A History of Police in EnglandLee, W. L. Melville (William Lauriston Melville)
History
A History of Police in England
Lee, W. L. Melville (William Lauriston Melville)
Police -- England
Unfortunately the opponents of the obnoxious bill did not confine
themselves to versification, but caused handbills to be circulated,
announcing that on the 24th of June, an open-air meeting would be
held in Hyde Park "to see how religiously the aristocracy observe the
Sabbath, and how careful they are not to work their servants or their
cattle on that day." The result of this manifesto was that, at the time
mentioned, a mob assembled near the Serpentine, but the demonstration
did not assume serious proportions, the crowd contenting themselves
with hooting and jeering at those who were taking their afternoon ride
or drive in the Park.
Throughout the following week, certain persons continued the agitation,
and, by means of placards, summoned their sympathisers to meet them on
the next Sunday in Hyde Park, where it was announced that "the open air
concert and monster fête, under the patronage of the Leave-us-alone
Club will be repeated." Another appeal was of a more personal nature
and ran as follows, "Let us go to Church with Lord Robert Grosvenor
next Sunday morning. We can attend his lordship in Park Lane at half
past ten, go to Church with him, then go home to dinner, and be back in
time to see our friends in Hyde Park. Come in your best clothes, as
his lordship is very particular."
These handbills and placards having been brought to his notice,
Sir Richard Mayne replied by publishing a proclamation requesting
well-disposed persons not to attend the proposed meeting, at the same
time warning all concerned that steps would be taken by the police to
prevent the meeting being held, and that, if necessary, force would be
employed to maintain the peace.
Undeterred by this notice, thousands of people entered the Park on the
afternoon of Sunday the 1st of July, drawn thither, some by curiosity,
some for purposes of recreation, some with the fixed determination of
resisting the police. Certain precautionary arrangements were made by
the Chief Commissioner, and orders were issued to the effect that any
persons shouting or frightening horses, or attempting to address the
crowd, were to be cautioned as to the consequences of their action
and required to desist, the police being instructed to remove, and if
necessary take into custody, any who persistently refused to obey their
orders.
As on the previous Sunday, the disturbances commenced with hooting and
shouting, but the police who, in obedience to orders, were lying down
on the grass, did not interfere; at about half past three, the crowd
began to assume a more threatening attitude, and things began to look
serious. A dense mob was gathered along the railings and across the
carriage way, stones were thrown at carriages, some wooden hurdles
were broken up, and the fragments used as missiles, whilst the crowd
continued to hoot, whistle and make discordant noises, with the object
of frightening the horses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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