Enter the People gallery at M Shed, turn to your left, and you’ll find a display dedicated to the 1831 reform riots in Bristol.
It includes a painting by Rolinda Sharples, titled ‘The Trial of Colonel Brereton’:
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Brereton had commanded the military forces in Bristol during the riots. His court-martial trial, for alleged failures to restore order, was held at the Merchant Venturers’ Hall in January 1832.
The trial of the rioters was also well under way during this month, over at the Guildhall on Broad Street. Regardless of the scale of this trial, with over 100 accused, it ultimately reflected the customary process of those in authority making an example of working-class citizens who dared to lose their self-control and vent their anger merely at being at the unequal end of a system built on inequality.
However, the court martial of Brereton generated a lot more interest, because it featured those in power turning on one of their own. How would any perceived failing within their own ranks be dealt with? For this reason, the eyes of the nation were firmly diverted to ‘The Hall’. The colonel’s trial created a media whirlwind across the country.
So, what did cause the total breakdown of authority in Bristol and why did it lead to widespread destruction, which was calculated and targeted with clinical precision, on a scale not experienced before?
Why did Brereton – the officer-in-charge of the troops sent to defend the city – find himself being put on trial to face a total of eleven charges against him?
These questions and many more formed the central theme of a walk that was developed at M Shed in 2015 for inclusion in that year’s Bristol Walk Fest. Initially led by Richard Stableford, I agreed to assist him as best I could.
At first, the walk followed the narrative readily available in numerous books and publications, but as time passed, I did more research into first-person accounts. These revealed a different story – less favourable to the authorities of the 19th century.
So, for those wishing to discover the hidden truths about one of the most dramatic and destructive events in our social history, please join me (Richard moved on to better things in 2016) on one of my regular riot walks.
Here you will have the opportunity not only to discover why Brereton ordered the 14th Light Dragoons to withdraw from the city, but also get the chance to follow in the footsteps of the rioters as they prepared to attack the New Gaol, the ‘Bastille of Bristol’, to release all the prisoners.
You will also learn of what happened on the Monday of the riots, when the 14th (aka ‘The Bloody Blues’) made their return, resulting in an ensuing massacre that rarely gets mentioned.
As a footnote, anyone seeking to invest in a book about Bristol’s 1831 riots, as it is such a fascinating story, will be hard-pressed to find one in a bookshop. So, it is with great pleasure that I can announce that M Shed has remedied this and now sells a recently published novel in its shop – ‘1831 The Desolation’ by Steve Spear. All proceeds from this book will go directly to support the museum’s work.
Happy reading!
You can find out more about the dates and times of the upcoming walks.
1793 Bristol Bridge Riot The new Bristol Bridge built in 1767 was paid for by a toll. Once the cost had been recouped in 1793, the bridge should have become free, but the bridge managers decided to keep the toll. The people of Bristol were angered by this and the toll gates were burnt down […]
In the 19th century women weren’t allowed to vote. Organised suffragist campaigns began to appear in 1866 and campaigns continued for many years, with some members becoming more militant when their views were ignored. It wasn’t until 6 February 1918 that legislation allowed all women over 30 who owned a property the right to vote. […]
Find out more about protest in Bristol, from the 1793 Bristol Bridge riot to women’s suffrage.
![Bristol Riots: The Burning of Bridewell, with St Michael's Church [Bridewell Bridge] (painting)](https://ciim-public-media-s3.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/bristol3/72318.jpg)
