On this day, 2 October 1766 the Great Cheese Riot of Nottingham, England, began. At the annual Goose Fair, a mob formed who were angry at the excessive price of cheese, and groups of mostly women and children seized cheeses and began wheeling or carrying them away.
The mayor attempted to restore order but was knocked down by a cheese. Two or three of the crowd were arrested, so then the crowd attacked the building housing them, tearing up the pavement and smashing its windows until they were released.
The army arrived the next day and serious clashes with rioters occurred, with soldiers repeatedly firing at crowds, killing one William Egglestone by accident as he attempted to guard some cheese. Still, on Saturday rioting and expropriations continued, with a crowd seizing a boat full of cheese. Several hundred people then attempted to burn a windmill before eventually retreating from the soldiers who had been sent to defend it.
We have produced museum-quality, durable posters commemorating the event to help fund our work available here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/agustin-huartehttps://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/2097052367146569/?type=3
