Writing on Friday June 2nd 1780 Richard Hall noted "A Remarkable day for a vast Concourse of persons Assembling and going up to the House of Commons with a Petition to repeal the late Acts made in favour of the Papists." It was apparently a "very Fine day, very warm."

The weather over the next couple of days turned wet and cold, but Richard got on with daily life ("Smoak'd a pipe with Mr Booth") and on the Tuesday noted that the Mob were still protesting about 'The Popery Acts'. By Wednesday 7th June things were getting out of hand and in the extract shown above Richard records:

"Sad rioting last night with the Mob - set Fire to the Inside of Newgate, let out the Prisoners, pull'd down Lord Mansfield's House etc. An awful time. May the Lord be our defence and still the tumults of the people. Part dull, part fine-ish, cool."

This was followed the next day by "Still sad rioting. Marshall Law took place. We had soldiers in the Vestry Room" (at St Magnus the Martyr Church, next to where Richard was living) "to guard the Toll House and Waterworks."

This demonstrated the importance of the area giving access to London Bridge, where the tolls were collected from pedestrians and carriages alike, and of the Waterworks on the other side of the road from St Magnus, which daily pumped water into elm conduits leading to private houses throughout the City. The rioting forced Richard to leave the area for his own safety ("I went and Slept at Mr Robarts. Pretty fine day. Cool").

The next couple of days appeared quieter and life got back to normal, although Richard continued to spend his nights at the home of Mr Robarts.

Richard's daughter came back off her holiday (in the Cotswolds) and Richard was able to take her to see the Waxworks and St Pauls. ("Through Mercy our Neighbourhood and City quiet").

The experience may have hastened Richard's decision, after a couple of days, to go to Bourton on the Water for a fortnight. By the time he got back, all was peace and quiet. The army were still in evidence for some weeks ("Went with Patty to see the Camp in Museum Gardens, Tuesday August 1st"). In general though things were back to normal ("washed Feet") and it was time to spruce up the shop premises at One London Bridge ("Began to Whitewash the Shop and Counting House Ceilings and to Paint the front of the Shop. Dull in Morning, fine in Afternoon, hot").

Slowly the city got back on its feet and the inquest into the mob violence could get underway, along with the trials of those arrested as ring-leaders.

                                                   Lord Gordon, courtesy of Wikipedia

An odd postscript: Lord Gordon, who was considered a ringleader and was charged with offences linked to the rioting, was acquitted. He was the godson of the late King George II. A few years later saw him converted to Judaism and he adopted the name Yisrael bar Avraham Gordon.