10 South End, Black Bull, Bassingbourn

History of 10 South End

Listed Building:

House, formerly an inn. Two buildings, early and late C17 with later alterations. Timber-framed and plastered, plain tiled roof and red brick end stacks, thatched roof to left hand.

1831 (December 19th): A riot took place at the pub when unemployed men discovered that James Unitt, the farm foreman had organised a meeting with his boss and other important local people to see what could be done to create work. After Unitt had arrived more men and women joined the crowd who broke windows then entered the inn. The crowd were estimated to be about 250 people. Unitt was chased from house to house. For men and a woman were convicted for their part in the riot.

Huntingdon, Bedford and Peterborough Gazette, 17 March 1832

THE BASSINGBOURN RIOT.

THOMAS HOPES, WM. DOCWRA, MARTHA CUBIS, GEORGE CUBIS, and JAMES HARRADICE, were charged with assaulting James Unitt, and causing a riot on the 19th of December.—Mr. AUSTIN and Mr. J. P. BYLES were counsel for the prosecution, and Messrs. NASH and WEDD, solicitors. Counsel for the defendants, Mr. SMITH; Solicitor, Mr. Bays.—Mr. AUSTIN stated the case for the prosecution. It appeared to be the wish of the farmers of Bassingbourne, in conjunction with Mr. Hawkins, a magistrate, to introduce a system into the parish for the employment of the labourers, similar to that which is adopted at Baldock, and the learned Counsel was about to explain its nature, when he was stopped by his LORDSHIP, who said they were not sitting to inquire into the Baldock system. Mr. Austin then said he should content himself with saying that it was a most outrageous riot, which he should be able to prove in evidence.

James Unitt is superintendant, under Mr. Poynter, of the poor of Baldock. On the 19th of December, at the request of the parish officers of Bassingbourne, went to that parish. Upon entering it saw from 25 to 40 labourers standing together. They shouted very loud all the way while witness was going to the Bull Inn. Had been there but a few minutes when he was joined be Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. C. Clerk, Mr. Hawkins (the magistrate), and others. The crowd broke into the room where they were sitting, and smashed the windows. Saw the female defendant (Cubis) there. Hopes and the other defendants were also present, except Harradice. Hopes went up to witness with his arms folded, who begged that he would not hurt him, assuring him that they had not entered into any arrangements. Hopes immediately seized witness by the collar, and tore his coat. Was carried off his feet out of the room into the passage, where he was kicked and beaten. Mr. Clere came to his assistance, and endeavoured to protect him, but the crowd forced witness into the street, when several called out “Kill him—take him to the pond, and finish him—Burke him.” The mob at that time consisted of about 250 persons. They hustled and pelted him with stones and mud. Was offered refuge in two houses, but the mob prevented his entering them. Was ultimately compelled to leave the village. His shirt and clothes were very much torn. The crowd pursued him into the village of Lidlington, where he made an attempt to get on horseback, but his assailants would not permit him, and they said if he did they would kill both him and the horse. He tried to address the mob. At first they would not listen to him, but at length he succeeded in obtaining a hearing, when he told them that he had no intention of doing them any harm, and that if they would go with him to Baldock, and could find an individual there who would give him a bad name, he would give them 5s. each. They at last suffered him to depart. He was very much beaten, and bruised all over the body. Was confined to his bed for three days.—Cross-examined by Mr. SMITH: Never heard the mob say they would not be sold to another parish.

Mr. Hawkins stated that he was a magistrate for the county of Cambridge, and lived at Royston. On the 16th December went to Mr. Clere’s, at Bassingbourne. Saw fourteen or fifteen men and women. They called to Mr. Clere’s labourers, who were putting on their clothes and leaving work. Saw Hopes and Docwra there, and asked them what they wanted? They said they were determined that the man who was coming should not take their children away from them. Witness told them it was nonsense—nothing of the sort was intended, and if they had a great aversion to the plan contemplated he would pledge himself it should not be proceeded in. The worthy magistrate then corroborated the testimony of the last witness.

Mr. Lilley, a farmer of Bassingbourne, and the overseer of the parish, also detailed the particulars of the riot, and the ill-treatment of Mr. Unitt, and identified Hopes, Docwra, Cubas, and the female (Cubas), as being present.—Cross-examined by Mr. SMITH: Somebody in the crowd said they had no objection to work for witness, but they did not like to be under Unitt.

Mr. Wilkinson stated, that, on finding a strong excitement in the village he had his horse got ready, intending to ride out and prevent Mr. Unitt from entering the parish, but finding he had arrived, witness went to the Bull. Saw the riot. All the prisoners were engaged in it.—Cross-examined by Mr. SMITH: Never saw Harradice throw any thing; he only looked in Unitt’s face. Hopes and Docwra were in witness’s service at the time.

Mr. Clere witnessed the riot. Saw all the prisoners in the mob.

Mr. Hoye, of Lidlington, deposed that on the 19th of December a mob collected in that village. Saw Harradice amongst them, who is a shopkeeper at Lidlington, and heard him call to the mob several times to fetch Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Clere out of Mr. Dickinson’s house.

Mr. SMITH, on the part of the defendants, addressed the Jury in a very animated manner, and said that as no defence could be set up which would justify a violation of the law, still he trusted the jury would take the different shades of guilt into their consideration, and more especially the cause of the excitement which produced the riot; and they had it from a highly respectable witness that the labourers had acted under a false impression that their children were about to be severed from their parents, and the care of them transferred to other hands. The learned counsel concluded by hoping to see the day return when the labourers would look to the farmers as their protectors, and the farmers to their labourers as their children.

The learned JUDGE, in summing up the evidence to the jury, amongst other remarks, stated that it ought to be made generally known that, in case of riot, all persons who were aiding and abetting in the disturbance, even if they did not themselves commit any actual violence, were equally culpable in the eye of the law, and that if the riot was attended with loss of life, they were all guilty of the crime of murder, and subject to the punishment of death.—The Jury found all the prisoners Guilty, but recommended Harradice to the consideration of the court.

The Grand Jury at this time entered the Court, and presented all the bills which had been laid before them. Amongst the rest was one against James Unitt, the prosecutor in the case of the Bassingbourne riot.—His LORDSHIP then dismissed the Grand Jury, thanking them for the services they had rendered the country, and remarked that it was fitting the magistrates should take into consideration the very inconvenient state of the Court, which was such as to occasion the witnesses great difficulty in getting into the witness-box, where considerable delay was occasioned.

GEORGE CUBIS (one of the defendants in the Bassingbourne riot) and SERGEANT CHURCH, were indicted for assaulting the constable of Royston.—They were both found Guilty, and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and hard labour.

His LORDSHIP then proceeded to pass sentence upon the prisoners convicted of the riot at Bassingbourne: Hopes, Docwra, Martha Cubis, and John Cubis, twelve months’ imprisonment and hard labour—the sentence of the last-mentioned prisoner to commence at the expiration of his imprisonment for assaulting the constable; and James Harradice, three months and hard labour. When this sentence was passed, poor Harradice dropped down upon the floor in a fit, which, with the lamentations of his mother, and other friends of the parties who were in Court, formed a scene truly distressing.

Note: The report names George Cubis at the beginning but John Cubis in the sentencing paragraph; both are transcribed as printed.