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Riotous Littleport |
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Penalties
The Dragoons and local mercenaries then went back to Littleport the following day, and arrested more than 80 protestors that had barricaded themselves in the George and Dragon pub. However many of those who had been involved had already fled the area to escape incarceration. Initially nearly 30 of those arrested faced execution but in the end only five met their fate at the gallows. The remaining rioters were all sent to London’s Newgate Prison and from there were deported to New South Wales in Australia, dubbed the “convict state”
This caused outrage amongst families whose relatives had been deported without their knowledge, particularly those who had been sentenced to less than a year imprisonment.
The crowd took refuge in the George and Dragon pub
© Adam Strawson |
Public meetings were held and a petition sent to the Home Secretary for the charges to be overturned, but the pleas were unsuccessful and transportation of the rioters proceeded.
Following the riots, Parliament passed the Vagrancy Act of 1824, in an attempt to prevent further long term unrest. This meant that any person found: in or upon any dwelling house, warehouse, coach house, stable or outhouse or in any enclosed yard, garden or area for any unlawful purpose (e.g. dishonesty or violence) would be guilty of an offence.
There were difficulties in enforcing the laws in this act, so partially in fear of another uprising of similar in nature to the Littleport one, the Metropolitan Police Act was passed in 1829, which lead to the establishing of the first proper police force.
In the same year as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 the Littleport Women’s Institute paid for a commemorative sign depicting the start of the riot, to be placed on the back of the Globe Inn hanging sign.
Your comments
1 Peter Curle from Gloucester - 23 December 2003
"On page 3, you state that with the exception of those hung, all others convicted were transported. This is not quite correct. Nine persons were transported for between 7 years and life, 11 others sentenced to 12 months in gaol. Almost 4 weeks later,3 weeks after the executions, they were told that the Secretary of State's Office had announced the prisoners pardon, on condition of being transported for 7 years. In the course of the day the 11 prisoners were sent off for the Hulks, in great secrecy and it was not until the following day the public learnt what had happend, this included wives and families. It was only when the local dignitaries partitioned Parliment, that the order was resinded and the prisoners were retured home."
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