A Yorkshire Almanac Comprising 365 Historical Extracts, Red-letter Days and Customs, and Astronomical and Meteorological Data
Leeds Mercury. 1844/01/13. Local Intelligence. Leeds. Get it:
.A number of the soldiers were drinking at a beer-house called the Green Man in York Street. One of them had occasion to step into a place apart from his companions, and found written on a table, “No swaddy Irishmen or soldiers wanted here.” Indignant at this insult, he knocked down a person near him, whom he thought to be the writer, and then spread the intelligence to his brother soldiers, who became also sorely piqued. They at once turned into the street, and commenced an indiscriminate assault upon every one who came in contact with them. The resentment of the civilians being aroused by unprovoked indignities, they assembled in large numbers, and when in Kirkgate everything had the appearance of a riot. Several parties were kicked and struck by the soldiers, and one man received so severe an injury from a blow by one of the soldier’s side-belts, that it was necessary to remove him to the Infirmary to dress his wound. In the affray also Mr Brook. tobacconist, and Mr Snowdon, draper, had each a shop window broken. Police officer Stubbs and other members of the police force were present at part of the proceedings, but seeing that some of the military had bayonets with them, and acting under the directions of Mr Read, they did not attempt at the time to seize any of them, but exerted their utmost endeavours to quell the rising spirit of revenge in the crowd, by which they probably prevented more serious consequences. The military at last made their way towards the barracks, and without being so distinctly recognized as to be sworn to. Consequently, the magistrates could not take any steps in the case.
Via John Mayhall (Mayhall 1860).
Swaddy is a predecessor of squaddie. OED suggests swaddy (19th century) < swad (18th century) < swad (16th century, "country bumpkin; a clodhopper; a loutish or clownish fellow; a common term of abuse").
The official historian makes no mention of the incident, but confirms that the 70th were at Leeds and other parts of the West Riding from October 1843 to October 1844. Cannon says that “Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Kelsall retired on full pay on the 23rd February, 1844” (Cannon 1849), but that wasn’t in fact the end of his military career. Jason Wright of Silver Shadows has a daguerreotype of him, which I must see if I can borrow for this page.
Other contemporary cases two months later in Leeds and three years later in Sheffield. Were they Irish? Did the Leeds public feel that Irish troops were being used to suppress English protests against the Corn Laws? If so, did popular feeling regarding the Irish change when the Great Famine began the following year?
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DISORDERLIES OF THE 70th INFANTRY.-A complaint against the conduct of several members of this corps was laid before D. Lupton, Esq., and A. Titley, Esq., the sitting magistrates, at the Leeds Court-house, on Monday last. A number of the soldiers, on the night of Saturday last, it seemed were drinking at a beer-house called the Green Man, in York-street. One of them had occasion to step into a place apart from his companions, and found written on a table, “No swaddy Irishmen or soldiers wanted here.” Indignant at this insult, he knocked down a person near him, whom he thought to be the writer, and then spread the intelligence to his brother soldiers, who became also sorely piqued. They at once turned into the street, and commenced an indiscriminate assault upon every one who came in contact with them. The resentment of the civilians being aroused by unprovoked indignities, they assembled in large numbers, and when in Kirkgate every thing had the appearance of a riot. Several parties were kicked and struck by the soldiers, and one man received so severe an injury from a blow by one of the soldier’s side-belts, that it was necessary to remove him to the Infirmary to dress his wound. In the affray also Mr. Brook, tobacconist, and Mr. Snowdon, draper, had each a shop window broken. Police-officer Stubbs and other members of the police force were present at part of the proceedings, but seeing that some of the military had bayonets with them, and acting under the directions of Mr. Read, they did not attempt at the time to seize any of them, but exerted their utmost endeavours to quell the rising spirit of revenge in the crowd, by which they probably prevented more serious consequences. The military, at last, made their way towards the barracks, and, we are sorry to say, without being so distinctly recognized as to be sworn to. Consequently, the magistrates could not take any steps in the case. The colonel of the regiment, who was in the Court at the time of the complaint, signified his full determination, could the identity of the parties be made out, to visit the delinquents of the corps with befitting punishment. We hope that this will be a warning to the parties concerned. We are sorry, for the credit of the regiment, to have to observe that on Monday night, in Upperhead-row, the disorderly conduct of a number of soldiers was the cause of much annoyance to the inhabitants. And here it was generally remarked that the policemen were always absent when they were wanted, as they might easily have taken a number of drunken soldiers into custody, they being unarmed, and the row taking place before eight o’clock. We hope from this that the officer in command will see the necessity of resorting to some means of putting a speedy check to their insolent behaviour, and teaching them at least how to walk the streets in a peaceable manner, lesson of which the younger members of the corps stand especially in need.
516 words.
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