MP's new book recounts days of riot and rebellion in Edinburgh

IT was meant to be a day of celebrations for the birthday of George III, an annual event throughout the land.

But on June 4, 1792, an angry mob began three days of rioting in the centre of Edinburgh.

Three years after the French Revolution, the spirit of rebellion had spread to the citizens of the Capital. At least one person was killed, the

Lord Provost’s house was stoned and effigies of Home Secretary Henry Dundas were burned in the street.

The riots are detailed in a new book by former Justice Secretary, now East Lothian SNP MP Kenny MacAskill, tracing Scotland’s radical history between the 1780s and the 1820s.

He writes: “In the weeks before the King’s birthday, handbills were distributed within Edinburgh calling for people to take action. The types of pamphlet varied form anonymous letters calling for effigies of Dundas to be burned, to death threats against prominent individuals.”

Mr MacAskill describes how Lord Provost James Stirling sent out patrols to tear down posters and remove handbills, but it had no effect.

“Trouble started on the evening of Monday 4 June and went on until the Wednesday night. Crowds of up to 2,000 people gathered in the High Street and from there things quickly escalated. A sentry box was torn from the ground on the High Street and carried down the Royal Mile to the Nethrbow Port. There it was burned and the crowd began setting off fireworks. Dragoons who were coming up the High Street were set upon and forced to retreat.

”The Lord Provost had arranged for troops to be on hand and they were called out as the authorities began to lose control.

”The Riot Act was read by the Sheriff, with the Lord Provost ordering the dragoons to confront the crowd. Mounted troops then rode their horses along pavements to disperse the crowd, but this just led many demonstrators to escape into stairwells or up closes where cavalry could not follow.”

The following day about 20 protesters marched with an effigy of Dundas to George Square.

“Gathering outside the house of Lady Arniston, Henry Dundas’s mother, who lived in a grand building in the square, they set light to the effigy and began throwing missiles, which broke several windows.”

The Sheriff tried to intervene without success, troops were sent for and eventually the crowd was dispersed.

But Mr MacAskill writes: ”Trouble simply moved elsewhere. The crowd began pursuing the Sheriff and soliders who were heading towards St Andrew Square, where there were rumours another disturbance had broken out. No disorder was found.

”A group of about 50 young men then returned to Lady Arniston’s house and confronted the soldiers stationed there. They proceeded to stone the house and broke all of its ground-floor windows. By this time the Sheriff had returned with the main body of his troops and the crowd were caught between two sets of soldiers. Shots were fired in the air and the crowd retreated out of the square into nearby Crichton Street.

”At this point things quickly escalated. It is not known whether the crowd simply did not believe the troops would fire or if some were carried away by the events. The Sheriff gave the order and a first fusillade was fired in the air. No-one was injured but the action did not have its desired effect as the crown continued to press. A second and more lethal volley was then fired, which killed one demonstrator and badly wounded several others. This put an end to the disturbances for the evening and the crowd quickly dispersed”.

On the Wednesday, the crowds were more numerous and determined than ever, Mr MacAskill writes. Around 2000 gathered in George Square, but when the troops guarding Lady Arniston’s house moved towards the protesters they left the scene.

”Rather than simply dispersing they headed as a group towards St Andrew Square where the Lord Provost’s house was located.Stones were throw and sentry boxes outside the house were ripped up and propped against the door in an attempt to start a fire.

”Although the attempt to burn the house down failed, every window was broken by a deluge of missiles, all whilst the Lord Provost’s terrified wife and daughters sheltered inside.”

Troops were sent for and the crowd slipped away, bringing the disturbances to an end.

”A round-up was carried out on this final night of the riots and a few arrests were made but it was basically only stragglers and drunks who were detained.”

Attempts to identify the ringleaders were unsuccessful despite the offer of a 150 guineas reward and a pardon for anyone willing to testify.