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Great Britain - 1809

The Old Price Riots - silvered

Obverse:

Head wearing long wig with pins sticking in it, trumpet and fans, etc., below.

Legend:

OH MY HEAD AITCHES

Exergue:

OBSTINANCY

Size:

25 mm.

Reverse:

.OP.

Legend:

JOHN BULL'S JUBILEE

Exergue:

CLIFFORD FOR EVER

Vern's Comments:

After our experiences in the past century it is perhaps surprising to hear that the worst civil disorder in Great Britain during the Napoleonic era centered around the price increase that occured in 1809 at the new Covent Garden Theatre. An astute observer of the times, the painter Joseph Farington left the following comments in his diary for 1809:

September 21. Went to the Post Office where I found letters from Mr. Lysons and from Mr. [Thomas] Lawrence, dated on Tuesday, giving me an acct. of the proceedings at the opening of Covent Garden Theatre the preceeding evening, where riot and organised disturbance prevented the Play from being heard. The opposition was to the prices of the Boxes & Pit being raised, and to Madame Catalani being employed. Macbeth was the Play in which Kemble & Mrs. Siddons appeared.

Farington kept a small notebook that he carried around town with him. The following note came from it:

On Friday night, Sept. 22nd, at Covent Garden Theatre, where every preceeding night from Mond. Sept. 18th, there had been the most violent opposition to raising the prices, Mr. Kemble came forward & told the audience that the Proprietors, in order to restore the public tranquility, were ready & desirous to submit the inspection of the state of their affairs to a Committee of Gentlemen of unimpeachable impartiality and Honour. -On Saturday the 23rd. the rioting continued. At length Mr. Kemble came forward, & said, “As Ladies & Gentleman from the side Boxes have very properly suggested that the accounts ought to be printed for the public, they shall be so.” Disapprobation prevailed. Mr. Kemble continued, & said that finding the engagement with Madam Catalani was not congenial to the public mind her engagement is relinquished. The Audience now hurled up their hats & went away. -Mr. Kemble added that the Proprietors thought they cd. not do a fairer thing by the public than to make them as well acquainted with their concerns as they are themselves; and as this seems to be the sense of the majority till this examination is over the Theatre shall be shut.-

Finally, Farington gave this summary toward the end of the year. The compromise mentioned by BHM is probably the result of the meeting of December 4th. First though he made a note about a streaker!:

December 8. -Decr. 7th. at Hick's Hall, John Tyre, an inhabitant of Islington, was sentenced to two months imprisonment in Newgate, for bathing himself in the New River, and afterwards running naked in the field in front of the Houses of Highbury Place. The Court declared it subversive of public decency.
On Thursday, Decr. 4th. a numerous Assembly of those who have contended for Old Prices at Covent Garden Theatre met at the Crown & Anchor Tavern and dined together. Mr. Clifford in the Chair. -After dinner Clifford informed the company that there had been a message to Him from Mr. Kemble which ended in an interview. Mr. Kemble expressed every disposition to conciliate, as far as he shd. be authorised to do. Mr. Kemble was then in the House, & if the company wd. give Him the assurance that Mr. Kemble shd. not experience any incivility He wd. be happy to introduce Him. -The applauses of the company were considered an assurance. -Mr. Kemble was placed on a seat at the right hand of Mr. Clifford.-
To charges which had been made, Mr. Kemble first replied, -"That as to the Magistrates reading the riot act it was a proceeding of theirs unknown to the Proprietors of the Theatre."
Kemble Applauded
The demands made were, -First that private boxes should, in number and in situation, be the same as they were in 1802 before Mr. Kemble became a Proprietor and Manager of the Old Covent Garden Theatre. 2nd. that the price of admission to the Pit should be reduced to 3s. 6d. but that the demand of 7 shillings for the Boxes should be allowed. 3d. that an apology on the part of the Managers would be expected, and that Brandon on acct. of His bad conduct, shd. forthwith be dismissed. 4th. That all prosecutions and actions on each side should be quashed. -These resolutions were agreed to except the dismissal of Brandon, which Mr. Kemble had no authority to do. -On Friday night the 15th. Mr. Kemble announced from the Stage that Brandon had been removed from His office. -Mr. Kemble also made an apology in His own name & that of the other proprietors for improper persons having been admitted to the Theatre. -Mr. Kemble then performed the character of Penruddock & was much applauded.-

BHM:

AE 25 by ?
AE N.
AM; BM; BMAG; UM.

The word 'AITCHES' in the obverse legend refers to Kemble's affectation for pronouncing 'aches'. Clifford was a theatregoer who was assaulted by Brandon the box keeper for wearing an O.P. badge in his hat. Clifford brought an action against Brandon and won his case. At a dinner held to celebrate this victory a compromise with Kemble was achieved. The boxes were allowed to be priced at 7 shillings (35p), the price for the pit revert to three shillings and sixpence (17½p). Brandon was dismissed and a formal apology was given. See also note to No. 675.

from British Historical Medals 1760-1960, Volume I, pp. 166