Tag: history

The Ely and Littleport riots of 1816, also known as the Ely riots or Littleport riots, occurred between 22 and 24 May 1816 in Littleport, Cambridgeshire. The riots were caused by high unemployment and rising grain costs, similar to the general unrest which spread throughout England following the Napoleonic Wars. By 1816, the Fen parishes had adopted the new 'Speenhamland system'. The amount of money given to poor people from the taxes of the rich was linked to the price of bread. If he was out of work, a man would get an allowance of money for himself and his family. When the price of bread rose so did his allowance. When the price of bread fell, so did his allowance. The trouble was that in Ely and Littleport, local people felt that the allowances were not keeping up with the price of bread. As unemployment was high, many Fen families relied on their allowance to live. But the labourers now felt they could no longer live on what they were given. A desperate body of armed fen men had attacked the house of Rev. Mr. Vachell, a magistrate resident at Littleport, who for some time stood at his door armed with a pistol threatened to shoot anyone who should attempt to enter when three men rushed upon him and disarmed him. Hence, Option A is correct. Cotton, glass, and tea were luxury items not available to the working class those days, hence, the fluctuation in prices in those commodities did not affect the laborers. The rest of the options are hence, incorrect.