Victorian London Scrapbook

By: Chelsea Katz and Danielle Mackson

GORDON RIOT

(Event)

•Lord George Gordon, a retired navy lieutenant, was strongly opposed to proposals for Catholic Emancipation.

•On 2nd July, 1780, Gordon led a crowd of 50,000 people to the House of Commons to present a petition for the repeal of the 1778 Roman Catholic Relief Act, that had removed certain disabilities.

•This demonstration turned into a riot and for the next five days many Catholic chapels and private houses were destroyed.

•On the 7th July, the army was called out and it was later reported that 285 of the rioters were killed, 173 wounded and 139 arrested.

•Lord George Gordon was tried for high treason but was found not guilty.

•Twenty five of the rioters were hanged and• twelve imprisoned. It is estimated that over• £180,000 worth of property was destroyed• during the Gordon Riots.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE

(Commerce)

•The Royal Exchange at Threadneddle Street was originally set up by Sir Thomas Gresham in 1566 in an attempt to replace the Bourse at Antwerp as the chief European market-place.

•London merchants met here daily and soon became the centre of the country's industry. Elizabeth I named it the Royal Exchange in 1571.

•The building has twice been destroyed by fire but on both occasions it was rebuilt on the same site.

• Sir William Tite was commissioned to design and build a new Royal Exchange in 1842.

• It has for a long time been the headquarters of the GuardianRoyal Exchange Assurance Group.