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East Cornish Guardian, Thursday, September 1978/79 (date to be
checked – some words illegible or need further checks)
WHEN THE POTATO CROP FAILED (in 1847) By John Reed
Laughter greeted the speaker at the Cornwall Agricultural Society’s June
dinner when he proposed the health and “good appetite” of those present.
Elsewhere in the County, though, the reaction might well have been less good-natured.
The year was 1847. Shortages and rising prices had brought hunger to the
land, and nowhere was this more apparent than among the Cornish mining and
china clay communities. For the past two years the potato blight that had
ravaged Ireland had swept through the South West, leaving in its wake fields
of withered plants and a crop quite insufficient to meet the needs of a people
who were often unable to afford any alternative to the potato for their staple
diet. To make matters worse, two bad harvests had led to a dramatic rise in
grain prices. In the first six months of the year, prices paid for wheat in
the St. Austell market had doubled and now there was talk of a staggering
18 shillings per quarter increase that would lift the price of bread beyond
the reach of the working man.
Disturbances in Redruth in early May were followed on the 12th of that
month by an outbreak of violence at Wadebridge. A strong rumour that
local wheat was to be shipped overseas brought angry crowds of miners from
St. Austell, Roche and Luxulyan to the town with demands for an end to the
trade and lower prices in the home market. Official reaction to the demonstration
was surprisingly sympathetic. The “export” rumour was hotly denied and the
mob dispersed, but not until 100 “reliable” local citizens had been hurriedly
sworn in as special constables! Throughout the county, magistrates,
quick to recognize the dangers of growing unrest, acted to preserve public
order. Their first line of defence against rioters was the Coast Guard - the
“preventive” men - normally on the lookout for smugglers.
COASTGUARDS READY
Detachments at Mawgan Forth and Padstow were placed on standby, but too
late to prevent a violent demonstration against high prices by the massed
quarrymen of Delabole. Regular soldiers - a company of the (8th?) Fusiliers
- were sent to deal with this outbreak, but in the meantime there was a
similar disturbance at Callington where the demonstrator’s wives, in an
unexpected and rather frightening display of “women’s lib”, took over the
Butter Market and forced the sale of produce at low prices. There was trouble,
too, at Camelford, where after receiving a more than usually sympathetic
hearing, the mob outraged moderate local opinion by climbing trees to rob
a rookery of its eggs and young birds to supplement their meager food supplies.
By the beginning of June the outlook was grim. An emergency military headquarters
was established at Truro under the direction of the Deputy Lieutenant of
the Tower of London, who had been given overall responsibility for keeping
the peace within the county. Three hundred men of the 5th Fusiliers based
at Bodmin, and (?) at Bodmin, were reinforced by (?) of their regiment from
Exeter, and by a Squadron of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards from Trowbridge.
CONFLICT
The clash came at St. Austell, and it was the tin-miners who made the
first move. The authorities there were expecting trouble, for on June 10,
two local constables had picked up the trail of James JEWELL, a well-known
troublemaker and rabble rouser, who had been at the centre of the disturbances
among the Redruth miners. The magistrates lost no time in alerting
the Coast Guard, but it was too late. The seeds of riot had already been
sown, for there could be no denying the rumours that the following day’s
market would see wheat prices soar to their highest-ever level. On the next
morning, rumours gave way to action. The men at Bucklers Mine refused to
work and their self-appointed spokesman, 28-year-old Richard KESTLE[2] and
his 23-year old work mate Charles FAULL[1], bluntly made the point that
“bread had risen and it’s no use going back to work anymore.” Tempers
flared and the mood grew more menacing when, having announced their intention
of persuading the local china clay workers to join them, the miners ignored
the advice of their employer and made their way towards Stenalees and the
Blue Barrow clay works.
ST.AUSTELL MARCH
The less well paid clay workers responded enthusiastically to FAULL’S
call to join the march to St. Austell, where they meant to persuade traders
to lower their prices. More joined their ranks from the clay works around
Carthew and after more speeches at Lansalsseri, the demonstrators, by now
250 strong, moved toward the outskirts of the town, brandishing pick-helves
and clearly (not) in the mood to listen to reason. Attempts to dissuade
the mob failed. “As well to be shot as starved ” FAULL said to Mr THRISCOTT,
the owner of Candletown and Hensbarrow china clay works, who warned him of
the dangers of a clash with the soldiers. By now it was nearly midday
and in St. Austell the authorities, who had received word of the disturbances
nearly two hours previously, had been far from idle. Notwithstanding
their sympathy with the demonstrator’s cause, the High Sheriff, Nicholas KENDALL[3],
and his magistrates, Sir Joseph SAWLE[9], Mr (HERT) and Thomas COADE[5] (.?.)ted
firmly. This was no mere protest march and fearing that the situation
would soon be beyond the control of the Coast Guards, KENDALL sent word to
Bodmin that soldiers were required to disperse the mob. In the meantime,
50 local trades people were sworn in as special constables and traders were
advised to lock their premises until the danger had passed.
SMASHED DOOR
At about 2 pm. a column of 55 soldiers and two officers of the 5th Fusiliers
arrived and, followed by a jeering rabble, made their way directly to the
Town Hall to await the orders of the magistrates. The mob had, however,
made only slow progress, but as soon as it had reached Blowinghouse, a district
of the town, its leaders had singled out ROWE’s Bakers Shop as the first
of its targets. Smashing down the door with their pick-helves, the miners
forced their way into the cramped shop and demanded of the terrified Mrs.
Hannah ROWE[6] that she “give us some crib,” threatening to “scat her brains
out” if she refused. There were cheers as the leaders threw the luckless
Mrs. ROWE’s stock of bread and cakes to the waiting crowd, and demands that
they should move on to the doubtless well-stocked WARNE’s Mill. WARNE’s[8]
premises and those of flour dealer John BADGER (BUTCHER? [7]) were forcibly
entered, and, with their womenfolk hurling abuse at the tradesmen, the rioters
soon forgot that their intention had been merely to lower the price of food.
“We’ll have it cheaper,” the crowd shouted back at Badger when he told them
his price, but emboldened by their early success they were by now more set
on looting than protest.
ATTACK
Like most traders, the proprietor of Pedlar’s Bakers Shop in Fore Street
had bolted his doors as soon as he had heard of the disturbances at Carthew,
but this in no way deterred the rioters, who poured into the shop and began
stripping its shelves bare. On this occasion, though, the authorities
decided to intervene and with Nicholas KENDALL rushing to the shop at the
head of Lieutenant DREW’s Coast Guards, demanded that the mob disperse at
once. Howls of derision greeted KENDALL when he arrived on the scene
and all his well-intentioned attempts to settle the dispute came to naught
when he was attacked by one of the ringleaders. The Coast Guards seized
his assailant, Matthew ROBERTS[4], and after another abortive attempt to
pacify the mob, KENDALL withdrew to the safety of the Town Hall. Throughout
the late afternoon, the mob roamed the streets unchecked until at 5 (6?)
p.m. KENDALL was left with no alternative but to parade the soldiers outside
the Town Hall and formally read the Riot Act. From that moment onwards
the soldiers were empowered to arrest the ringleaders, and KENDALL was eventually
able to meet a delegation and arrange a meeting for the following Monday.
By that night the soldiers, assisted by Captains from the mines and clay
works, were able to restore order to the street. The protest was over.
The memory of the ugly scene as the mob turned to looting was to endure
for a long time, but fortunately Nicholas KENDALL and the magistrates remained
sympathetic to the plight of the working people of the district. During
the weekend preceding their meeting with the deputation they were able to
contact the employers and obtain promises of increased levels of employment
as well as donations to a fund in which the needs of the worst-off families
could be met. Those who had organized the protest fared less well.
Of the 14 ringleaders who appeared before the Bodmin Summer Assizes Court
on July 31, seven were acquitted, but another five received sentences of up
to 18 months imprisonment while KESTLE and FAULL were sentenced to two-year
terms of hard labour.
Ironically, before their trial was over, the price of wheat had begun
to fall and within two months, at the end of a fine harvest, stood at its
lowest point for more than two years.
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Transcribed by Barbara LUCKHAM Apr 2004
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NOTES:
[1] Charles FAULL chr 27 Mar 1825 St Blazey P006357 son of Charles FAULL
chr 5 Jan 1794 Crowan who Marr 27 Jun 1822 St Austell Jane WOODMAN bn c 1799
St Austell
1841 census - 6 Jun 1841 - Charles 15yrs miner living at Tacka?? Cross
Lane St Austell HO 107/146/3/76 pg4
Marr 1st Mar 1846 St Austell GRO 9 2 Mary Ann CURTIS chr 8 Aug 1825 Mevagissey
Cornwall dau of James CURTIS and Hannah;
1851 census Charles 26, miner, Mary Ann 25 living at Treleavens Cross
Lane St Austell HO 107/1907 /352 46
1861 census Charles 36yrs tin miners, Mary Ann 36yrs living at Tregonifry
Lane St Austell RG9/1548/113 pg2 dist 16B – 11
1871 census Charles 46yrs Mine Agent, Mary Ann 46yrs living St Austell
Enum Dist 16-5,
[2] Richard KESTLE bn c 1819 – found a Richard KESTLE bn c 1825 aged 15yrs
in 1841 census which could mean that the age of Richard in the above article
should read 23 not 28. Further checks required to verify.
[3] 1841 census Church Town, Lanlivery, Powder-Cornwall HO107/145/14 pg3
ED7
KENDALL Nicholas M 55 Clergyman Cornwall
KENDALL Susan F 55 Ireland
KENDALL Elizabeth F 22 Cornwall
KENDALL Amy F 20 Cornwall
KENDALL Nicholas M 20 Clergyman Cornwall
RICHARDS Richard M 20 Male Servant Cornwall
DEAN Ann F 20 Female Servant Cornwall
WARNER Mary F 20 Female Servant Cornwall
CROWLEY James M 30 Clergyman Outside Census County
[4] 1841 census Boscoppa Downs, St Austell, Powder-Cornwall HO107/146/10
pg12 ED14
ROBERTS Matthew M 30 Tin Miner Cornwall
ROBERTS Lydia F 25 Cornwall
ROBERTS Henry M 4 Cornwall
ROBERTS Matthew M 2 Cornwall
ROBERTS Maryann F 6m Cornwall
[5] 1841 census Fore Street, St Austell, Powder-Cornwall HO107/146/13
pg19 ED1
COADE Thomas M 43 Attorney At Law Cornwall
COADE Susan Wreford F 33 Cornwall
THOMAS Harriet F 20 Female Servant Cornwall
TREVASKIS Elizabeth F 21 Female Servant Cornwall
CLEMOW Dorothy F 16 Female Servant Cornwall
[6] 1841 census Western Turnpike St Austell, Powder-Cornwall 1 HO107/146/12
pg17 ED1
ROWE William M 34 Baker Cornwall
ROWE Hannah F 35 Cornwall
ROWE William M 8 Cornwall
ROWE Lemonia F 6 Cornwall
ROWE Jane L. F 4 Cornwall
ROWE Hannah M. F 2 Cornwall
ROWE Mary F 1 Cornwall
SPEARE Gregory M 20 Male Servant Cornwall
[7] No ‘BADGERs’ found in 1841 census, the nearest name and of relevance
with location and occupation was:
1841 census Fore Street, St Austell Powder-Cornwall HO107/146/29 pg16
ED4
BUTCHER John M 65 Baker Outside Census County (1841)
BUTCHER Betsy F 60 Outside Census County (1841)
BUTCHER Anna F 30 Outside Census County (1841)
BUTCHER Samuel M 37 Navy Outside Census County (1841)
PAXTON Philip M 25 Journeyman Baker Outside Census County (1841)
[8] Large number of WARNEs in 1841 census – this was the closest in terms
of location, name and occupation:
1841 census Salt Water Mills, St Issy, Pydar-Cornwall HO107/150/10 pg13
ED5
WARNE William M 25 Miller Cornwall
WARNE Maria F 25 Cornwall
WARNE Mary F 3 Cornwall
WARNE Eliza F 1 Cornwall
WARNE Edmund M 15 Miller's Assistant Cornwall
STUTAFORD Azaria M 25 Miller Journeyman Outside Census County (1841)
WARNE Francis M 20 Carter Cornwall
HAWKEN Maria F 15 Female Servant Cornwall
[9] 1841 census Penrice House, St Austell, Powder Cornwall HO107/146/24-25
pg15-16 Ed19
Joseph SAWLE, 45 Independent means bn Outside Census County (1841) and wife
Dorothea 45 bn Outside Census County (1841) with dau Mary, 20,
Outside Census County (1841)
Servants:
BARRETT , Mary , 55 , , Female Servant , Cornwall
BRYANT, Elizabeth , , 35 , Female Servant Outside Census County (1841)
MARTYN ,, Mary ,, 20 , Female Servant Outside Census County (1841)
WHITE , Usula , 30 , Female Servant, Cornwall
BOND , Elizabeth , 25, Female Servant, Cornwall
SOLOMON ,Nancy , 25 Female Servant, Cornwall
LEWARNE ,Joseph , 40, Male Servant, Cornwall
POTTER , William , 25 , Male Servant Outside Census County (1841)
BENALLACK , James , 20 , Male Servant, Cornwall
LOBB ,Mary 20 Female Servant, Cornwall ,