Swing riots (1830)

Post date: Apr 12, 2016 3:27:20 PM

Within in the National Archives at Kew (reference HO 52/8/105) is a letter dated October 26th 1830 from the Marquis of Camden, Wilderness Park, [Kent], enclosing a letter from Mr. Scudamore, Wrotham Heath. The summary that follows is from the National archives description:

Camden reports that he had to postpone a meeting with Mr Scudamore due to 'a violent attack of lumbago', but that he should be able to get to London by Thursday. He adds that the state of the county is every day more alarming and that something should be done.

The enclosure is from Mr Scudamore who reports that he was on the route to London with Lord Winchester, but they were detained by an assembly of 150 labourers from adjoining parishes assembled armed with saws, axes and bludgeon for the destruction of threshing machines. The group informed them that they were to be joined by 300-400 at Wateringbury. He adds that Lord Winchester reasoned with them and they agreed to disperse. He continues that Lord Winchester swore in several special constables, although there was great unwillingness. He finishes by saying the Kent Justice Office received intelligence of another fire, near Sandwich, [Kent], that destroyed buildings, machines, and some corn.

This episode is told in 'As Lated Tongues Bespoke': Popular Protest in South-East England, 1790-1840', a University of Bristol thesis by Carl James Griffin (2001) ,available at http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk/files/34503575/DX223381.pdf

The date of the letter is outside (just) the normal hop-picking season which frequently produced its own, more random, violence usually without a purpose other than tribal (see Hopping 1824) .

This is the only reference that I am aware of concerning the Swing Riots affecting Wateringbury. Although very indirect hearsay, it is nevertheless credible. See Wateringbury pays for its own to go West (1832) for some of village sensitivity to poverty of this time.

Since writing the above Find My Past have published series HO 130 piece 2 Folio which is a calendar of prisoners at Winchester for trial at a Special Commission of Assize following the agricultural riots of 1831. The following are included in the list from Wateringbury:

Robert Foreman, farmer; John Sanders, farmer; William Kettle, Gent.; William Townsend, farmer.

Thomas Kettle, Gent. of Mereworth and Thomas Miller, farmer of Nettlestead are also listed.

The social status of those imprisoned (two described as Gent.) is surprising.

The following extract from the South Eastern Gazette - Tuesday 28 September 1830 gives some background flavour:

Town Malling Prosecuting Association.

Notice is hereby given,

THAT the next MEETING of the above ASSOCIATION, will be held at the GEORGE INN, WEST MALLING, on Monday 4th October next, at Three o’clock in the Afternoon, at which a full attendance of Members is earnestly requested, as it is proposed to take into consideration (amongst other matters of importance), the expediency of increasing the reward offered for the conviction of incendiaries and to adopt such precautionary measures as may be

deemed expedient.

All persons resident in the several parishes of Town Malling, East Malling, Offham, Ryasrh, Addington,Totterscliffe, Leybourne, Birling, Snodlond, Ditton, Barming, Wateringbury, Mereworth and Teston. are invited to become subscribers.

S. NORTON, Clerk and Treasurer,

Town Malling Sept.25 1830