William Haney, a miner from Netherton in Dudley, married a distant cousin of mine. Discovering he was charged and imprisoned for one month for ‘riot and tumult’ and then digging deeper, I found out that he was just one relatively minor player in a huge undocumented event – the 1874 election riots in Dudley.
The General Election in 1874
In a surprise move the Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone, approached Queen Victoria to dissolve parliament on 26 January 1874, forcing a General Election for a newly elected parliament.
The Main Players in Dudley
The First Earl of Dudley
William Ward
The Earl of Dudley earned a fortune from the iron and coal industries in the Black Country becoming one of the wealthiest men in Britain. He employed thousands in the Dudley area, owning extensive mineral rights, coal mines, limestone workings and ironworks. Many rented land or property from him.
Frederick Smith-Shenstone
Liberal Conservative Candidate
Frederick Smith was born in the Black Country, in Tipton, in 1824. Educated at Oxford, he acted as an agent for the Earl of Dudley, managing the Earl’s mineral rights. On the death of his father in 1868, Frederick Smith changed his name to Frederick Smith-Shenstone when he inherited Shenstone Hall. After retiring to Sutton Hall in Sussex in 1871, he married Augusta Knapp in 1873. In 1874, he came out of retirement to stand as the Liberal Conservative candidate to represent Dudley in parliament.
At a Conservative meeting at the Dudley Arms Hotel in the town’s Market Place on Tuesday 27 January 1874, Shenstone emphasised his connections to Dudley stating that he was proud to see so many of his fellow townsmen in the town he had known in his childhood and that Dudley should be represented by ‘one of yourselves’. Two days later he addressed a Conservative meeting in Netherton, declaring that he had been invited by friends and neighbours in Dudley where he had been born, brought up and worked hard.
The Dudley Guardian was particularly biased in its reporting towards Frederick Smith-Shenstone and his supporters:
Liberal Candidate
Henry Brinsley Sheridan
By 1874, Henry Brinsley Sheridan had been the Member of Parliament for Dudley for 17 years, firstly standing as an independent candidate in 1857.
In 1857, the then sitting MP fell out politically with the Earl of Dudley and did not contest the general election. So, Sheridan was elected unopposed as different factions combined to support him to weaken the local political influence of the Earl of Dudley. In March 1857, various newspapers reported his visit to Dudley where he was met by an ‘immense multitude’.
He subsequently won contested elections as a Liberal candidate in 1859 and 1865. In 1868, he was elected unopposed.
He lived in London, his place of birth, and was not a local man. His criticisms of Shenstone’s candidature revolved around his connection with the Earl of Dudley and the Earl’s influence on Dudley.
Sheridan addressed a ‘large attendance of working men’ at the Public Hall in Dudley (presumably the former Dudley Public Hall and Mechanics’ Institute on Wolverhampton Street) on Friday 30 January 1874. A number of scuffles and fights broke out during this meeting. Sheridan attacked Shenstone’s politics, declaring that they once more had to fight a battle against the Earl of Dudley, the great influence behind Shenstone and that
if that influence should succeed, he should leave them just where he found them seventeen years ago with the Castle around their necks.
The Riots
14,000 people were entitled to vote in Dudley, an enormous increase on the previous election when about 1,100 could vote. This was due to the Representation of the People Act which had come into force in January 1869 enfranchising many working men for the first time.
There had been signs that there would be disturbances in Dudley on polling day and the Mayor, William Wilkinson, organised a troop of cavalry from Birmingham to be in readiness.
40 polling stations opened at eight o’clock in the morning and closed at four o’clock in the afternoon on 4 February 1874. The Chief Superintendent of Police in Dudley, Henry Burton, had 80 men at his disposal. He sent three men to each polling booth, leaving 14 men in the town centre. These numbers proved to be insufficient during the course of the day.
Extensive riots and disturbances occurred across the borough with much intimidation of voters on both sides and substantial damage to property. Some voters had to ‘risk their lives’ in order to vote.
Shenstone’s supporters identified themselves by using the colour red –
the reds or Shenstoneites.
Sheridan’s supporters –
the blues or Sheridanites –
could be identified by their use of the colour blue, wearing blue neckties or placing blue bills in their windows.
There were some suggestions in later testimonies that some rioters may have been paid.
Rioters armed themselves with bludgeons – ‘four foot long and as thick as a man’s arm’, mallets, pike-helves, stakes taken from hedges, staves, hammers, shovels, spike heads, rails, stones, paving stones, vegetables and rotting fruit. Stout sticks bound with iron or sometimes lead at the ends typically used in nail making were also used.
Rioting and intimidation of voters were reported across Dudley town centre at Market Place, Wolverhampton Street, Snow Hill, Eve Hill, Salop Street, Stafford Street, Wellington Road, The Dock, Queen’s Cross, Springs Mire and Paradise:
Riots and other disturbances also occurred at at Woodside, Holly Hall, Low Town, Bumble Hole, Brierley Hill, Brockmoor, Cradley Heath, Quarry Bank, Pensnett, Shaver’s End, Netherton and Old Hill:
The Dudley Guardian later reported that Dudley had not witnessed such disturbances for more than 40 years.
The disturbances were so widespread involving many people representing different factions and interests that secondary events such as fighting and damaging property in back streets and outlying areas may not have been fully reported. The rioting appears to have been uncoordinated and disconnected with a confusion of different events happening at the same times across the constituency. Later reports were sometimes contradictory in some details such as the exact timing of events.
The following timeline of events has been put together using a number of contemporary accounts.
The Timeline
3 February
DUDLEY
In the evening, a mob of around 200 attacked the Grand Turk public house at Queens Cross, breaking the windows and glasses. The landlord, William May, was punched and knocked on the head.
Edwin Wright, an anvil manufacturer, was passing Queens Cross and was attacked by Shenstone supporters.
4 February – Polling Day
The polls opened.
WOODSIDE
The first disturbances commenced at Woodside, a party of ‘roughs’ intimidating anyone not wearing blue for Sheridan. Stones were thrown at passing cabs and there were a number of injuries. A request was made between 9.00 and 10.00 a.m. for additional police as Shenstone’s voters could not get to the polls.
DUDLEY
A different party of armed ‘roughs’ left the Dock in Dudley town centre for Woodside. Returning, they attacked Smith-Shenstone’s committee rooms on Wellington Road.
NETHERTON
Trouble started as soon as the polls opened. An armed mob gathered at the polling stations – the two polling stations were at Netherton and Darby End – and voters were obstructed. It was reported that the miners in Netherton were enthusiastic in their support of Mr Sheridan ‘to a man’.
HOLLY HALL
A mob of around 200 gathered at the polling booth at Holly Hall School. A mob of Shenstone supporters left Dudley for Holly Hall and a large body of police were sent.
BRIERLEY HILL
The polling booths were located at the National School and the Public Hall. A large mob had started to assemble and stone throwing commenced. Half the mob made their headquarters on the High Street near Lock’s Lane and the other half on the side of the Public Hall. A large crowd also gathered at the corner of Mill Street and Moor Street. As the morning progressed, many windows were broken and the shops were closed.
DUDLEY
Cabs were overturned and voters were stoned at Eve Hill (Eve Hill was reported as being the Roman Catholic part of Dudley with a mob designated as ‘Irish’). Sarah Ann Sheldon’s window was broken by Shenstoneites and bills for Sheridan were removed.
OLD HILL
A mob collected.
NETHERTON
Many voters were prevented from getting to the polls and a number of individuals were kicked, beaten and/or pelted with missiles. There were numerous reports of intimidation. Police Constable, Peter Clark, on duty at the polling station, later testified that the police had attempted to assist voters and were beaten back. John Dunn, a coalmaster and a canvasser for Shenstone, was pelted with turf and stones when he arrived in his gig and his horse turned back. By this time a crowd of around 200-300 people had gathered.
NETHERTON
Inspector Mapp sent a telegraph requesting more police from Dudley and 25 men were sent. The Superintendent of Police in Dudley was left with only a clerk in charge and sent a telegram to Birmingham asking for more men.
QUARRY BANK
William Sykes was assaulted by a mob close to Shenstone’s committee room. He had a tooth knocked out, another broken and others loosened.
HOLLY HALL
Frederick Shenstone Smith, his wife and an accompanying party left the Dudley Arms Hotel in the Market Place in Dudley and set off for Brierley Hill. As they approached Holly Hall, Shenstone’s cab was preceded by about one hundred of his supporters. A mob attacked his carriage and a fight broke out. Shenstone continued towards Brierley Hill but the fight carried on at Holly Hall.
The Dudley Guardian stressed that a true pitched battle took place, ‘not a mere scrimmage’, involving both sets of supporters and the police. Blood was shed and several people were badly injured. Shenstone’s supporters lost the battle and were driven off by about 1pm. Voters for Shenstone continued to be stopped at Holly Hall by the mob who, according to the Dudley Guardian, resumed their ‘reign of terror’.
BRIERLEY HILL
When Shenstone arrived in Brierley Hill at about eleven o’clock, a crowd near the Earl of Dudley’s Round Oak Ironworks pelted his cab with cabbage stalks, potatoes, rotten apples and stones. His wife had to be put in the bottom of the carriage and covered with rugs, coats and cushions for her protection. Fearing injury or worse, the carriage drove as fast as possible through Brierley Hill to Brettell Lane, outpacing the mob as it reached Church Street.
Shenstone’s agent left Brierley Hill for Dudley, passing through Holly Hall where people were arming themselves with rails and stones and cinders were thrown at him. The agent reported the events in Brierley Hill and then returned using a back way in order to avoid Holly Hall. Shenstone voters were prevented from voting for the remainder of the day.
OLD HILL
Several fights broke out between the police and rioters which increased in intensity as the day wore on. A number of windows were smashed and there was serious damage to property.
WOODSIDE TO DUDLEY
The size of the mob had increased and fighting had been going on for some time at Woodside. Eventually, Shenstone’s supporters were beaten back towards Dudley. Sheridanites then began damaging property, particularly hurling missiles at windows of anyone not displaying a blue bill. There was damage to a public house whose licensee was Mr Pope; the Coach and Horses overlooking Bug’s Gutter at Low Town (licensee David Smith); and John Grice’s house. ‘Not a pane of glass remained whole’.
The mob marched towards Queen’s Cross and broke the windows at the Waggon and Horses public house (landlord William Brown) on the turnpike to Dudley. People in traps were stoned and their horses were injured. The rioters continued to Wellington Road and smashed the windows of the Golden Cross public house at Queen’s Cross.
NETHERTON
10 police officers arrived from Dudley and were attacked with stones and cinders.
At 11.10, John Dunn sent a telegram:
The mob at Netherton will not allow voters to poll; send police or soldiers immediately.
DUDLEY
The Mayor telegraphed for the military.
50 Royal Horse Artillery Battery B were dispatched from Birmingham.
BROCKMOOR
Voters were intimidated on their way to the polls and stone throwing started at midday. Windows in several public houses were smashed.
DUDLEY
Sergeant George Davies, a policeman on duty at the top of Wellington Road, was attacked and surrounded by a mob on Stafford Street and had to take refuge in Joseph Short’s shop at the top of Wellington Road. The mob demanded that George Davies be given up to them. When Joseph Short did not do this, the mob set upon his house, breaking windows and shutters and throwing greengrocery, eggs, sweets, potatoes and red herrings into the street. The mob then hurled stones and sticks at the windows at Thomas Marsh’s house and the Shakespeare Inn opposite Mr Short’s shop.
QUARRY BANK
Carriages conveying voters were pelted with potatoes, stones and wetted turf for about three and and half hours to about 3.30pm.
DUDLEY
Around 60 rioters in favour of Shenstone met in the yard of the White Swan public house on Holland Road (licensee Amos Dagger) and armed themselves. This group proceeded down into Waterloo Street and onto Wellington Road doing damage. The houses of John Jones, Richard Timmins, John Bennett and Mr Addelton were attacked. The rioters adjourned to the Swan Inn and ‘had as much beer as they liked’. They then damaged windows in Angel Street and went on to Vauxhall Street damaging the Grand Turk public house and the Golden Cross Inn public house, although the windows had already been smashed in at the latter. The rioters finally headed for the Market Place.
At Springs Mire, around 200 people, armed with stakes from hedges, gathered. They broke the windows at the Coach and Horses public house (licensee Sarah Wright) and threw stones at the police when they arrived. The mob ran away to the Bull Ring (no longer exists, the Bull Ring lay on the road towards Holly Hall between Springs Mire and Scotts Green). A crowd reassembled but were again later dispersed by the military. There was damage to houses of Mr Meese and the Rose and Crown public house (licensee Joseph Tennant). The Waggon and Horses public house at Queens Cross (licensee William Brown) was also attacked at around 2.30pm.
The Mayor was receiving pleas for help ‘every minute’ from the outlying districts. Police were sent from Birmingham and Wolverhampton and large forces of men were sent from Stafford and Worcester.
BRIERLEY HILL
William Mills, Superintendent of Police at Brierley Hill, wrote to the Mayor stating that the police were unequal to the emergency.
DUDLEY
Several hundred people had gathered in Dudley Market Place. The Dudley Arms Hotel, the location of Shenstone’s committee rooms, was attacked and nearly all its windows were broken. The crowd was about to attack the fountain – a gift to the town from the Earl of Dudley in 1867 – when the Royal Horse Artillery arrived.
Half the military were sent to Brierley Hill and to tour Woodside, Netherton, Brockmoor and Pensnett and half were sent to Kate’s Hill and Shaver’s End.
The military began to sweep the area clean starting at Castle Street and moving through the Market Place and up the High Street to St Thomas’ church.
The rioters retreated to Wolverhampton Street where they met with Shenstone’s carriage near the Mechanics’ Institute, returning from Brierley Hill by taking the route up from Himley Road. The crowd attacked and the Shenstone party had to find refuge in John Bateman’s house. The windows were smashed in and the mob then continued towards Shaver’s End smashing windows of any Shenstone supporter. Another set of rioters in support of Shenstone then followed the same route, smashing the windows of any property displaying a blue bill. The Shenstones remained at John Bateman’s house until returning to the Dudley Arms Hotel.
DUDLEY
Frederick Shenstone-Smith returned to the Dudley Arms Hotel, looking ‘very pale and tired’.
Samuel Perks, a greengrocer, put up the shutters at his shop on Snow Hill in the morning. A Sheridenite mob of 200-300 armed with sticks, staves and bars of iron came from Stafford Street to Snow Hill. The mob stopped at Samuel Perks’ shop but no damage was done as there was a cry that “he is a blue, he is for us”.
The rioters attacked the Duke of York public house at 128 Snow Hill (licensee Zachariah Bull), breaking the windows, window sashes and shutters.
Then, the crowd set off in the direction of Salop Street towards Shaver’s End. Mr Isaiah Rodway’s house (‘the only supporter of Sheridan in that neighbourhood’) was destroyed at St James Terrace at around 14.30. Damage was reported to the Sir Robert Peel Inn at 35 Salop Street, Mr Benjamin Pickerell’s house at 38 Salop Street, the Miners Arms public house at 98 Salop Street (committee room for Sheridan) and the Welch Go By public house at 24 Salop Street.
Samuel Perks left for a property he owned on Salop Street, was attacked and returned to Snow Hill.
NETHERTON
Another telegram was sent to Dudley.
BRIERLEY HILL
The military passed through Brierley Hill and then left for Pensnett and Brockmoor.
An application to close the polls was made by Shenstone’s agent and the polls were closed in Brierley Hill, Woodside, Netherton and Old Hill.
DUDLEY
Another mob of around 400 to 500 people supporting Smith-Shenstone attacked Samuel Perks’ shop. The first shot was a large piece of Rowley Rag, a locally quarried stone, that weighed about 5-6lbs and was thrown at the 14 foot shop sign over the shop window. This was followed by a barrage of stones and bricks accompanied by shouts of ‘fetch the roof off’ and ‘cut his head off’. The windows and shutters were smashed, goods were demolished and the shop’s plate glass window was broken in. The rioters threatened to bring the house down. After about twenty minutes, there was a shout that the military were coming and the crowd dispersed. The Perks family used old doors in the afternoon in an attempt to secure the shop.
DUDLEY
The Mayor read the Riot Act from the steps of the Dudley Arms Hotel and the notices were distributed to the police. The Riot Act 1714 was an Act of Parliament which authorised local authorities to declare any group of 12 or more people to be unlawfully assembled and to disperse or face punitive action.
The military, with drawn swords, cleared the Market Place, High Street and Wolverhampton Street. The mob retreated to the outskirts of the town, Although the main streets were cleared and the atmosphere became quieter, rioters continued to do considerable damage in the back streets and some fighting continued in public houses.
NETHERTON
A mob of 300 to 400 attacked the Castle Inn run by Joseph Hotchkiss on the corner of the High Street and St Johns Street and smashed the windows. The Castle Inn was the headquarters of Shenstone’s conservative committee and was in a state of siege for several hours.
Henry Burton, the Chief Superintendent of Police in Dudley, accompanied the military to Netherton. On the way, he was pelted with stones on Farthing’s Lane.
James Flavell, who was putting up shutters at a shop, told people not to throw stones as they would kill someone and he was attacked by being hit on the head with a hedge stake and knocked unconscious.
The military arrived in Netherton and stones were thrown at them. When one soldier had the back of his head cut open and was severely injured, the military charged and dispersed the mob (some witnesses later denied this military charge). The military then departed to deal with rioting at Cradley Heath and a mob got on the pit banks to throw stones at the horses as they were leaving.
The Swan Hotel on Cradley Road (licensee Samuel Higgins) was attacked and the mob damaged windows, wallpaper, plaster, jugs and glasses. Samuel Higgins had a paper for Shenstone in his window.
The rioters set off in the direction of Primrose Hill, returned about twenty minutes later and were joined by another mob from Northfield Road.
WOODSIDE – LOW TOWN
A mob of around 40-50 threw stones and broke windows at The Jolly Collier public house (licensee James Law). The Old Bush Inn occupied by John Hadley was attacked as were the houses of Joseph Baker, Joseph Pitt, Joseph Share and *Samuel Share.
HOLLY HALL
Isaac Law’s shop was attacked.
The polls closed.
NETHERTON
The rioters headed for William Jordan’s grocer’s shop on Netherton Hill and attacked it, breaking the shop frames, damaging furniture and throwing sweets, mustard and so on over the road. William Jordan was hit on the head with a pike-helve.
The mob also made an attack on the manager and a clerk at Hingley’s works.
DUDLEY
The military only allowed residents to pass lines at Market Place up to 8.00pm. A bugle then sounded and the soldiers left their post and assembled in front of the Dudley Arms Hotel, where their billets were distributed to them. A large crowd formed but there was no further disturbance apart from some ‘cheering and groaning’.
There was much delay in collecting ballot boxes as cab men were reluctant to drive into areas where there had been rioting.
DUDLEY
The Birmingham detachment of 30 policemen returned home by train.
Dudley
Around 40 people returned to Samuel Perks’ shop and started hammering at the barricaded windows. Samuel’s son, John Perks, resorted to climbing up a ladder through a skylight onto the roof and firing a gun. He shouted for help and the police came. Samuel made the skylight safe but rioters returned, making more threats and hammering at the windows and doors. Samuel Perks was hit with a brick and then went to the roof himself to once again fire the gun.
5 February
The military remained in Dudley and returned to their barracks in Birmingham the next day.
The Petition
Frederick Smith-Shenstone protested but the count for the election went ahead. Henry Brinsley Sheridan was elected with a majority of 5,149 votes. Shenstone received 4,181 votes and entered a legal protest against the proceedings.
A petition to declare the election void was filed in London by Benjamin Hingley an ironmaster of Primrose Hill, Edward Bowen a fire brick manufacturer of Brettell Lane (Chairman of Shenstone’s committee at Brierley Hill), Josiah Robinson of Cole Street, Darby End in Netherton and Thomas Foxall, a maltsman, of Halesowen Road in Netherton on 25 February:
The petitioners allege that before and during the hours of polling on the 4th of February, large crowds,mobs and organised bands of disorderly rioters, violent and dangerous persons in the interest and favour of Henry Brinsley Sheridan, assembled and congregated near and around divers, of the booths and polling stations, and assaulted, beat, and insulted, and seriously intimidated and physically obstructed, and necessarily alarmed and put in fear large numbers voters entitled to vote who might and would have voted for Mr F Smilh-Shenstone, and prevented large numbers of voters from approaching the polling booths and voting … While on the other hand, large numbers of voters who wore the colours of Mr Sheridan, and who were known to be supporters of Mr Sheridan, were cheered, and permitted, and encouraged by the said crowds, mobs, and disorderly bands, to approach, and did approach. the polling booths, and voted therein; on the other hand, large numbers of voters who did not wear the colours of Mr Sheridan, and who were known be supporters of Mr Smilh-Shenstone were hooted. ill-treated, hindered, abused, and threatened by the disorderly bands, and were by them prevented from approaching the polling-booths,. About midday and subsequently on the 4th of February, a riot took place in the borough, and a mob of persons in favour of Mr Sheridan entered Dudley Street, Brierley Hill, and smashed the windows of many houses, and did very great damage. The riots were only checked by the arrival of a troop of mounted artillery who had been telegraphed for. The inhabitants were greatly alarmed and life and property were considered unsafe. A larger number of voters were necessarily deterred from voting, insomuch that out of a constituency of 14,000 voters in the borough, nearly 5000 did not vote. About three o’clock in the afternoon, the Mayor of Dudley, Alderman Wilkinson (returning officer), having before him police reports of the extreme intimidation and obstruction used by the crowds and disorderly bands and of the unsafe and disorderly state of the borough and deeming life and property to be unsafe, adjourned the poll in certain districts, and himself read the Riot Act. The adjournment was publicly announced and immediately afterwards the Mayor’s decision was despatched in writing to the presiding officers, but, in consequence of the prevailing blockade and confusion, none of the orders reached the polling booths until after four o’clock. In consequence of the public announcement of the adjournment, divers voters entitled to vote abstained from voting. On the 5th day of February, the day after the polling day, the Returning Officer, disregarding his proclamation of adjournment, served the agent of Mr Shenstene with written notice that he should proceed with the counting of the vote, and should declare the poll on that day. After the votes had been counted and completed, a written notice was handed in by Mr Shenstone’s agent but the returning officer returned Mr Sheridan as duly elected. In conclusion the petitioners say “As still is evident that the aforesaid riots and intimidation were so general as to influence the votes of the body of the voters, and that freedom of election was violated, and that the numbers actually polled thereat did not, could not, and do not represent the real opinion of the political feeling of the majority of the constituency, and that without an adjournment or a fresh election such real opinion and political feeling could not and cannot be ascertained”. Your petitioners pray that it may be-determined that the said Henry Brinsley Sheridan, Esq., was not duly elected or returned, and that the election was void.
The New Election
Proceedings for the petition took place and the election that took place on 4 February was declared void on 4 May.
Nominations for new candidates to represent Dudley were made on Thursday 14 May.
Henry Brinsley Sheridan once again stood as a candidate but his opponent, Frederick Smith-Shenstone, did not.
Noah Hingley, an ironmaster, founder of N. Hingley and Sons in Netherton and the former Mayor of Dudley from 1869 to 1870, stood as the Conservative candidate.
This time the town was much better prepared for any potential conflict. 600 additional police were brought in and a military force was stationed at Dudley Port. 50 policemen were on duty at Netherton and Woodside, 10 at Mr Hingley’s and Mr Sheridan’s committee rooms, 100 at Brierley Hill, Old Hill and Cradley Heath and a ‘strong force’ at Quarry Bank and Brockmoor. The Dudley Guardian reported that “contrary to all expectations the day passed off quietly”.
Henry Brinsley Sheridan again won the election receiving 5,607 votes or 53.4% of the votes. Noah Hingley received 4,880 votes.
Although the Liberals won in Dudley, the general election was a national disaster for the Liberal party as a whole as they lost decisively, losing 145 of their 387 seats in parliament. The Conservatives won their first general election in 33 years.
The Sentencing
Dudley
wilfully and maliciously damaging Samuel Perks’ shop at 105 Snow Hill (‘a rough looking lot’ – Dudley Guardian):
Alfred Belson, 26, painter of Eve Hill, 12 months
Edward Day, 32, painter of Eve Hill, 12 months
William Penney, 17, collier of Windmill End, 3 weeks, also attack on Isaiah Rodway house – 21 days with hard labour
Francis Pritchard, 40, blacksmith of Badger’s Square – 18 months
John Robinson,14, miner/labourer of St James’ Terrace, also attack on Isaiah Rodway house – 21 days with hard labour
William Thomas Whittle, 30, rivet maker of Badger’s Square – 3 months
as well as:
Thomas Foxall, attack on the house of Isaiah Rodway at St James’s Terrace – one month with hard labour
Ann Holyhead, throwing stones at the house of Thomas Marsh on Stafford Street – 2 months with hard labour
Joseph Horton, attack on the house of Isaiah Rodway at St James’s Terrace – one month with hard labour
Joseph Morris, 17, puddler, 21 days, damage to Mr Caswell’s windows and shutters at the Sir Robert Peel public house on Salop Street, attack on Joseph Short’s shop and Mr Turner, fruiterer of Salop Street – 21 days
David Pritchard – 3 months
John Robertson, attack on the house of Isaiah Rodway at St James’s Terrace- adjourned
Enoch Rollason, striker, attack on the Sir Robert Peel public house on Salop Street – discharged
John Rollason, attack on the house of Isaiah Rodway at St James’s Terrace – one month with hard labour
Thomas Rollason, striker, attack on the Sir Robert Peel public house on Salop Street – 2 months
Charles Swift, damage to the Dudley Arms Hotel – 4 months
William Timmins, attack on the house of Isaiah Rodway at St James’s Terrace – 2 months
Ezekial Tromans, 17, puddler of Stafford Street, attack on the Sir Robert Peel public house on Salop Street – discharged with a caution
Wellington Road & Springs Mire
Unlawfully and riotously together with divers other person to the number of fifty and more, assembling, on the 4th of February 1874 at the borough of Dudley to disturb the peace; of then and there making a great riot and disturbance, to the terror and alarm of her Majesty’s subjects, then and there being + damaging certain houses:
William Benbow, miner of New Dock – 6 months with hard labour
Sarah Ann Bytheway, attack on house of Mr Meese, assault on the Coach and Horses and Waggon and Horses public houses – 3 months with hard labour
William Davies, assault on the Coach and Horses and Waggon and Horses public houses, house of Mr Meese – 3 months with hard labour
Charles Heeley, a lodging house keeper, assault on James Flavell, carter of Woodside, in Farthings Lane (running between Queens Cross and Blowers Green Road), threatening Sarah Wright of the Coach and Horses, initiating the attack on the Rose and Crown and threatening Joseph Tennant, leading a mob throughout the day – 18 months with hard labour -Charles Heeley reportedly sobbed in Court on being handed this sentence
James Madeley, 18, miner, throwing a stone at the window of Charles Bowey at Queens Cross – two months with hard labour
Henry Maitland, glass cutter, leading and inciting the mob – 9 months
Thomas Maitland, glass gilder, leading and inciting the mob – 9 months
James Morman, gave evidence for the Crown, testified he had been paid by Thomas and Henry Maitland to join the riot – discharged
Elizabeth Reeves, assault on the Coach and Horses public house, attack on house of Mr Meese, Waggon and Horses public house – 3 months with hard labour
*William Round, painter of Queens Cross, throwing stones and damaging a window belonging to Henry Maitland – discharged
James Skidmore, attack on house of Mr Meese, Waggon and Horses public house – 9 months
Holly Hall & Woodside
Charged with riot, riotously assembling together, damaging property:
Thomas Bates, labourer, 38 – discharged no witnesses
Benjamin Hampton, labourer, 37, attack on Isaac Law’s shop; house of Mr Dainty – one month with hard labour
John Jukes, 21, miner, attack on the house of Samuel Share – discharged
Edward Onions – 21 days with hard labour
Eliza Onions,19, nailer, attack on the house of Joseph Baker, Woodside; house of Joseph Pitt; house of Mr Dainty; house of Samuel Share – one month with hard labour
Mary Onions, 21, of High Street Woodside wife of Thomas Onions, attack on the houses of John Grice, Joseph Baker, Joseph Pitt, Isaac Law
Thomas Onions , miner, 25, attack on the house of Joseph Baker, Woodside; house of Joseph Pitt; house of Joseph Share; Isaac Law’s shop; house of Mr Dainty; assault on unknown person outside the Dudley Arms Hotel; attacking and damaging a carriage – one month with hard labour
Samuel Rollason,15, miner – fined £1 with costs or one month with hard labour
Joseph Shakespeare 37, labourer, attack on the Jolly Collier; house of Joseph Share; Isaac Law’s shop – one month with hard labour
Noah Young, moulder, 25, attack on the Jolly Collier; the Old Bush Inn – house of John Hadley, licensed victualler; house of Joseph Share; Isaac Law’s shop; house of Mr Dainty – one month with hard labour
William Young moulder, 30, attack on the Jolly Collier; the Old Bush Inn – house of John Hadley, licensed victualler; Isaac Law’s shop; house of Mr Dainty – one month with hard labour
James Bailey, 19. miner, stone throwing and injuring the hand of a man
Joseph Stanton, 24, miner, throwing stones
Brierley Hill
Joseph Angell, rioting, assaulting Benjamin Blewitt, butcher – bound over to keep the peace
Richard Cartwright, stone throwing at David Plant, a chartermaster – £2 + costs or 6 weeks
William Holloway, 15, throwing stones at Shenstone’s carriage – £1 + costs or 14 days
Luke Horton, rioting, assaulting and threatening Benjamin Blewitt – bound over to keep the peace
Mary Ann Southall, throwing potatoes at a clerk – acquitted
Job Underhill, stone throwing – £2 + costs or 1 month
Edward Wheeler, baker, assault on Mr C Bayley, a commercial traveller, and Thomas Lloyd a chartermaster – 4 months with hard labour
Netherton
Samuel Bill, 20, collier, riotously assembling and doing wilful damage to the house of Mr Higgins, Swan Inn, Cradley Road – 2 months with hard labour
Daniel Dainty, 17, miner, riotously assembling and doing damage to house of Mr Hotchkiss, Castle Inn – one month with hard labour
Thomas Fletcher, 16, miner, riotously assembling and doing damage to house of Mr Hotchkiss, Castle Inn – one month with hard labour
Thomas Griffiths, 21, blacksmith – colliery smith, riotously assembling and doing wilful damage to the house of Mr Higgins, Swan Inn, Cradley Road
*William Haney, 22, miner, one month
Joseph Howard, 20, boat builder, wilfully damaging the house of Mr Hotchkiss – fined 40s and costs, damage 5s or one month with hard labour
Isaac Lowe, 13, miner, riotously assembling and doing damage to house of Mr Hotchkiss – one month
Richard Millichip, 19, collier – one month
Arthur Poole alias Fletcher, 15, miner, riotously assembling and doing damage to the house of Mr Hotchkiss – one month with hard labour
Jabez Price, collier, riotously assembling and doing wilful damage to the house of Mr Higgins, Swan Inn, Cradley Road – 2 months with hard labour
Edward Prince, 18, puddler, throwing missiles – fined 5s or 14 days with hard labour
Frederick Rollason, collier, riotously assembling and doing damage to the house of Mr Hotchkiss – fined 5s + costs + 16s damages
Samuel Walker, 21, miner, riotously assembling and doing wilful damage to the house of Mr Higgins, Swan Inn, Cradley Road – 6 weeks with hard labour
Edward Whitehouse. 40, miner, riotously assembling and doing damage to the house of Mr Hotchkiss
Old Hill
Warwick Plant, breach of the peace by stone throwing – 40s + costs or 6 weeks
John Priest, assault on William Andrews, landlord of the Crown Inn on Waterfall Lane – £5 + costs or 2 months
Reddall Hill
Hezekiah Round,13, breach of the peace by throwing stones, 40s + costs or 6 weeks imprisonment
The Compensation
The county of Worcester refused to pay compensation to those whose property had been damaged on the grounds that windows were not part of the ‘fabric’ and complainants could not claim for ‘demolition’ of their properties.
In April, Dudley Council agreed to send a petition to parliament to define ‘demolition’. In July, a committee concluded that it could not be established that rioters intended to ‘demolish’ buildings and therefore compensation would not be paid. Dudley Council did discuss whether ratepayers should pay as the police had not provided adequate protection and there was also a suggestion of a public subscription. In August, the Dudley Guardian reported that the matter of compensation was still not settled and this seemed to remain the case.
Petitioners for Compensation (14 February):
John Bateman, auctioneer, shielded Mr and Mrs Shenstone-Smith at his house on Wolverhampton Street
Charles Boughey, licensee of the Golden Cross on King Street
William John Brecknell, licensee of The Old Inn at Eve Hill
William Brown, licensee of the Waggon and Horses at Queens Cross
James Clements, landlord of the Dudley Arms Hotel
Rebecca Peters Herbert, licensee of the Shakespeare Inn on Stafford Street
James Hodgetts, licensee of the Miners Arms on Salop Street
Thomas Marsh, resident on Stafford Street
William May, licensee of The Grand Turk public house at Queen’s Cross / Angel Street
Samuel Perks, grocer at Snow Hill
Thomas Richardson
Joseph Short, shopkeeper on the corner of Stafford Road and Wellington Road
Joseph Tennant, licensee of the Rose and Crown, Springs Mire / Scotts Green
Sarah Wright, licensee of the Coach and Horses at Springs Mire.
The Connections to Me
*William Haney was born in Netherton in 1851 and married Caroline Danks when he was just 22 years old, a few months before the election riots. Caroline gave birth to their first child, Sarah, around the time of the riots and William’s subsequent sentencing at Worcester Assizes.
On 4 February, P.S. Wigley was sent to Netherton with nine other police officers by Henry Burton, arriving at around eleven o’clock. He later testified that William Haney was in the mob but that Haney reacted when a man was knocked down. Wigley remonstrated with William about the inhumane treatment of the voter and William replied, “Halt lads, there will be no more stone throwing now”. The stone throwing did stop for a time.
Later in the afternoon, William Haney was involved in the attack on Mr Jordan’s shop on Netherton Hill. Maria Dunn, wife of Theophilus Dunn of Primrose Hill, testified that she saw Haney take a mopstale and tap the casement of the window at Mr Jordan’s. He then threw the mop under the window. P.C. Clark claimed that William Haney was a ringleader in the riots whereas William claimed he had done all he could to stop the riot.
After his imprisonment, William continued to live in Netherton and work as a miner. He left the Black Country about ten years after the riots to move to Barrow-in-Furness with his family and work as a boiler maker. He died in 1905 and there is no further evidence that he was ever involved with the police or courts again. His wife, Caroline, died in Barrow-in-Furness in 1942 at the age of 92.
*Samuel Share was a miner living in Low Town whose house was damaged during the rioting. Samuel died in 1895 and appears in my family tree as his widow, Ann Maria (Bunce) Share, went on to marry my great great grandfather’s widowed brother-in-law, Richard Williams, in 1896.
*William Round, the house painter discharged of throwing stones and damaging a window at Springs Mire, was the great grandson of my 5x great grandparents, Obadiah Skidmore and Rebecca Shaw.
Many members of both my immediate and extended family lived in areas where extensive rioting took place, particularly in Dudley, Brierley Hill and Quarry Bank, and were probably affected by events to some extent.