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. Other buildings attacked and damaged included
the Bank of England, King's
Bench Prison, Newgate Prison and
Fleet Prison.
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.
However, 25 of the rioters were hanged and twelve imprisoned. It is
estimated that over £180,000 worth of property was destroyed
during the Gordon Riots.
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