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REBECCA RIOTS

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Originally appearing in Volume V22, Page 950 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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REBECCA RIOTS , the name given to some disturbances which occurred in 1843 in the counties of See also:

Pembroke, See also:Carmarthen, Glamorgan, See also:Cardigan and See also:Radnor, after a slight outbreak of the same nature four years previously. During a See also:period of exceptional See also:distress the rioting was caused mainly by the heavy charges at the See also:toll-See also:gates on the public roads in See also:South See also:Wales, and the rioters took as their See also:motto the words in See also:Genesis See also:xxiv. 6o, " And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, See also:Thou See also:art our See also:sister, be thou the See also:mother of thousands of millions, and let thy See also:seed possess the See also:gate of those which hate them." Many of the rioters were disguised as See also:women and were on horseback; each See also:band was led by a See also:captain called " Rebecca," his followers being known as " her daughters." They destroyed not only the gates but also the toll-houses, and the See also:work was carried out suddenly and at See also:night, but usually without violence to the toll-keepers, who were allowed to depart with their belongings. Emboldened by success, a large band of rioters marched into the See also:town of Carmarthen on the loth of See also:June and attacked the workhouse, but on this occasion they were dispersed by a See also:troop of See also:cavalry which had hurried from See also:Cardiff. The Rebeccaites soon became more violent and dangerous. They turned their See also:attention to other grievances, real or fancied, connected with the See also:system of See also:land-holding, the See also:administration of See also:justice and other matters, and a See also:state of terrorism quickly prevailed in the See also:district. Under these circumstances the See also:government despatched a large number of soldiers and a strong See also:body of See also:London See also:police to South Wales, and the disorder was soon at an end. In See also:October a See also:commission was sent down to inquire into the causes of the riots. It was found that the grievances had a genuine basis; See also:measures of See also:relief were introduced, and South Wales was relieved from the See also:burden of toll-gates, while the few rioters who were captured were only lightly punished.

End of Article: REBECCA RIOTS

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