Riots in Melksham
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2013-07-13 20:12:45 - Graham EllisMelksham has a place in history - with riots in 1738, 1747 and 1750. From Wiltshire Community Hostory ... "In Melksham, unlike Trowbridge, the [clothier] industry suffered further decline in the 18th century and it was also plagued with disputes and disturbances. In 1738 a leading clothier, Henry Coulthurst, had his house and mills wrecked by weavers during a dispute over wages and eventually troops were sent in, some of the rioters were tried and three were executed. There were further riots in 1747 and 1750 and dragoons were sent to the town to help keep order. Some clothiers went bankrupt in the mid 18th century and the industry continued to decline. This does not seem to have had too much effect on building in the town for, although there are no clothiers’ mansions here, many of the buildings on the main streets date from this century. By this time the major route through the town, King Street, High Street and Bank Street, was built up.". And a further descriptions [here]. The police weren't taking any chances today - here are some scenes outside Well House Manor.
Things started to get a little warm when two young ladies put up barriers blocking traffic at 4:30 - a full hour before the parade started from the other end of town - outside the Texaco garage. Irate people, trying to drive home before the carnival, found themselves blocked and with no positive alternative suggested to them, and no sensible reason given. "We have been told to stop all traffic".
The garage operator was seriously concerned, with people turning in temper on her forecourt - an accident waiting to happen, and a tanker load of petrol due any minute. I was less than happy, as I had advised our customers to approach from Bowerhill knowing there would be a road closure while the parade passed and on the town side of us. I approached the young ladies and asked why the block was on so early, why it was a much longer section blocked than in previous years, whether they could let people visiting our business through, as it was well before the parade route. "We're just volunteers and we've been told to do this". Hmmm - "is that a copy of the street closure order you're holding? What does it say?". "Oh no - we don't have any paperwork - we've been told to stop all traffic here and we can't let anything through". "OK - we're a 24 hour business, we're expecting visitors and we were not told. What should we do?" "Nothing can go through. But we will call the police." And call the police they did... ("We're getting nothing but abuse" I heard them say - funny that, as what they were getting was a stream of good questions, from a lot of people, which they couldn't answer. I heard no abuse, though there may have been some from others).
And, now here's a surprise, the police told them to move the barrier to the usual place. Much safer for the garage. Our guests could get in - and several of our neighbours came over, said "hi" and "thank you" and "I was going to join in too if you needed more guns". And we got ourselves some more police.
For saying that we got more police, they were much more professional (well, they would be) than the illtrained jobsworth volunteers who, I noticed, say "nothing can pass" then let the police through. The police cleared the traffic, let those who could reasonably and sensibly get home before the parade do so, and we let people who had been caught out park at Well House Manor. The police even got a chance to watch.
And indeed I took some pictures of the parade too - I'll have a look at what I got, and post them tomorrow - but here's my starter.
See also [here] for more overzealous police activity and how their superior then had to cover their tracks as they had rather overstepped their remit. Old habits die hard with those who take it upon themselves to try and order us about!