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Bloody Sunday (1887)

Bloody Sunday took place in London on 13 November 1887, when marchers protesting about unemployment and coercion in Ireland, as well as demanding the release of MP William O'Brien, clashed with the Metropolitan Police and the British Army. The demonstration was organised by the Social Democratic Federation and the Irish National League. Violent clashes took place between the police and demonstrators, many "armed with iron bars, knives, pokers and gas pipes". A contemporary report noted that 400 were arrested and 75 persons were badly injured, including many police, two policemen being stabbed and one protester bayonetted.[1]

Bloody Sunday
Part of the Irish Home Rule movement
Engraving from The Graphic (published 19 November 1887) depicting a policeman being clubbed by a demonstrator as he wrests a banner from "a Socialist woman leader, one Mrs. Taylor", while other people are covering their heads to protect themselves from raised police batons.
Date13 November 1887
Location
Caused by
Goals
MethodsPolitical demonstration
Parties to the civil conflict
Lead figures
Number
10,000–30,000 (est.)

Metropolitan Police: 2,000

British Army: 400
Casualties
Injuries75 badly injured (all sides)
Arrested400

Background

Gladstone's espousal of the cause of Irish home rule had split the Liberal Party and made it easy for the Conservatives to gain a majority in the House of Commons. The period from 1885 to 1906 was one of Tory dominance, with short intermissions. Coercion Acts were the answer of British governments perturbed by rural unrest in Ireland, and they involved various degrees of suspension of civil rights. Although one purpose of the 13 November demonstration was to protest about the handling of the Irish situation by the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury, it had a much wider context.

The Long Depression, starting in 1873 and lasting almost to the end of the century, created difficult social conditions in Britain—similar to the economic problems that drove rural agitation in Ireland. Falling food prices created rural unemployment, which resulted in both emigration and internal migration. Workers moved to the towns and cities in thousands, eroding employment, wages and working conditions. By November 1887, unemployed workers' demonstrations from the East End of London had been building up for more than two years. There had already been clashes with the police and with the members of upper class clubs. Trafalgar Square was seen symbolically as the point at which the working-class East End met the upper-class West End of London, a focus of class struggle and an obvious flashpoint.

This attracted the attention of the small but growing socialist movement – the Marxists of both the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) and Socialist League, and the reformist socialists of the Fabian Society. Police and government attempts to suppress or divert the demonstrations also brought in the radical wing of the Liberal Party and free speech activists from the National Secular Society.

The working class in British cities contained many people of Irish birth or origin. London, like industrial areas of northern England and western Scotland, had a large Irish working class, concentrated in the East End, where it rubbed shoulders with a diverse population, including increasing numbers of Jews from Eastern Europe.[2]

Demonstration of 13 November

 
One of the bludgeons used by the rioters

Some 30,000 people, "mostly respectable spectators",[1] encircled Trafalgar Square as at least 10,000 protesters marched in from several different directions, led by (among others) Elizabeth Reynolds, John Burns, William Morris, Annie Besant and Robert Cunninghame-Graham, who were primarily leaders of the Social Democratic Federation. Also marching were the Fabian playwright George Bernard Shaw, Eleanor Marx,[3] and Charlotte Wilson.

There were approximately 14,000 police officers for 5.5 million Londoners.[4] Two thousand police and 400 troops were deployed to halt the demonstration.[5] Burns and Cunninghame-Graham were arrested and imprisoned for six weeks. Annie Besant, who was a Marxist, Fabian and secularist, spoke at the rally and offered herself for arrest, but the police declined to do so. Of the 400 arrested, 50 were detained in custody.

At some point James Compton Merryweather, head of the firm Merryweather & Sons, and a Conservative supporter, offered to use a 400-gallons-per-minute steam fire engine as a water cannon of the day to clear the rioters from Trafalgar Square. However the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Charles Warren, declined.[6]

In the fighting, many rioters were injured by police truncheons and under the hooves of police horses. The army sent in both infantry and cavalry. Although the infantry were marched into position with bayonets fixed, they were not ordered to open fire and the cavalry were not ordered to draw their swords. An Australian newspaper, of conservative political orientation, reported that the wounds received by the mob were less severe than those of the constables.[1] Reports from those who were present say otherwise.[citation needed]

Aftermath

The following Sunday, 20 November, saw another demonstration and more casualties. According to a report in the partisan Socialist Review, among them was a young clerk named Alfred Linnell,[7] who was run down by a police horse, dying in hospital a fortnight later from complications of a shattered thigh.[8]

The funeral of Linnell on 18 December provided another focus for the unemployed and Irish movements. William Morris, leader of the Socialist League, gave the main speech and "advocated a holy war to prevent London from being turned into a huge prison".[9] A smaller but similar event marked the burial of another of those killed, W. B. Curner, which took place in January. The release of those imprisoned was celebrated on 20 February 1888, with a large public meeting. Henry Hyndman, leader of the SDF, violently denounced the Liberal Party and the Radical MPs who were present.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c [1][permanent dead link] Sydney Morning Herald, 15 November 1887, at Trove
  2. ^ The detailed Charles Booth study of London's population in this period is available online at the London School of Economics
  3. ^ Women fighters and revolutionaries - Eleanor Marx www.socialistparty.org.uk
  4. ^ http://www.attackingthedevil.co.uk/pmg/criml.php[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "History of the Metropolitan Police" 21 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine, at met.police.uk
  6. ^ Inquirer and Commercial News, Perth, 28 February 1896, p.9, (quoting an unknown London paper), via Trove, National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ London, 13 November 1887, Issue 224, Socialist Review, November 1998
  8. ^ Killed by the Police South Australian Register (citing the somewhat partisan Pall Mall Gazette), 13 January 1888, at Trove
  9. ^ Burial of a Rioter Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette, 23 December 1887, at Trove

Bibliography

  • Thompson, E. P. William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary, Merlin Press, London, 1977
  • Taylor, Anne. Annie Besant: A Biography, Oxford University Press, 1991 (also US edition 1992) ISBN 0-19-211796-3

bloody, sunday, 1887, other, uses, bloody, sunday, bloody, sunday, disambiguation, bloody, sunday, took, place, london, november, 1887, when, marchers, protesting, about, unemployment, coercion, ireland, well, demanding, release, william, brien, clashed, with,. For other uses of Bloody Sunday see Bloody Sunday disambiguation Bloody Sunday took place in London on 13 November 1887 when marchers protesting about unemployment and coercion in Ireland as well as demanding the release of MP William O Brien clashed with the Metropolitan Police and the British Army The demonstration was organised by the Social Democratic Federation and the Irish National League Violent clashes took place between the police and demonstrators many armed with iron bars knives pokers and gas pipes A contemporary report noted that 400 were arrested and 75 persons were badly injured including many police two policemen being stabbed and one protester bayonetted 1 Bloody SundayPart of the Irish Home Rule movementEngraving from The Graphic published 19 November 1887 depicting a policeman being clubbed by a demonstrator as he wrests a banner from a Socialist woman leader one Mrs Taylor while other people are covering their heads to protect themselves from raised police batons Date13 November 1887LocationTrafalgar Square London EnglandCaused byCoercion in IrelandUnemployment in IrelandArrest and imprisonment of William O BrienLong DepressionGoalsHome Rule in IrelandRelease of William O BrienMethodsPolitical demonstrationParties to the civil conflictSocial Democratic Federation Irish National League Fabian Society Unaffiliated marchers Metropolitan Police British ArmyLead figuresJohn BurnsWilliam MorrisAnnie BesantCunninghame Graham Charles WarrenNumber10 000 30 000 est Metropolitan Police 2 000 British Army 400CasualtiesInjuries75 badly injured all sides Arrested400 Contents 1 Background 2 Demonstration of 13 November 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 References 6 BibliographyBackground EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Gladstone s espousal of the cause of Irish home rule had split the Liberal Party and made it easy for the Conservatives to gain a majority in the House of Commons The period from 1885 to 1906 was one of Tory dominance with short intermissions Coercion Acts were the answer of British governments perturbed by rural unrest in Ireland and they involved various degrees of suspension of civil rights Although one purpose of the 13 November demonstration was to protest about the handling of the Irish situation by the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury it had a much wider context The Long Depression starting in 1873 and lasting almost to the end of the century created difficult social conditions in Britain similar to the economic problems that drove rural agitation in Ireland Falling food prices created rural unemployment which resulted in both emigration and internal migration Workers moved to the towns and cities in thousands eroding employment wages and working conditions By November 1887 unemployed workers demonstrations from the East End of London had been building up for more than two years There had already been clashes with the police and with the members of upper class clubs Trafalgar Square was seen symbolically as the point at which the working class East End met the upper class West End of London a focus of class struggle and an obvious flashpoint This attracted the attention of the small but growing socialist movement the Marxists of both the Social Democratic Federation SDF and Socialist League and the reformist socialists of the Fabian Society Police and government attempts to suppress or divert the demonstrations also brought in the radical wing of the Liberal Party and free speech activists from the National Secular Society The working class in British cities contained many people of Irish birth or origin London like industrial areas of northern England and western Scotland had a large Irish working class concentrated in the East End where it rubbed shoulders with a diverse population including increasing numbers of Jews from Eastern Europe 2 Demonstration of 13 November Edit One of the bludgeons used by the rioters Some 30 000 people mostly respectable spectators 1 encircled Trafalgar Square as at least 10 000 protesters marched in from several different directions led by among others Elizabeth Reynolds John Burns William Morris Annie Besant and Robert Cunninghame Graham who were primarily leaders of the Social Democratic Federation Also marching were the Fabian playwright George Bernard Shaw Eleanor Marx 3 and Charlotte Wilson There were approximately 14 000 police officers for 5 5 million Londoners 4 Two thousand police and 400 troops were deployed to halt the demonstration 5 Burns and Cunninghame Graham were arrested and imprisoned for six weeks Annie Besant who was a Marxist Fabian and secularist spoke at the rally and offered herself for arrest but the police declined to do so Of the 400 arrested 50 were detained in custody At some point James Compton Merryweather head of the firm Merryweather amp Sons and a Conservative supporter offered to use a 400 gallons per minute steam fire engine as a water cannon of the day to clear the rioters from Trafalgar Square However the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Sir Charles Warren declined 6 In the fighting many rioters were injured by police truncheons and under the hooves of police horses The army sent in both infantry and cavalry Although the infantry were marched into position with bayonets fixed they were not ordered to open fire and the cavalry were not ordered to draw their swords An Australian newspaper of conservative political orientation reported that the wounds received by the mob were less severe than those of the constables 1 Reports from those who were present say otherwise citation needed Aftermath EditThe following Sunday 20 November saw another demonstration and more casualties According to a report in the partisan Socialist Review among them was a young clerk named Alfred Linnell 7 who was run down by a police horse dying in hospital a fortnight later from complications of a shattered thigh 8 The funeral of Linnell on 18 December provided another focus for the unemployed and Irish movements William Morris leader of the Socialist League gave the main speech and advocated a holy war to prevent London from being turned into a huge prison 9 A smaller but similar event marked the burial of another of those killed W B Curner which took place in January The release of those imprisoned was celebrated on 20 February 1888 with a large public meeting Henry Hyndman leader of the SDF violently denounced the Liberal Party and the Radical MPs who were present See also EditBelgian strikes of 1886References Edit a b c 1 permanent dead link Sydney Morning Herald 15 November 1887 at Trove The detailed Charles Booth study of London s population in this period is available online at the London School of Economics Women fighters and revolutionaries Eleanor Marx www socialistparty org uk http www attackingthedevil co uk pmg criml php permanent dead link History of the Metropolitan Police Archived 21 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine at met police uk Inquirer and Commercial News Perth 28 February 1896 p 9 quoting an unknown London paper via Trove National Library of Australia London 13 November 1887 Issue 224 Socialist Review November 1998 Killed by the Police South Australian Register citing the somewhat partisan Pall Mall Gazette 13 January 1888 at Trove Burial of a Rioter Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette 23 December 1887 at TroveBibliography EditThompson E P William Morris Romantic to Revolutionary Merlin Press London 1977 Taylor Anne Annie Besant A Biography Oxford University Press 1991 also US edition 1992 ISBN 0 19 211796 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bloody Sunday 1887 amp oldid 1121741516, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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