Stotfold
The Swing Riots
The Stotfold Riot by Mr Bert Hyde
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The Wider Context
The Stotfold riot although apparently an isolated incident, was in fact part of the much larger "Swing" disturbances which started in Kent and occurred mainly throughout the second half of 1830. They became known by that name because of the many letters sent at that time to landowners and fanners signed by the mysterious name 'Captain Swing,' threatening arson and the destruction of farm machinery. J.L. and Barbara Hammond called this outbreak of violence "The last labourers' revolt." (1) Farm fires began at Orpington early in June and by the end of September twenty had been reported in the district around Bromley, Sevenoaks and Orpington. The first of the labour saving threshing machines was destroyed near Canterbury on 28th August. The breaking of these machines was to become the characteristic feature of the unrest. By the third week in October something like a hundred machines were reported destroyed mainly in East Kent. By the end of the month the farm labourers of Kent had begun to assemble together in large numbers to demand higher rates of pay. Attempts were also made to reduce rents and tithes and sometimes taxes too. The troubles had spread to Sussex by early November and by the end of the month more or less the whole of southern and eastern England was affected. (2) By no means all villages were involved. In some counties there were numerous acts of lawlessness: in others few. Bedfordshire was one of the last counties to become embroiled. Most of the shire remained relatively untroubled. No threshing machines were broken but one or two stacks were set alight and there were two riots. The more alarming one was the one at Stotfold on the 1st and 2nd December and the other at Flitwick four days later. By the end of the year, however, the "Swing" riots had to all intents and purposes run their course though the sporadic firing of stacks and barns continued to be a serious problem for a number of years.(1). J. L. Hammond and Barbara Hammond, "The Village Labourer", 1978 p. 176.
(2). E. J. Hobsbawn and George Rude, "Captain Swing, II 1969, pp. 97- 113.
Page last updated: 4th February 2014