Reminiscences of Rotherham by Alderman Geo. Gummer, J.P.

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Similar cases were enacted at other public-houses. It was quite a lively time. Several well-known and highly respected townsmen were assaulted whilst quietly proceeding homewards.

Mr. Geo. Whitehead, Editor of The Rotherham and Masbro’ Advertiser did not escape their attention. Whilst on his way to the office he was 'run in'. and only set at liberty when confronted with the local police.

Along with other members of the Liberal Association, I remained at the club until the streets regained their normal condition.

On my way homewards, accompanied by my father and Mr. Edward Hickmott, I met several of these maniacs in blue. Scarcely a soul was about but ourselves, yet my stick was snatched from my hand and thrown into the middle of the street. My fathers words of caution alone saved me from retaliation and thus falling into the trap set, and the clutches of the police.

Even the town missionary and his wife came in for their fiendishness. Whilst on his way home the police struck him on the shoulder without cause and on his wife protesting, she received for her trouble a nasty cut on the head.

WHO TO BLAME?

It was never satisfactorily settled whether the police were to blame or not for this riot, though their hesitancy in taking action might have contributed to the trouble, Why the event of an election should cause the slightest relaxation in the conduct of the public has never been explained. Why should policemen be targets for a lot of roughs to throw at? Why should the police stand still and have their heads broken with brickbats? Surely they should act with promptitude, firmness, and set purpose, and arrest their assailants. Had they done so in this case, what was at first only a street row would not have developed into a riot so serious as to require the military to quell it.

Although deep and general indignation was expressed at the conduct of the imported police, no complaints were made about the Rotherham Force, for they were few in number. The offenders came from other districts, being imported for the day by the county authorities at the request of the Mayor. At that time we had no Borough Force.

TROUBLE IN 1885

At the close of the poll in the election of 1885, when the new Parliamentery Division of Rotherham returned its first Member, there were all the elements that foreshadowed a riot. A ‘bus lent by Lord Scarborough to the Conservative candidate, Major Hoole, whilst passing through College street, came in for some rough handling - - stones were hurled and all its windows smashed. This incident caused the crowd to rush to Major Hoole’s committee rooms, where they quickly smashed the windows of these and the adjoining premises Driven back by the police, they fell on the Market Hall and wrecked the front of the corner shops.

The crowd looked ugly, and my father, who was Mayor at the time, exercised his personal influence and walked among the crowd, - accompanied by Mr. J. Pollard, the Chief Constable. Thereis no doubt this bold attitude, as well as the judicious advice to the police, did much to quell the fiery spirits of the crowd and save the borough from a serious riot.

Their efforts for a time were frustrated by the foolish conduct of a prominent member of the Corporation, whose conduct encouraged the people to violence. Although a few police offleers were injured, the trouble ended without the serious effects of previous elections. I can see now my father’s top hat rolling in High street, as the result of stone- throwing.

Time after time the Mayor was requested by the inspector in charge of the Bradford police - who were imported to assist the local force - to allow his men to charge and take in custody the councillor whose conduct was causing the trouble. My father’s forbearance             » next

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