Hyde Park from Domesday-book to Date

“On the next day, Lord Robert Grosvenor withdrew the objectionable Bill; but this did not satisfy the mob, who met again in Hyde Park on the following Sunday, 8th July, but, finding no excitement there, they went into Belgravia, and took to the pleasant pastime of window smashing, the houses which suffered most being those of the Earl of Sefton, Duke of Marlborough, Lady Somers, Count Kielmansegge, and the Archbishop of York. Lord Palmerston, who was then Prime Minister, and Lord Brougham, both had a narrow escape from stoning.”

This making Hyde Park a Cave of Adullam, was too great a novelty to be let rest; so we find, that it being war time, and provisions somewhat high, a meeting must needs be held to talk about the high price of food – and one took place on Sunday, 14th October, 1855. The Times of next day says: —

“For many days past large placards have been posted on the hoardings about London, deploring the present high price of bread, setting forth possible causes and certain remedies for the evil, and calling on the working men of the metropolis to meet in ‘Our Park’ on Sunday next (yesterday) for the purpose of giving expression to their feelings on the subject, and taking measures for bringing about a change in so sad a state of affairs. Accordingly, yesterday, about 2 o’clock, great numbers of persons were found wending their way towards the Park, where already had assembled many, not of the best orders of society, and of those itinerant gentry who ply their various callings on such occasions.

“Until 3 o’clock nothing of an unusual character occurred; but, shortly after the hour named, a movement towards the centre of the Park gave indication of something exciting, and a rush from all parts to the point of attraction brought together, of a sudden, a crowd that continually increased, until, at last, as many as 5000 persons must have assembled together, the majority of them being of respectable appearance. All the available men of the police force, and those who would have been, otherwise, off duty for the day, were disposed about the Park, in case their services should be required, but not the slightest interference in the subsequent proceedings took place.

“Presently, two immense rings were formed, and a man of serious aspect, with a profusion of hair about his face, made his way to one of the spaces thus made, and addressed the people. He said he was a hard-working man; that it was no vain desire for popularity that had induced him to leave his large family on the Sabbath for the purpose of meeting his fellows in Hyde Park; it was because he believed he had it in his power to help his fellow-countrymen to a right understanding of the purpose for which they had assembled together. After two of the most plenteous harvests that ever blessed the earth, bread was at famine prices. The war was set forth as the cause of this. There was plenty of corn in Turkey, which could be imported at 20s. a quarter, and yet Russian corn at 73s. a quarter was permitted to be brought over. The speaker, who was said to be an eloquent carpenter, had proceeded in this strain for upwards of an hour, when a counter-agitation seemed to be rising within twenty yards of the crowd which had gathered around him.

“A baker by trade was endeavouring to defend the corn-factors and landed proprietors, against whom his opponent had been inveighing; but the mob was in no humour to listen to the ‘other side,’ and a cry of ‘Out with him’ having been raised, the baker was pushed and dragged, and carried off in the direction of the Marble Arch. Two or three gentlemen interfered to defend the unfortunate man from the usage to which his boldness had subjected him; but he did not escape even then, and he would, undoubtedly, have received some rough treatment, had not a body of police appeared to the rescue. The inspector on duty at that spot evidently saw an admirable chance of giving a favourable turn to the events of the day. Eight officers, surrounding the baker, trotted off with him at a smart pace, followed by an immense number of persons, among whom were those who appeared to be most bent on mischief; they ran on, following the baker and his guard towards Apsley House and outside the Park. Returning to the carpenter, whose audience had been considerably thinned, he was found to be still holding forth; he continued to speak and to declaim against ‘the powers that be,’ until dusk, when he brought his harangue to a close.”

On the next Sunday, Oct. 21st, another meeting took place in the Park, upon the same subject, when the same speaker congratulated his audience on again exercising their now recognized privilege of meeting in “their own Park.” Of course he wandered from his subject, and became violently political. “He also propounded a plan of attaching the police to the cause of the working classes, by appealing to them, as men and brothers, through the intervention of tracts, adding that every citizen should be a soldier, and every man a voter. He was winding up in a magniloquent peroration, when a diversion in his immediate neighbourhood attracted the attention of the greater portion of his audience towards a new object. This was an unfortunate young man dressed in livery, apparently an officer’s servant, whom a great crowd was chasing, hooting, and pelting with turf. What umbrage he had given them – whether it was his connection with a wealthy or an aristocratic master, as indicated by his dress, or what else, it was difficult to ascertain. Some said he had been circulating a tract among the crowd which was obnoxious to them; others, that he was the servant of a nobleman equally obnoxious; but be that as it may, he was followed and pelted without mercy for a considerable distance. Being hotly pressed, he took refuge behind a tree, but this availed him little, and he started afresh, but only to be subjected to renewed ill-treatment. At last he took to his heels, contrived to elude or outstrip his tormentors, and to get beyond their reach.

“This incident over, the idler and more wanton part of the crowd amused themselves by throwing tufts of grass and other missiles at a number of police who had returned in front of the magazine guard-house, from protecting the unfortunate footman. This continued for some little time, and, at one time, looked threatening; but the policemen, who showed the greatest forbearance under the annoyance, contrived to separate, and the delinquents gradually became tired of the fun. Proceeding, after this, in the direction of the Marble Arch, to a spot where a crowd had collected, we found another orator holding forth in a style of rude eloquence, which, both in its matter and manner, was not without its attractions to many. He was relating the history of the appropriation of land in this country, and, at the point when we came within reach of his voice, he was telling how William the Conqueror parcelled out the English territory among his followers. Another philanthropist, with a brown-paper parcel under his arm, and somewhat advanced in life, was advocating, in another part of the Park, the system of Communism as a panacea for the high price of food and almost every other evil.”

Of the next meeting The Times of October 29, 1855, says, “Yesterday (Sunday) another unseemly assemblage of persons congregated in Hyde Park, partly under the auspices, and at the bidding of a small knot of individuals who, under the pretext of agitating for cheap bread, really seek to disseminate political doctrines, which the people of this country, including almost every class of them, have long since, and over and over again, refused to endorse, and who, for the last few weeks, have converted a place to which thousands of the inhabitants of this metropolis, of all ranks, were accustomed to resort for agreeable and healthy recreation, into the rendezvous of a mob. It is however, satisfactory to be able to add, on the assurance of those persons themselves, given yesterday, and in the course of the week, that this is to be the last of the gatherings, as far as they are concerned.” The mob wound up their day’s amusement by smashing windows at the West End, the value of the glass broken in Curzon Street alone being over £150.

Of course, the promise that the meeting of 28th October was to be the last was not kept, and another, and, if possible, more disgraceful riot took place on Sunday, November 4. Commenting upon it, The Times of next day observes: —

“Yesterday, from about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, till about nightfall, Hyde Park was the scene of one continual riot, of a disgraceful and intolerable description; and not the less so, perhaps, because it was not accompanied by any serious injury to property, nor any loss of life – results with which the mind is apt to connect great popular tumults – though in many instances it was attended with the commission of personal violence on a number of unoffending persons. It is a naked, incontrovertible fact, let it bear what interpretation it may, and with whomsoever the blame may rest, that a place set apart for the recreation of the people of all ranks and classes, without distinction, was, yesterday (a Sunday), almost wholly surrendered to a lawless, ruffianly mob, without anything like an organized attempt to suppress the tumult to which they gave themselves up, or to prevent the violence they were ever ready to inflict, although some creditable, but isolated, and not always successful efforts were certainly made by individual members of the police force, at the inevitable risk of great violence to themselves, to secure the most conspicuous of the ringleaders.

“And who were the persons, and what was their character, by whom this reckless and unprovoked attack was made to disturb the public peace? No section of the middle – still less of the upper class of inhabitants; none of the community of artisans; nobody having a just, or well-defined grievance to complain of – none even, perhaps, of the parties by whom these Sunday gatherings were originally convened; but a pack of contemptible boys and lads, including a large proportion of vagabonds and ruffians of all kinds and degrees, with which this metropolis abounds, some thousands strong in the aggregate, who had collected there for no other purpose than that of the most wanton mischief, and from no other but the most insensate motives.”

There was the same rioting next Sunday (11th November), only this time some arrests were made. One man got a month’s imprisonment for obstructing the police, another two months for assaulting two policemen, a boy had fourteen days for disorderly conduct, and a man was fined £3 1s. for distributing handbills.

Sunday, 18th November, was the last of these series of riots, and on this occasion there were plenty of police – some 700 or 800, and they seem to have been better handled than usual. “Towards 4 o’clock a rush was made in the direction of the bridge at the east end of the Serpentine, and the crowd followed in considerable numbers, as did also a portion of the police. Crossing the bridge at a run, the crowd – chiefly boys – made for the Albert Gate, for a purpose, probably, which had better be imagined than stated in terms; but there they were received by two mounted inspectors and a company of policemen on foot, who guarded the outlet, and effectually prevented their escaping into the adjacent streets. The youngsters, thus foiled, stood for some time in a body in front of the residence of the French ambassador, and eventually dispersed, some returning into the Park. This incident had the effect of thinning the crowd considerably in the middle of the enclosure, but night had set in before those who lingered there could be persuaded to depart. Captain Labalmondière kept moving his patrols through and through the crowd in every direction, without any very perceptible effect in lessening their number. At length the police completely tired them down, and the people slowly retreated into the streets, without, so far as we could ascertain, doing any damage.”

CHAPTER XVII

Sympathy with Italy, 1859 – Garibaldi riots, 1862 – Reform League Meeting, 23rd July, 1866 – Police proclamation against it – Attempt to hold it – Hyde Park railings destroyed.

There were no more meetings in the Park for a long time, but there was one on Sunday, 8th May, 1859, to propose an address to the Emperor Napoleon, sympathizing with the Emperor in the course he had taken with respect to the war in Italy.

This meeting passed off quietly, which was a great deal more than another did, which took place on Sunday, 28th September, 1862. This was, presumably, to express sympathy with General Garibaldi, and to protest against the French occupation of Rome. It was numerously attended, and especially by large numbers of Irish labourers, whose hatred of Garibaldi excited their fighting blood to such an extent that a serious riot ensued, which a violent downpour of rain helped to stop. Several arrests were made, and the prisoners duly fined.

But this was mild to what occurred the next Sunday, 5th October. The Irish had had time to brood over it, and although “The Working Men’s Garibaldian Fund” had not convened any meeting, it was generally understood that something would take place. By half-past four there must have been some 80 or 90,000 people present, and to hold them in order there were but about 400 police, who were ordered not to interrupt any speaker, nor, if possible to avoid it, to ascend the mound of earth, or rubbish, which had been chosen by the speakers as the platform from which to address the meeting. The following is The Times (Oct. 6) account of what occurred: —

“It appears that the possession of this mound of rubbish was the great object of contention between the rival supporters of Garibaldi and the Pope on Sunday week, and so it was yesterday. It appears to have been first occupied by a mixed body of people, but, owing to an aggressive movement of Irish labourers, it was soon held exclusively by the champions of the Papacy. The Garibaldians submitted reluctantly to this state of things for a short time, and, when two or three soldiers appeared, belonging to the Foot Guards, a cry was raised for ‘Garibaldi’, and some dozen or so men attempted to regain a footing upon the mound.

“This was the signal for a fearful conflict. It became apparent, in a moment, that almost every Irishman had a stick or bludgeon in his possession, and with these they struck about them right and left, crushing hats and breaking heads with relentless brutality. The Garibaldians struck back in return, some with sticks, and some without, and, for some ten minutes, the struggle was sufficiently fierce to awaken fears among the spectators that loss of life would ensue. One stalwart Irishman laid about him with a heavy-looking stick four feet long and two inches in diameter, and another with a roughly squared piece of wood, equally long and equally strong, and with sharp edges, until both were disarmed by the Garibaldians, without the intervention of the police.

“At the end of this struggle the Irish remained masters of the ‘Redan,’ as it was termed; but suddenly there came up about a dozen soldiers – Coldstreams and Grenadiers – who shouted for Garibaldi, and charged up the mound with desperate gallantry. Twice they charged in vain, but the third charge was successful. Up they went, amid loud cheers, and cries of ‘Go it, brave Guards,’ and followed by some 200 people. The front ranks of the Irish gave way; then there was another fierce struggle with sticks and fists on the summit of the mound, and then the Irish were kept off to a man, leaving the position in the hands of the Guards and the Garibaldians. Suddenly some sticks and stones were thrown at them from below, and the Guards plunged down to punish the aggressors. Away went the Irish, away went the Guards in pursuit, and, in a minute, a dense disorderly mass of 5000 or 6000 people was flying across the Park, spreading fear and confusion around them.

“Like a herd of infuriated oxen, they rushed onward, carrying all before them, till it seemed to occur to them that they were running for nothing, and then they returned to the mound. This occurred again and again, women being sometimes thrown down and trampled upon, and men compelled to turn and fly, till the wonder was that serious injuries were not inflicted upon many. Then, at short intervals, whenever the police fixed their eyes on some prominent aggressor, they made a plunge into the heaving mass, and resolutely brought out their man, generally, but not always, succeeded in conveying him away in safe custody. It is impossible to overrate the cool manner in which they set to work. Three or four officers would thrust themselves fearlessly into a mob of 200 or 300 infuriated men, collar one, cling to him, and hold him, despite the attempts made to favour his escape, never drawing a staff, nor striking a blow but holding their man by the bare assertion of the authority of the law, and this not for a brief period, but during the course of several hours.

“The Guards and the Garibaldians having firmly established their supremacy, quiet reigned, at one time for about a quarter of an hour; and, taking advantage of this interval of rest, a working man, came forward, who, in a brief speech, denounced the Emperor of the French as the would-be Dictator of Europe, and the enemy of Italy, the opponent of liberty everywhere, and, above all, the hater of liberty in England. In conclusion he called for three cheers for Garibaldi, which were lustily given, and, when he asked all those who sympathized with Garibaldi to hold up their hands, a forest of dirty hands were extended.

“Then another speaker followed, who, with great common sense, said, ‘Enough has been done. It had been made plain to the world that the feeling of the people of London was in favour of the great patriot, Garibaldi; and with that assurance, they might settle down without any more speeches.’ This speaker had hardly concluded when the tumult was renewed, the mound being lost and won several times, and the rushes through the Park followed close upon each other; while conflicts with sticks and stones were both frequent and severe. Knives were drawn several times, and one formidable weapon, apparently a shoemaker’s knife, with a wooden handle, and a blade nine inches long, was taken from a man, who said he found it lying on the grass after one of the tumultuous rushes. This was delivered up to Sergeant Savage, who forthwith shivered the blade to fragments.

“During one of the assaults upon the mound, a corporal in the Coldstreams had his bayonet snatched from its sheath, and later in the afternoon when it was recovered, the Irishman who had taken it was soundly thrashed, and threatened with a ducking in the Serpentine, towards which he was carried by several soldiers, who, however, yielded to the persuasion of others, and permitted him to go at large.

“At half-past five, two strong pickets, one of Grenadiers, and one of the Fusileers, marched into the Park, for the purpose of carrying off the men belonging to their respective battalions. They marched straight to the mound, and, just as they ascended it, a soldier received a terrific blow on the head from a thick club, wielded by an Irishman. The blood ran down the face of the soldier, who was led away in a fainting condition, his dastardly assailant escaping by plunging into a mass of his sympathizing countrymen. After this, the pickets cleared the mound, of which they held possession till a body of police approached, half an hour later, when the military power yielded to the civil. From that time the police held the mound, and, although there was a great deal of disorderly and tumultuous rushing to and fro, with an occasional scuffle, and wholesale destruction of hats, the fear of any very serious outbreak was passed. The people had begun to disperse at five o’clock, when a few drops of rain fell, and gradually thinned afterwards. But a fine moonlight night was the means of prolonging the demonstration; at seven o’clock, there were still some thousands of people remaining on the ground, and it was late before the Park was restored to its usual peaceful aspect.”

During the next week a strong body of men were engaged in levelling the objectionable mounds, the Guards were forbidden to enter the Park on the following Sunday, and a notice was issued by the Commissioner of Police: —

“Whereas numbers of persons have been in the habit of assembling and holding meetings on Sundays in Hyde Park, and the other parks in the metropolis, for the purpose of delivering and hearing speeches, and for the public discussion of popular and exciting topics; and, whereas such meetings are inconsistent with the purposes for which the parks are thrown open to, and used by the public; and the excitement occasioned by such discussions at such meetings has frequently led to tumults and disorder, so as to endanger the public peace; and on last Sunday and the Sunday before, large numbers assembled in Hyde Park, for the purposes aforesaid, and, when so assembled, conducted themselves in a disorderly and riotous manner, so as to endanger the public peace; and, by the use of sticks, and throwing stones and other missiles, committed many violent assaults upon persons quietly passing along the Park, and interrupted the thoroughfares; and, whereas it is necessary to prevent such illegal proceedings in future:

“Notice is hereby given, that no such meeting, or assemblage of persons, for any of the purposes aforesaid, will be allowed, hereafter, to take place in any of the parks in the metropolis; and all well-disposed persons are hereby cautioned and requested to abstain from joining, or attending any such meeting or assemblage.

“And notice is further given, that all necessary measures will be adopted to prevent any such meeting, or assemblage, and effectually to preserve the public peace, and to suppress any attempt at the disturbance thereof.

“Richard Mayne,“The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.“October 9.”

The appearance of about 800 policemen in the Park, and a pitiless rain in the afternoon of the 12th October, probably prevented a repetition of the scene of the 5th, as a sufficient number of suspicious characters were there, but did not stop long. There was an attempt, in Ireland, to get up a subscription for the injured Irish, but I cannot find that it met with any success.

For three or four years the Park was not troubled with noisy demagogues, until there arose an association called “The Reform League,” of whom a Mr. Edmond Beales, a barrister, was a prime mover. This association gave out publicly that they would hold a meeting in Hyde Park on Monday, July 23rd, 1866, and Sir Richard Mayne, in consequence, issued the following notice on July 17th: —

“Whereas information has been received, and it has been publicly announced in various printed notices, that it is the intention of certain persons to assemble in the open air at several places in various parts of the metropolis on the evening of Monday, July 23rd, and to walk from thence through the streets in procession, with banners, and preceded by bands of music, to Hyde Park, to hold a meeting there for the purposes of political demonstration and discussion:

“And, whereas such a meeting, being inconsistent with the purposes for which the Park is thrown open to, and used by the public, is illegal, and cannot be permitted, and such an assemblage there of large numbers of persons is calculated to lead to riotous and disorderly conduct, and to endanger the public peace:

“And, whereas it is necessary to prevent such proceedings, and to preserve the public peace: notice is hereby given that NO such Meeting, or Assemblage of persons in large numbers will be allowed to TAKE PLACE in Hyde Park, and all well-disposed persons are hereby cautioned and requested to abstain from joining, or attending any such meeting, or assemblage; and notice is further given, that all necessary measures will be adopted to prevent any such meeting, or assemblage, and effectually to preserve the public peace, and to suppress any attempt at the disturbance thereof.”

A copy of this notice was sent by the Commissioner to Mr. Beales, with a request that he would exert his influence to prevent any attempt to hold the meeting. This, in his reply to Sir Richard Mayne, Mr. Beales declined to do, unless he could be shown by what statute, or law, or principle of law, the Commissioner was acting in declaring the meeting illegal: and he went on to say, “The Park is either the property of the nation, as there are strong reasons for contending it is, under the transactions which have taken place between the Crown and the people, through Parliament, respecting it; or it is still Crown property, though kept up and maintained out of the public purse. If the former be the fact, where is your authority for excluding the public from their own property? If the latter be the case, then show me that you are acting under the express authority of the Crown, as claiming to be the exclusive owner of the Park.”