Champion skating match, Wisbech, 1891 (J Kennerell)

Wisbech Data

Wisbech general information

Wisbech was once the largest corn shipping port in the country. By 1680 the main cargoes were corn and rape seed.

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1740 (September)

Thomas Higgins and William Organer hanged as ringleaders during corn riot the previous month. Wheat was stolen from granaries and tradesmen were robbed. Damage was estimated to be around £500-£600. (A Grim Almanac of Cambridgeshire, p138)

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Between 1778 and 1850 21 ships were launched into the Nene from quays at Wisbech. Between 1831 and 1856, 213 vessels were registered at Wisbech and Sutton Bridge.

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1889 ships 245 ft in length were able to enter the port.

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1823 24 January

Skating match on river near brewery for £10 prize. J Young of Nordelp beat James Egar or Thorney and May of Upwell.

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1913 (October)

There was a riot on the day the news of Dr Horace Dimock’s death. He had been rafted in to assist in clearly the backlog of cases that had built up when local doctors had refused to work under the terms o the 1911 National Insurance Act. Locals people supported Dr Dimock and some of the other doctors received aggressive messages. As a result Dr Dimock was arrested on a charge of criminal libel and remanded on bail. he returned to his parents’ farm at Stretham and took a fatal overdoes. Local people then rioted outside the houses of the doctors considered responsible. It was only after two days of riots that police dispersed the rioters by force.