Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Ely and Littleport Riots

'At the town of Littleport in the Isle of Ely, (the peculiarly distressed situation of which district we have already detailed,) the popular discontent broke out at last in a shape of alarm which might at length entitle it to the name of an insurrection. The judicious conduct of Sir Henry Dudly, Bart, (who is both_ a clergymen and a magistrate) was mainly instrumental in putting an end to the scene of outrage which had thus commenced. The most resolute offenders were selected for punishment, and several of them underwent the last severity of the law by a sentence -of a Court of Special Commission, which sat immediately afterwards at Ely. '

The text above comes from the Edinburgh Annual Register, volume 9 of 1816, which Walter Scott edited.  The Ely and Littleport riots began on May 22, 1816, lasting into the next day.  Sir Henry Dudly led the militia in subduing the rioters, capturing eight-two of them.  On June 28, 1816, five of these were hanged.

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