebration of the passing of the Reform Bill).
November 3rd 1833 CP
Mr Cobbett
Will deliver a COURSE of three lectures at the Theatre, Carlisle, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the 6th, 7th and 8th November - on the Objects which Electors must now keep in View, and act upon, in order to make the Reform Bill worth anything to the Country...
November 10th 1832 CP
Cobbett in Carlisle ...
...Last night he lectured again - principally on the subject of Church property and the Funds, both of which he would plunder and give the Booty to the people.
He took occasion to allude to Sir James Graham somewhat severely, as the author of the ‘Corn and Currency’ pamphlet; he set down Sir James as one of the most arrant public deluders on those subjects. The house was pretty full, and the gallery folks received his lecture with unbounded applause.
March 22nd 1834 CP
A petition to the House of Commons has lately been signed by most of the landowners of Bewcastle, Arthuret, Kirkandrews upon Esk, Stapleton and Kirklinton, praying the House to assimilate the bastardy laws in England to those in Scotland, where the mother (often assisted by her parents or other relatives) prosecutes the father himself and compels him to support their offspring, without putting the parish to one farthing expense... The petition was entrusted to Sir JRG Graham.
(A discussion of the proposed amendment to the Poor Laws. Longtown became a Poor Law Union in the new legislation. Longtown also had one of the highest illegitimacy rates in the country)
August 21st 1846 CP
Lecture on American Slavery
On Friday evening last a lecture was delivered on this subject in the Athenaeum, Lowther Street (Carlisle) by an escaped slave, Frederick Douglass. The lecture room was little more than half filled, a circumstance which may be attributed to the unwonted charge of admission (Front seats 6d, back seats 3d) to a meeting of this nature.
Joseph Ferguson Esq. of Fisher Street was called to the chair and after a few appropriate remarks, introduced the lecturer to the audience, who was greeted with loud applause.
He said that he had never received a day's schooling in his life - that he had marks of the lash on his body which would go down with him to the grave - and that he had four sisters and one brother whom he had left in bondage and who, if death had not released them, were still suffering all the woes of slavery.
To teach a slave the Bible, or to aid him in escaping from his chains, were crimes punishable by death - in no parts of the dominions over which America sways her star-bespangled banner, was the slave recognised as freed from his fetters. In America there were no fewer than thirteen slave states, in which were 300,000 slave holders and 3,000,000 slaves.
The ministers of the Gospel, in that country, countenanced and upheld slave holders in their unholy traffic - churches were built from the profits of slavery, ministers supported and Bibles purchased at the expense of human life and liberty. The question of American slavery - a system which placed man upon a level with the beasts of the field, which separates the husband from the wife, and the brother from the sister - was now arousing the attention of the wise and good of every denomination in Christendom, and would in every probability soon become the all-engrossing topic of the day, for slavery was not only a foul blot upon America, but was a stain upon the Christianity and common humanity of the world.
Britain has done much and can do much to alleviate this crying evil - one voice raised by her would be wafted across the Atlantic in the short space of fourteen days, and reach the shores of America, and perchance touch the consciences of the slaveholders, and attract the attention of Congress, and cause them to take the subject into serious consideration.
The lecture, which was ably and eloquently delivered, was listened to with much attention, and the many painful incidents of the horrors of slavery, which were adduced, seemed to make a deep impression upon the audience.
For a detailed description of the Corn Laws in Britain:
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/c-laws.htm
And for a very useful guide to the history of the period, including the Reform Bill and Poor Laws, and the leading politicians of the day:
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/peelhome.htm
For some more stories about Sir JRG Graham of Netherby see my page on the Grahams of Netherby
