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Porteus Riots :
The Act of Union in 1707 brought upon Scotland much new legislation. During this period there was a universal disregard for duties on tea, wine and spirits and smuggling was rife. The main opponents of the illicit trade were the citizens of Edinburgh and the other Royal Burghs who had the right to import foriegn goods including tea and other taxable products. This opposition was fortiefied by the support of the General Assembly of Scotland which regarded the consumption of these products as sinful.
In 1737 two smugglers (Andrew Wilson and his companion commonly known as Robertson) had been sentenced to death for robbing a customs collector. Such sentences were common and public hangings frequent but this case caught the attention of the public. On the eve of their execution Robertson and Wilson both attempted to escape from the Edinburgh Tolbooth. Robertson managed to get away but Wilson wass unable to escape but managed to aid his partner by stalling the guards.
The Edinburgh public had a loathing of the Edinburgh Tolbooth (which persists to this day in the custom of spitting on The Heart of Midlothian). News of escape spread fast and Wilson became a hero and a martyr. Security was increased and the authorities redoubled their efforts to ensure that his execution was carried out. and on the 24th of April 1737, Wilson was escorted to the gallows by the City Guard under the command of Captain Porteus.
Immediately after Wilson was hanged the attending civilians began to riot. In an attempt to calm the mob the Guard discharged a volley into the crowd killing 9 people. Porteus was tried, judged to have fired without adequate reason and sentenced to death.
However, Queen Caroline, who was governing Britain with a Council of Regency, during the absence of George II on the continent, ordered a six day stay of execution. As word spread and reached Edinburgh the general feeling was that Porteus was likely to be reprieved. A mob developed and they decided to take justice into their own hands. On the 7th of September 1737 the mob stormed the Edinburgh Tolbooth and managed to gain access to Captain Porteus. The angry mob dragged Porteus down to Mercat Cross (Edinburgh Grassmarket - scene depicted above) and hanged him from a dyer's pole.
Justice had been served and, in Edinburgh, the event was seen as a close to the case and the vigilantes were never fully pursued. In London, however, the news of the death of Captain Porteus was met differently. Both the government and Queen Caroline personally, regarded this as defiance of their authority and rebellious insolence. Severe penalties upon the city were proposed, and some were inflicted.
Notes:
1. Some stories say that both men were hanged.
2. Alternative stories say that the tolbooth had been broken into professionally in a well organised and orderly manner and as such the identity of those concerned was extremely difficult to ascertain.
3. More details may be found in Sir Walter Scott’s classic "Heart of the Midlothian".
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