From Palmerston to Disraeli (1856-1876) — John Shaqi
From Palmerston to Disraeli (1856-1876)
History
From Palmerston to Disraeli (1856-1876)
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901 -- Sources
here are of a different kind and on other grounds, but Gladstone kept
his design nearly as close as the Emperor did, never having imparted
it to the Cabinet till the last moment before Parliament met. I do not
know how the Cabinet looked at it, only that they were not unanimous.
ANTI-RITUAL RIOTS (1860).
=Source.=--_The Times_, Monday, January 30, 1860.
Yesterday evening there was a frightful riot, resulting in the
destruction of much of the church property in the parish church of St.
George’s-in-the-East. Unhappily, notorious as this parish has become
in consequence of the religious differences which prevail, and serious
as have been the disturbances which have taken place, everything which
has previously occurred sinks into insignificance when compared with
the terrible scene which was witnessed there last night. The morning
service ... was comparatively tranquil, but at the evening service
there was a scene as it would be impossible for any language adequately
to describe. The conduct of the congregation, to use the only phrase at
all applicable to it, was “devilish.”
Evening service commenced at seven o’clock, and at quarter of an hour
before that time the church was densely packed, there being at least
3,000 persons present, of whom 1,000 were boys, who took possession
of the galleries.... There was cat-calling, cock-crowing, yelling,
howling, hissing, shouting of the most violent kind, snatches of
popular songs were sung, loud cries of “Bravo” and “Order” came from
every part of the church, caps, hats and bonnets were thrown from the
galleries into the body of the church and back again, while pew-doors
were slammed, lucifer-matches struck, and attempts were more than once
made to put out the gas....
At seven o’clock a procession of priests and choristers entered the
church and advanced to their accustomed place in front of the altar.
It was headed by the Rev. Bryan King, the Rector, who was followed by
the Rev. C. F. Lowder and ten or twelve choristers, habited in their
white robes. Their appearance in the church caused intense excitement.
People jumped on to their seats, pew-doors were violently slammed, and
loud shouts of execration proceeded from every part of the church.
Mr. Lowder said the first portion of the prayers, Mr. King the last.
Scarcely a word was audible. Hitherto the congregation had contented
themselves with “saying” the responses, in opposition to the choristers
who sang them, but last night they indulged in responses which are
not in the Prayer-Book, and which were nothing short of blasphemous
mockery. At the close of the prayers Mr. Lowder ascended the pulpit,
and was hissed and yelled at by the people with tremendous energy....
After the sermon, Mr. King, Mr. Lowder and the choristers made their
way to the vestry room with great difficulty, being more than once
subjected to personal violence.
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