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On Saturday, 6th March 1875, a disturbance in the Angel Inn was to end with the death of a local man.
An auction poster advertising a sale to take place at The Angel Inn. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT
The events that took place that afternoon were described by the Alnwick Mercury published on the 13th March as ‘RIOT AT THE ALNWICK MARCH HIRING’.
March hiring’s were a common practice in England, it was a time for farmers to hire workers for the next twelve months. The 1875 hiring’s saw a great number of agricultural labourers arriving in Alnwick as well as large number of pitmen from the surrounding collieries. The Alnwick Mercury described that Saturday as “such a concourse evidently contained the elements of tumult and disorder; and what made matters worse was that there was more than the ordinary drunkenness, as the rain that fell heavily during great part of the day drove the people to resort to the public-houses to a much greater extent than would otherwise have been the case.”
The disturbance in the Angel Inn was down to two brothers, John and Thomas Waite. John Waite had been drinking in the Angel and was worse for the drink that he had consumed. The Alnwick Mercury reports that he behaved in a “riotous and noisy manner” in a downstairs room and even worse when he went upstairs. The article continues with “he was so violent that at length Mr (John) White, the landlord, sent for the police to put him out.” When the police arrived, they asked Waite to leave the premises but he refused and continued to act in a violent manner. Waite was taken hold of by the two constables with a view to eject him from the inn but as they walked down the stairs, he broke free and returned to the upstairs room. The constables recaptured him and this time were able to get him downstairs where he was pleaded with to go home quietly. Instead of doing so, Waite punched one of the constables, P C Robinson, causing him to stagger. Waite grappled with the constable and unable to shrug him off, P C Robinson drew his baton and struck Waite on the side of the head.
The constables then brought their prisoner out of the Angel Inn yard onto Fenkle Street with the intention to escort him to the police station on St. Michael’s Lane. To do this, they had to cross an open space which was crowded with people. It was at this stage that Thomas Waite grabbed his brother in an attempt to rescue him and a number of the crowd joined in to help him. The constables were able to hold onto their prisoner and tried to make their way through the drunken crowd. It was at this stage that Police Sergeant John Hately and two other constables made their way through the crowd to assist P C Robinson and P C Connell. The report states that the route to the police station was packed with almost two thousand people, most of whom were drunk and jostling the policemen. Due to the pressure of the crowd, the policemen and their prisoner were forced to the Shambles on the opposite side. It was here that John Waite was rescued from the police by his friends.
The police formed a line in front of John Dickman’s shop and wielding their batons, were able to clear a space in front of them. Not wanting to provoke the crowd further, Sergeant Hately decided that he and his men should make their way over to the entrance to the nearby Correction House Yard where they could more easily defend themselves should the need arise. Leading his men forward, Sergeant Hately found himself surrounded by the mob and whilst defending himself he fell to the ground, ashen faced. The constables rushed forward to assist but the jeering crowd made it difficult. P C Robinson was first to reach Hately and as he was trying to lift Hately to his feet, he was kicked and jostled by the drunken crowd. Eventually the constables were able to carry Hately and force their way to the police station. Medical assistance was called but to no avail, he was declared dead. The post mortem was held on Sunday, 7th March by Dr A J Main who found no wounds on Hately’s body, but an examination of Hately’s heart found evidence that he had died of a heart attack. Sergeant John Hately left a widow and eight young children.
It was nearly 5 o’clock before the riotous crowd dispersed into smaller groups, both John and Thomas Waite were apprehended and taken to the cells in the police station. The next day, Monday 8th March, saw both brothers in court where the magistrate, Mr H Lisle, ordered them to be remanded for eight days. The Waite brothers, together with six others were charged with assaulting and resisting Police Constables Robinson and Connell in their execution of their duty. All eight appeared in front of the town’s magistrates on Saturday, 20th March and after hearing the evidence, John and Thomas Waite and the other six were all fined the sum of £10 with failure to pay would result in three months imprisonment. All paid their fines except for one, a Thomas Dunn, who was sent to prison.
A map showing the location of the Angel Inn as it was in 1827, forty-eight years before the riot.
This piece has been researched and produced by a volunteer working on the Dickson, Archer and Thorp Project. We would like to thank him for his work.
This poster, announcing the auction of Alnwick properties, was one of several thousand items belong to an Alnwick firm of solicitors, Dickson, Archer and Thorp, which are now held at the Northumberland Archives. When I first saw the poster I was intrigued and decided to try and discover the history of the inn, as I knew that it no longer existed. Could the Angel Inn have been a coaching inn? If so, it could have an intriguing story.
Angel Inn Auction Poster. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT
Cockfights and Innkeepers
The starting point of my research was a search of local newspapers prior to the date of the auction. Each search took me further back in time, with the earliest being an announcement of lost property in the Newcastle Courant, published on the 22nd October 1726;
“Lost in Newcastle, or upon the road between that place and Morpeth, last Tuesday afternoon, a sack with three Holland shirts in it, two of them ruffled, the other a plain one, all of them marked in the neck, with the letters ‘J.G.’ whoever brings them to Widdow Greys at the Angel in Alnwick, to Mrs Smith at the post house in Morpeth, or to the printer of this paper, shall be well rewarded for their trouble.”
This announcement gave me the name of the innkeeper of the Angel Inn, a widowed lady called Grey. Another published issue of the Newcastle Courant, on the 3rd June 1727, confirmed the owner of the Angel Inn to be Mrs Grey when it ran an article about the forthcoming horse races that were due to be held on Alnwick Town Moor. After listing the details of each race it stated that, on the morning of each race day, there would be “cock fighting at Mrs. Margaret Grey’s at the sign of the Angel.” Prize money for each ‘battle’ was to be two guineas [£2 and 10 pence] and forty guineas [£42] for the main battle. Both of these articles, and my later findings, confirmed my thoughts that the Angel Inn was indeed a coaching inn. Margaret Grey died in December 1730 and was buried in St Michael’s churchyard, Alnwick on the 19th December.
After the death of Mrs Grey, the Angel was taken over by a Daniel Craster. The 22nd May 1731 publication of the Newcastle Courant announced details of the horse racing to be held and that entries for the ‘Sheriff’s Plate’ race were to be submitted at ‘Mr. Daniel Craster’s, at the sign of the Angel, on Thursday 8th Day of July’. Daniel continued to run the inn until late 1734. The Newcastle Courant dated the 22nd November, advertised that the Angel Inn was to be let immediately or from May 1735. The offer was taken up instantly by a Mr. Cooper Wheeler who ran the following announcement in the next issue of the Courant:
“This is to give Notice to all Gentlemen, and Others, traveling to and from North-Britain, that the Angel in Alnwick, a well accustomed Inn, formerly kept by Mr Craister, is not taken by Mr Cooper Wheeler, from the Bull and White Hart in Newcastle upon Tyne, where all Travellers may have suitable Conveniency, and good Usage.”
Cooper Wheeler continued to run the Angel, and hosting cockfights, until his death in July 1745. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 10th July.
After the death of Mr Wheeler, the inn was tenanted by Mr Charles Wilson who continued to provide the same services as previous innkeepers until his own death on the 2nd June 1749. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 4th June. The tenancy of the Angel was taken on by his widow Catherine Wilson, but ended when she died suddenly on the 30th September 1749. She was buried at St Michael’s on the 2nd October.
The next innkeeper of the Angel Inn was a Mr James Robertson who ran several announcements in the Newcastle Courant to inform travellers that he was continuing to provide hospitality and stabling. James was also a ‘surveyor of land’ and ran an announcement in the Newcastle Courant in July 1755:
A L N W I C K
JAMES ROBERTSON, SURVEYOR OF LAND
Having been brought up to that Business, and had much Experience therein, under his Father, and in his own Practice for himself, humbly begs Leave to acquaint all NOBLEMEN, GENTLEMEN &c. who have Lands to survey, lay out, or divide, that they may have such Business carefully and accurately done, and neatly planned, at very moderate Prices.
By their obedient Servant, JAMES ROBERTSON
N.B. The said JAMES ROBERTSON keeps the ANGEL INN, in Alnwick aforesaid, where Noblemen, Gentlemen, &c. who please to make Use of his House, may be assured of good Accomodations
From their obedient Servant.
As you can see, he also announced that he ‘keeps the Angel Inn in Alnwick’ as well.
Joseph Turnbull
Nothing more has been found on James, but it is known that he was no longer the innkeeper of the Angel Inn by November 1760 as the Courant yet again ran an announcement on the 22nd November to say that a Mr Joseph Turnbull was the new innkeeper. This announcement is shown below.
J O S E P H T U R N B U L L
Late Servant to the Right Honourable the Earl and Countess of Northumberland;
Having fitted up the ANGEL INN, Alnwick, Northumberland, with new Furniture, &c. begs the Continuance of the former Customers; and all who are pleased to favour the said Inn, may depend upon being accommodated in the genteelest Manner, by
Their most obedient humble servant,
JOS TURNBULL
N.B Neat Four-wheel’d Post-chaifes, able Horses, and careful Drivers, on the least Notice.
As you can see in the announcement, he declares that he was ‘late servant to the Right Honourable Earl and Countess of Northumberland’. This statement was intriguing and after research it was found that Joseph was a noted player of the Northumbrian pipes and in 1756 had been appointed ‘Piper to the Countess of Northumberland’. A portrait of Joseph hangs in Alnwick Castle with a copy held by the Morpeth bagpipe museum. The Newcastle Courant dated the 16th October 1773 also reported that on Wednesday, 6th October 1773, ‘his Grace, the Duke of Northumberland, and Earl Percy, dined along with the Justices for the County of Northumberland, at the Angel Inn in Alnwick, and next day, the Justices, Grand Jury, Gentlemen of the Law, etc., dined at the castle with his Grace.’
In addition to providing hospitality to travellers Joseph carried on with the tradition of hosting cock fights, and announcing these in the Newcastle Courant:
To be F O U G H T for,
At Mr Joseph Turnbull’s Pit, at the Angel Inn, at Alnwick, on Monday the third of May next; ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Stags, four Pounds, two OUNCES the highest.
On Tuesday the fourth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, four Pounds four Ounces the highest.
On Wednesday the fifth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, Stags, and Blenkards, four Pounds four Ounces the highest; to weigh and enter on the Saturday before.
On the 9th April 1775, Joseph died as a result of falling off his horse and fracturing his skull. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 12th April, the same day that his newly born daughter, Sarah, was baptised.
It isn’t known who looked after the running of the inn immediately after Joseph’s death, it may have been his widow, Elizabeth. What is known is that the next innkeeper of the Angel was a Mr John Dodd but this appears to have been a temporary appointment as the tenancy of the Angel was offered the following year. A description of the inn appeared in a ‘to let’ announcement in the Newcastle Courant of the 21st September 1776. The inn is described as “consisting of two large dining rooms, fifteen other fire rooms, two exceeding good cellars, a convenient brew-house, and brewing utensils, stabling for above thirty horses, a chaise-house, a garden, and other conveniences.”
In response to the vacancy announcement a local man, Thomas Bell, applied and was granted the tenancy of the Angel. He and his wife, Mary, carried on providing hospitality to travellers until he died on the 12th April 1784. He was laid to rest at St Michael’s on the 15th April. Mary, his widow, continued as innkeeper. By November 1787, a ‘to let’ announcement appeared in the Newcastle Courant for someone to take over the tenancy as from the 12th May 1788. Research has failed to find anything concerning who took over the tenancy in 1788 but an announcement in the Newcastle Courant dated the 5th June 1790 shows “The creditors of Mr Robert Smart ……. are requested to meet at the house of Andrew Henderson, known by the sign of the Angel, in Alnwick.” Mr Henderson may well have taken the tenancy as from May 1788 but research has failed to confirm this. Various announcements in the Courant record that he was still the innkeeper in July 1791.
The next known innkeeper was a Thomas Salkeld but the date when he took over isn’t known. Research has found an announcement in the Courant dated the 14th March 1795, which states that there will be a public auction “at the house of Mr Thomas Salkeld, the Angel Inn, Alnwick.” The Courant carried further announcements in the years to follow showing that Thomas was the Angel’s innkeeper until George Coxon took over in 1805. The Newcastle Courant dated the 6th July of that year announced that he had taken over the Angel Inn “lately occupied by Mr Thomas Salkeld.” The announcement went on to say “that he assures those who may favour him with their support that no endeavour shall be wanting on his part to render the accommodation agreeable.” George Coxon continued to be the licensee of the Angel until Whitsun, 1814 when he took over the nearby Star Inn. He placed an announcement in the 1st June 1814 issue of the London Courier and Evening Gazette in which he thanked clients and friends for their custom whilst he occupied the Angel Inn.
Edward Cummings
An auction announcement in the Tyne Mercury, Northumberland and Durham and Cumberland Gazette, published on the 16th May 1815, tells us the name of the owner of the Angel Inn at this time. He was an Alnwick merchant called James Elder who had earlier been declared bankrupt, hence the sale of his property and goods. The second sale lot was the Angel Inn and the announcement read; “Lot 2nd. All that well frequented inn adjoining Lot 1, called the Angel Inn, now in the occupation of Mr. Edward Cummings, under a lease for seven years from Whitsuntide 1814.” The inn was described as “consisting of three parlours, a kitchen and a bar on the ground floor, with a cellar below part of the same, a dining room, a large pantry, four lodging rooms on the first floor and five lodging rooms on the attic storey. Also a brew house, five stables with hay and corn lofts above, a yard and a large building formerly used as a cock pit and now partly fitted up as a stable.”
Edward Cummings purchased the inn for the sum of £1005. With the purchase he became the owner as well as the innkeeper of the Angel Inn. It is known from the Dickson Archer and Thorp collection that Edward Cummings had borrowed money to effect the purchase, including borrowing £600 by way of a mortgage from a Joseph Nicholson.
A town map of Alnwick by John Wood, published in 1827, clearly shows the location of the Angel Inn, Edward’s new property, on the town’s Fenkle Street. A portion of the map is shown below.
A map showing the location of the Angel Inn, 1827
In addition to the inn, Edward was also one of the proprietors of a coach service known as ‘The Wonder Coach’ which ran between Berwick and Newcastle on a daily basis.
Edward continued to own and run the Angel until his death in June 1838, he was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 19th June. William Gibb, one of Edward’s executors and also an agent for Edward’s bank, placed an announcement in the Newcastle Journal on the 21st July 1838 that the Angel Inn was to be let with immediate effect. Applications had to be submitted to Mr Gibb by the 24th July. The successful applicant was George Adcock who previously worked as a cook at the Queen’s Head Inn, Newcastle. George ran the Angel until May 1840. The Newcastle Journal, published on the 7th March, announced that the proprietor of the Angel Inn, Mr John Clark was seeking a new tenant to take over the inn at Whitsuntide.
The cover letter found with Mary Cummings’ Last Will and Testimony (wife of Edward Cummings) REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT
Auctions and Bids
This new tenant was a local man called William Archbold, as confirmed by both the 1841 and 1851 Census records. William continued to run the Angel until his death on the 10th January 1853. He was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 12th January. His widow, Elizabeth, continued as innkeeper until a William Elliott took over circa September 1855.
William Elliot was taken to court in March 1856, as the Alnwick Mercury dated 1st April records “William Elliott of the Angel Inn, Alnwick, was fined thirty shillings (£1 – 50 pence) for selling beer in his house before half past 12 o’clock in the forenoon of Sunday, the same not being as refreshment to travellers.” Looking at the 1861 Census, it is found that William was still the innkeeper of the Angel. Intense research has failed to find any further information between 1861 and 1869, it is possible that William Elliott continued as innkeeper of the Angel.
The Alnwick Mercury, published on the 15th May 1869, announced that John White, previous the innkeeper of the nearby Half Moon Inn, had taken over the tenancy of the Angel. In the following month the Angel Inn, the Angel Brewery and two other properties were put up for auction. The auction poster confirmed that John White was the innkeeper of the Angel. The auction was held on the 23rd June at the nearby Star Inn. The successful bidder for both the inn and the brewery was a local man called William Patterson. He paid £605 for the Angel Inn and £555 for the Angel Brewery. Mr Patterson retained John White as the innkeeper. December 1873 saw various newspapers announcing that the Angel Inn and brewery were to be let again and applications were to be submitted to his solicitors, Messrs Dickson of Dickson Archer and Thorp. The successful applicant was the current innkeeper, John White.
Landlords and Landladies
February 1876 saw the Angel Inn and Brewery once more put up for sale. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 12th February announced that both were to be sold by private contract. Offers in writing were to be received by W. & W. Dickson, Solicitors, by the 26th February. The new owner of the Angel was a Ralph Watson of Morpeth. By Whitsuntide, the Angel had a new innkeeper called Mary Ann Ross. She had replaced John White who had moved to the Blue Bell Inn. However, Mary Ann did not stay long, in May 1878, the licence was transferred from her to Charles Crawford, who had been the innkeeper of the Mason’s Arms.
On the 4th October 1879, Charles found himself in front of the Alnwick magistrates, the charge against him was “permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises on Wednesday, 3rd September last.” After hearing the evidence, the magistrates found the case proven and Charles was fined £5 and ordered to pay costs. Orders were also given that his licence should be endorsed.
Ralph Watson, the owner of the Angel, died on the 12th May 1879. His two sons, Ralph and George William Watson were his executors and eventually they put the Angel up for auction once more. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 8th January 1881 carried an announcement that the Angel was to be sold by public auction on the 13th January. The inn was described as “consists of a large bar, two rooms, two kitchens and other conveniences on ground floor, with six good rooms above. Connected therewith is very extensive cellarage and ample stabling.” The successful bidder and new owner of the Angel was George Stott Smart, a master brewer and wines and spirits merchant who had premises on Clayport Street.
By the 12th May 1881, the Angel had yet another change of innkeeper, his name was James Gowenlock and his tenure was for four years. In the 21st March 1885 issue of the Alnwick Mercury, George Smart announced that he was seeking a new innkeeper.
The successful applicant and new innkeeper was John Forster who took over on the 12th May. The first mention of John Forster as the Angel’s licensee was in the Alnwick Mercury dated the 11th July 1885 which reported on a court case against a Thomas Wakenshaw who had refused to leave the Angel when asked to do so by John Forster. It was alleged that Wakenshaw had drunk twenty five glasses of ale. Wakenshaw was found guilty and fined twenty shillings (£1). If he failed to pay his fine he was to serve fourteen days in prison.
Watered Whiskey
It is not known how long John Forster remained at the Angel but at some stage a Robert Wilson became the landlord and remained as such until William Anderson took over. The transfer of licence between Wilson and Anderson was granted by the magistrates on the 3rd August 1889.
The Morpeth Herald newspaper dated the 25th October 1890 revealed that William Anderson had been in front of the Alnwick magistrates on the 18th October. The charge against him was that on the 23rd September 1890, he sold watered down whisky. Reading the report, it would appear that there had been some concerns that this had being going on for some time. The report states ‘William Anderson, innkeeper, Angel Inn, Alnwick, was summoned for selling one pint of whisky which was adulterated with 30.3% underproof of water to Police Superintendent Rutherford’. The report goes on to say that Anderson offered the whisky from a bottle but the superintendent requested that it was to be sold from the barrel. When given the whisky, for which he paid two shillings for (10 pence), Superintendent Rutherford told Anderson that it was going to be sent for analysis. He then divided the whisky into three, one part was given to Anderson, one part retained by Rutherford and the third part was sent to the county analyst. The analysis proved that the whisky had been watered down by 30.7%. The charge was proven with Anderson fined twenty shillings (£1) and ordered to pay costs of ten shillings and sixpence (521/2 pence) and the analyst’s fee, also ten shillings and sixpence. During his appearance in court, Anderson told the magistrates “I have not taken over £3 pound a week, so I cannot do a very big trade. In fact, I am leaving the house through that.”
It would appear that Anderson left the Angel soon after with his replacement being a Robert Anderson. The 1891 Census confirms that Robert was indeed the Angel’s innkeeper as does an entry in the 1894 edition of Kelly’s Directory for Northumberland.
At an unknown date a John Wright became the landlord of the Angel and at the Alnwick Petty Sessions held on the 2nd May 1896, the licence was transferred to a James Armstrong who was described as a miner from Radcliffe.
A Final Chapter
When George Smart, the Angel’s owner, died on the 23rd January 1895 his widow, Jane Ann, became the owner. In addition to the Angel Inn, Jane Ann Smart also owned the Robin Hood Inn which was also on Fenkle Street. In September 1899, she applied to the Alnwick Brewster Sessions for the licences of the Angel Inn and the Robin Hood Inn to be removed and merged into one and to be granted to the premises immediately adjoining the Robin Hood. The reasons that she gave was that she wished to provide a small hotel to cyclists and tourists to Alnwick who could not afford to stay at the better class hotels in Alnwick. Despite objections from a number of people, including the owners of the nearby Nag’s Head Hotel and the Star Hotel, the magistrates granted Jane Ann’s application.
Due to Jane Ann’s plans, the Angel Inn closed its doors for the very last time sometime in 1900 and ended over 200 years as a coaching inn.
This piece has been researched and produced by a volunteer working on the Dickson, Archer and Thorp Project. We would like to thank him for his work.
On the 29th December 1854, at about 9 o’clock in the evening, Mr John Moffat threw down and leveled a “certain rail” belonging to the Alnwick Abbey toll gate situated on the Alnwick and Eglingham turnpike road. Documents from the Dickson, Archer and Thorp collection allow us to follow this case through the courts, and can help us to unpick Moffat’s localised actions and national motives. It is thought these documents were kept as Mr William Dickson, a generational partner in the firm, had been heavily involved in the establishment and maintenance of Alnwick’s turnpike road.
Turnpike Roads and Trusts
The establishment of turnpike roads had been first encouraged by central government during the eighteenth century. To use these roads travellers were required to pay a set toll at the turnpike gate. The term “turnpike” derived from the spiked barriers placed on these toll booth gates. The levied toll would then be re-invested into the road’s maintenance and repair. This system of re-investment created a better road network; allowing for the more efficient movement of goods and the furtherance of industry.
Turnpike roads were managed by “turnpike trusts” consisting of local business owners and industrialists. To create a turnpike road the trust would request permission from central government. Once permission had been granted the trust was free to set a toll. They would then retain control over the road for 21 years, although this time could be extended by Parliament. By the passing of the last turnpike act in 1836 there had been 942 acts for new turnpike trusts across England and Wales, and turnpike roads covered roughly ⅕ of the total road network.
A series of toll booth adverts placed in the Newcastle Courant referring to the letting of turnpike toll gates and master positions. The gates referred to here would have been similar to the one Moffat leveled in 1854. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT
The turnpike toll gate Moffat damaged had been established after a meeting between the Alnwick turnpike trustees in 1826. This was evidenced in court by Joseph Archer, whom produced the trustees’ minute book obtained from the office of their clerk A. Lambert Esq. Archer also produced various other pieces of evidence to prove the gate’s legality. This included a minute book entry referring to the letting of the Toll Master position to William Patterson and a copy of the Newcastle Courant containing the original letting advert.
Queen vs Moffat
The aforementioned evidence was used against Moffat at the Northumberland Adjoined Epiphany Sessions, held on the 22nd July 1855, where Moffat faced two accusations. The first being that he had leveled the toll gate in a “malicious manner,” and the second that his actions had prevented subsequent travellers from paying the due toll.
William Patterson had only been the Alnwick gate toll master since the 13th May 1854. Prior to this he had been living in the area with his wife Margaret and their four young children.
Agreement to let the Alnwick turnpike toll to William Patterson. Also note Mr Dickson’s name included amongst the trustees, further evidence of his close involvement with the case. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT.
Yet, despite being in the position only a short while, he admitted to the court that he did;
“not collect the tolls myself generally but I authorise my daughter Alice Patterson to do so in my absence and she had principally collected them since the tenth of June last.”
Alice was his eldest child, born around 1838, and the principle witness to Moffat’s damage. She testified that Moffat had rode into Alnwick with his brother Arthur and refused to pay the designated toll. He had told Alice she could tell her father to put him before the magistrates, but that the toll was unlawful and he therefore would not pay. Upon trying to leave Alnwick hours later the Moffat brothers found themselves locked within the city. Mr Patterson still hadn’t returned to the toll gate, and Alice refused to grant them exit without receiving the outstanding payments. The men refused once more and, as also witnessed by Miss Isabella Williamson, John got down from his horse and began to level the offending gate in the following manner:
“He then started to pull down the rails between the Gate and the Gate House. These rails were in line with the gate across the road and are to prevent any one passing without paying the toll. He broke a piece off the top of one of the rails and she (Alice) told him she would rather open the gate then watch him break it.”
Alice Patterson’s witness statement, accompanied by a small sketch of the turnpike gate. REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT.
Turnpike Riots
Mr Moffat’s defence, both at the time of the act and in court, had been that the “the gate was not legal.” This opinion fed into a larger national feeling, with over a century of toll riots having occurred across England and Wales targeted at the swift spread of turnpike gates.
During the 1720s and 1730s some inhabitants of Kingswood near Bristol resented the payment of newly set tolls, which they perceived as being unfair on coal traffic. They subsequently tore down the newly erected turnpike gates and eventually won the exemption of coal traffic in the area. But, with local farmers yet to be pacified, the Bristol riots continued across the latter half of the century. In 1753 riots began in the West Riding of Yorkshire, again because coal traffic had been forced to pay heavy toll duties which had a ripple effect upon the area’s textile production.
Yet, with respect to the timing of Moffat’s stand, the most recent turnpike riots had been the “Rebecca and her Daughters” movement in rural Wales. Between 1839 and 1843 men disguised themselves as women to pull down toll gates in their areas. They referred to themselves as Rebecca’s daughters in reference to a biblical passage about the need to “possess the gates of those who hate them.”
Hence, although industrialists and entrepreneurs may have viewed turnpike gates and trusts as a positive development, small holders or independent artisans saw them as an unnecessary blight on their income and business dealings. Occupational information about the Moffat brothers places them into this latter category, with John being named as a Beanley-based farmer in Alice’s testimony and Arthur Moffat having worked as a farmer in Eglingham on the Turnpike road. It is therefore likely that John would have empathised with the concerns of his national counterparts regarding the heavy payment of tolls, and this allows us a potential insight into Moffat’s belief that the gate was unlawful.
Punishment
Irrespective of Moffat’s motivation or inspiration he was found guilty before the court of committing a misdemeanour. Whilst the collection’s documents do not specify the court’s punishment there is a letter between Mr Dickson and a clerk working for the Duke of Northumberland which ambiguously suggests an out-of-court agreement was drawn up between Moffat and the trust.
Ultimately the event does not seem to have inspired further opposition against the toll gate and, as the Duke of Northumberland assured Mr Dickson in correspondence, there was no intention to close the toll booth in the wake of the court case and the turnpike road operated as usual.
