Women's Riots of 1800

The people of Great Marlow were never shy when it came to expressing their disapproval by way of broken windows etc. You've probably heard about the 1880 election riots but there was at least two major riots before that. Below is the story of one of them I have never seen mentioned in any history book.

It occurred back in 1800. Soaring wheat prices, which were blamed on heavy rains both affecting the crops and making difficulties in getting it to market. It came at a time of high prices for other basic foods too.

Tempers frayed all over the country but especially in London and the home counties. There was popular suspicion that the weather was being used as an excuse for price inflation. Then as now consumers pointed out that suppliers are very quick to pass on price rises but slow to pass on price falls.

In mid September a carrier's cart passing through Marlow laden with butter was waylaid by a group of townswomen. They demanded all the cargo, weighed it and then paid the carrier a price of 1 shilling per pound which they (and other contemporary commentators too) thought was a fair price rather than the 1 shilling 6 pence they were having to pay of late. 

A few days later, with bread prices continuing to climb between two and three hundred Marlow women and a few bargemen gathered in the streets to protest. Three baker's shops were "pulled down" by them and numerous windows smashed. The army had to be called out from Windsor to disperse the mob. Not that the women were finished yet.

The next day they got together in another part of town to riot again. Once more the troops were summoned to disperse them. A hardened core came out as soon as the soldiers went, this time parading effigies of the town's bakers through the streets.

The Marlow women weren't alone in protesting violently. Their not too distant female neighbours in Eton captured a baker and dragged him through the streets. They considered throwing him in the river but decided to just beat him instead. Troops had to patrol the streets of London for some days before the weather improved, and pressure put on members of the supply chain to act on prices began to tell.

There were no apparent arrests in Marlow. There was of course no real police at the time. Though there was a parish constable / tithing man (or at best two) it would be one or two men against the mob. Troops were largely sent to break things up not round up offenders. Most non-city riots in those days resulted in few prosecutions. Even the 1880 Marlow riots involving an estimated minimum of 2,000 active participants resulted in only 20 arrests.

I am as yet unable to say which three bakery shops were destroyed by the rioters. The only baker I know to have then been in operation was Hatches in the High Street ran by William and Sarah Hatch. 

The best coverage of the riots in this area in historic newspapers is, strangely, in the Kentish Gazette- the 23rd and 26th September 1800 editions. Copies are held at the British Library Archives. They can be accessed via the BNA.

Related posts:

To find other posts about general Marlow history when your ancestors were active, see the index here

1880 Election riots here

A post about the 1847 Great Marlow Election riot is Here

Swing riots 1830 here

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