Bonfire Boy John Stanbridge in Lewes Sussex 1847

Date: 1846 to 1848
Location: Lewes, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
Surnames/tags: Bonfire_Boys Lewes_Sussex Everdello

Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Bonfire Boys 2.1 Part 1: The Events of November 1846 2.2 Part 2: Special Constables 2.3 Part 3: The Fifth of November 1847 2.4 Part 4: Police Statements 3 Individuals Involved in the Case 3.1 Bonfire Boys 3.2 Police 3.3 Townspeople 3.4 Courtroom 3.5 Other 4 About the Illustrations 5 Sources

Introduction

Every November 5th in Lewes, Sussex (England, UK), a spectacular Bonfire Night takes place, with torches, fireworks, music and elaborate costumes. Thousands of people attend. The tradition began as a commemoration of the 1605 Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot, and hit a crisis point in 1847 when eight "Bonfire Boys" were sent to prison for causing a riot.

My 3rd great-grandfather John Stanbridge and his brother Thomas Stanbridge were among them.

The Bonfire Boys

Part 1: The Events of November 1846

Our readers scarcely require to be informed of the riotous proceedings which, under the guise of celebrating the Gunpowder Plot, have for many years disgraced the town of Lewes.

The grossest outrages and excesses have year after year been committed on the 5th of November, when large numbers of people disguised with masks and armed with bludgeons have held possession of the town, rolling tar barrels about the streets and letting off squibs and rockets.

Several attempts have been made to put down the nuisance, but all have failed, the "Bonfire Boys" opposing and out-numbering the strength sent against them.

Elated by their success they last year rolled a number of tar barrels to the door of Mr. Blackman, a magistrate who had denounced their lawless conduct, and lighted them sufficiently near the door to cause serious apprehension that his house would be destroyed.

Alarmed for the safety of his property, Mr. Blackman went out to remonstrate, when the ruffians maltreated him to such a degree that he was obliged to keep his bed for several weeks.

This affair determined the Magistrates to take this year decided steps for the suppression of the riots.

Part 2: Special Constables

The Magistrates assembled at eleven o'clock this morning for the purpose of swearing in a large number of Special Constables, in order to preserve the peace of the town on the approaching 5th of November.

The swearing-in attracted a great number of persons to the court, which was much crowded.

Mr. Saxby, chemist, presented a memorial from the inhabitants of Lewes, expressing a hope that the Magistrates would change their determination and direct the summonses to be withdrawn.

The Earl of Chichester: How many have been summoned?
Mr. Kell [the clerk of the court]: 170, my lord.
The Earl of Chichester: How many have signed the memorial?
Mr. Saxby: 108 signatures.
The Earl of Chichester: Did every person at the meeting sign it?
Mr. Saxby: With one single exception.

"And that's me," observed some person in the court.

The Earl of Chichester then said the course pointed out by law was a very plain one. Every one who refused to be sworn in was liable to a penalty of five pounds.

He was sorry to find that there was a reluctance to come forward in support of the law. He hoped he should not hear any more of that reluctance, because if he did, the Magistrates' duty was plain, and they would not fail to act upon it.

There was a manifestation of displeasure in the court, and the Earl of Chichester ordered the man who had caused the interruption to be turned out, but he could not be found.

The Magistrates then proceeded to swear in the persons who had been summoned. Many of them claimed exemption on grounds which produced no little amusement.

John Bates claimed exemption on the ground that he was a beer-shop keeper; but the Magistrates would not excuse him.

Benjamin Batchelor Bateman had a bad finger. The Magistrates told him to produce a certificate. He did so, and was excused.

Mr. John Gibbs said that his house was situated in a part of the town where more fireworks were let off than at any other place. He had an afflicted wife and six children to protect, and how was he to do it if he were called away?

The Earl of Chichester: Your house will be taken good care of.
Mr. Gibbs: Suppose I am ordered to any other part of the town. Shall I be obliged to leave my house?
The Earl of Chichester: You will be under orders, and the Magistrates have decided that you ought to serve. Are you willing?
Mr. Gibbs (sullenly): I am.

Mr. Kell then proceeded to administer the oath.
Mr. Kell (reading): I do swear.
Mr. Gibbs: Do swear.
Mr. Kell: That I will well and truly serve.
Mr. Gibbs. Well and truly serve. (laughter)
Mr. Kell: Our sovereign Lady the Queen.
Mr. Gibbs: Lady the Queen. (renewed laughter)
The Earl of Chichester (with warmth): This will not do, Mr. Gibbs; you must repeat the words properly. Mr. Kell, begin again, they are not repeating the words.
Mr. Kell: I do swear.
Mr. Gibbs: Well, I DO swear. (loud laughter)
The Earl of Chichester: Mr. Gibbs, you must treat the Court with proper respect.
Mr. Gibbs: I will, my lord.
Mr Kell read the oath to them, which was anything but audibly repeated.

William North, Samuel Medhurst and John Steers refused to take the oath, and were each fined five pounds.

Part 3: The Fifth of November 1847

The whole of the East Sussex Constabulary were ordered to Lewes, 200 special constables were sworn in, 80 London Police were sent down, and two troops of Lancers at Brighton were kept under arms in readiness at a moment's notice, if required.

No sooner, however, had the clock struck twelve on Thursday night, and Guy Fawkes Day thus commenced, than a lighted tar barrel, held by a chain passed through it, was set rolling down the steep part of St. Ann's Hill toward High Street, preceded by a man armed with a pick axe and disguised by a mask, and followed by about 80 others armed with bats and bludgeons, shouting and making an awful uproar.

Captain Mackay, however, had been apprised of what was to take place, and with the approbation of the Magistrates adopted a plan to suppress the nuisance.

At the foot of the hill in question, he stationed about a dozen of his men, two of whom were instructed to hold a chain from side to side of the street, to be raised on the approach of the rioters.

On their arrival at the spot in question, the chain was raised knee high, and over it fell several of the leaders.

Eight were pounced upon by the police and conveyed to the station house, while their companions took flight.

Part 4: Police Statements

Officer Flanagan:
I was on duty with several other constables in the High Street in Lewes. We were stationed at the foot of Saint Ann's Hill.

We had not been there long before I heard a very loud shouting of men, and I saw a lighted tar barrel which was being drawn down the street by several men who were making a great noise and disturbance. There were at least fifty persons with it, much of them had sticks.

One man was running in front of the barrel carrying a pick axe. He had a night cap over his face. Several other men were following the barrel and were joining in the noise.

I went towards the man who was in front with the pick axe, and said to him, "Now leave off, this won't do."

He came towards me with the pick axe in a menacing attitude, and I struck him with my staff and knocked him on one side of the road.

I then rushed among the mob who were nearest to the tar barrel and apprehended the prisoner Gosnay.

On my way to the Station House, Gosnay slipped his hand from the hand cuff and ran away but after a short pursuit I recaptured him.

Inspector Bennett:
I followed the man whom I had seen in front of the barrel [Wimhurst] and arrested him about 40 yards up the street and struck him.

He had a white cap drawn over his face with holes for his eyes and mouth. He wore a striped Guernsey Frock and a leather belt round his waist studded with pieces of tin in the form of stars.

I took him to the Station House and searched him and found upon him the printed hand bills which have been in my possession ever since.

Officer Page:
I was struck violently on the head with a long bat by one of the men--I believe by the prisoner Ashby, but I am not quite certain.

I was stunned for the moment and on recovering myself I took Ashby into custody.

I told him I believed he was the man who struck me. He denied it and said he had only just come from Brighton.

Constable Stubberfield:
I took the prisoner Jesse Fold against Mr. Funnell's shop at the foot of the street. I struck him with my staff and threw him on the ground. He said, "Don't hurt me."

Superintendent Harper came up and placed the handcuffs on him.

Sergeant Akehurst:
I observed the prisoner [Jesse] Fold amongst the crowd. I also saw the prisoner Thomas Stanbridge, whom I apprehended.

The prisoner John Stanbridge then came up and said, "If you take my brother, you shall take me, for I'll be d---d if he shall go alone."

I gave him in charge to one of the constables.

Bennett: You spoke of assisting in taking Stanbridge?
Captain Mackay: Yes.
Bennett: He was some distance from the tar barrel, was he not?
Mackay: He was running away from it.
Bennett: Was he doing anything else besides running away?
Mackay: No

That was the case for the prosecution.

Bennett: I think I should be able to shew that not more than one ought to be committed for trial; but it would be perfectly useless to address the Court, if the Magistrates have made up their minds that there was a riot, and that they will commit.

The Earl of Chichester: They have made up their minds.

Afterword

John Stanbridge's brother was sentenced to six months hard labour, and John was sent to prison for a month.

Ten years later, his wife gave birth to a daughter named Charlotte Stanbridge (my great-great grandmother.)

Of course, she was born on November the 5th!

Remember, remember, the fifth of November!"

Individuals Involved in the Case

Bonfire Boys

Thomas Stanbridge (age 30)
John Stanbridge (age 27)
George Gosney (age 23)
James Wimhurst (age 19)
George Edward Ashby (age 20)
Jesse Fold (age 39)
Joseph Robinson (age 18)
Thomas Attwood (age 19)

Police

Chief Constable Henry Fowler Mackay
Officer James Flanagan [of Cuckfield]
Officer Elam Page [of Lewes]
Constable Charles Stubberfield
Superintendent Harper
Sergeant James Akehurst
James Bennett [of Wadhurst]

Townspeople

Mr. Saxby (chemist)
John Bates
Benjamin Batchelor Bateman
John Gibbs
William North
Samuel Medhurst
John Steers

Courtroom

Sir Henry Blackman (magistrate)
3rd Earl of Chichester--Henry Pelham (1804-1886)
Mr Kell (clerk of the court)
Bennett (prosecutor)

Other

Guy Fawkes

About the Illustrations

Joanne Stanbridge learned about the Bonfire Boys when she was researching her family tree in 2011. She created this illustrated version of the events for her family and posted it on her blog Storydello. A version can also be found on the Internet Archive under her artist name: Everdello. The artwork is free for sharing and viewing under a Creative Commons licence "Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International."

Sources

• Lewes Bonfire Night Celebrations [online] Lewes website (https://lewes.co.uk/bonfire.aspx  : accessed 23 September 2023).

• Lewes Bonfire Celebrations, by Alex Leith [online] Viva Lewes website (http://www.lewesbonfirecelebrations.com/article/1847-bonfire-riots/  : accessed 23 September 2023).

• Police Depositions, "Trial of Eight Men for Riot and Tumult in Lewes, 5 November, 1847." 18-page document received via email 9 Aug 2011 from The National Archives (TNA) U.K. Reference number ASSI 36/6/9. Description: Sussex. Accused: T Stanbridge, J Robinson, T Attwood, J Wilmshurst, G Goosney, G Ashby, J Fold, J Stanbridge. Offence: Riot and tumult. Catalogue entry https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6692749 : accessed 23 September 2023.

• England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892 [database] Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 July 2011), entry for John Stanbridge, date of trial 20 March 1848, sentenced to imprisonment; citing The National Archives of the UK, Home Office: Criminal Registers, Middlesex and Home Office: Criminal Registers, England and Wales, series HO 27, piece 86, page 276.

• Newspaper transcriptions and excerpts from the Brighton Gazette and Sussex Express; kindly shared via email, with sincere appreciation to Jim Etherington, of the Lewes Historical Society, August 2011.

• "Lewes: Fifth of November Riots," Brighton Gazette, Thursday 11 Nov 1847, page 7.

• "Examination and Trial of the Fifth of November Rioters," Sussex Advertiser, 16 Nov 1847, page 5.

• "Lewes: Sussex Lent Assizes: The Lewes Fifth of November Rioters," Brighton Gazette, 30 March 1848, page 7.

• "Spring Assizes, Home Circuit, Lewes, March 23," The Times (London), 24 March 1848, page 7, cols 4-5.

• Sussex Agricultural Express, 23 October 1847, excerpt transcribed by Jim Etherington of the Lewes Historical Society and kindly provided via email, August 2011.