RIOTS and mob rule raged in the streets of Worcester at this time exactly 200 years ago after many months during which the nation had been gripped by desperate shortages of grain, flour and other basic food-stuffs.

Mobs had run riot in many towns and cities up and down the Kingdom in anger at the exorbitant price of bread and other essentials, quite beyond the purses of the poor.

Berrow's Journal for this week of 1801 stated: "With great concern, we relate that a numerous body of persons assembled in this City on Saturday morning last and, under the delusive idea that ill-treating the dealers in provisions would reduce prices, attacked the butter women, butchers and fruit and vegetable sellers in The Shambles and compelled many of them to dispose of their commodities at reduced prices.

By the exertions of the Magistrates and several respectable inhabitants, assisted by the Constables and by a party of the 7th Dragoon Guards now quartered here, order was at last restored, but in the evening the mob again assembled and pillaged the shop of a baker in Broad Street of all the bread it contained.

However, as the mob was proceeding to other acts of violence, it was fortunately checked by the interposition of civil power added, as in the morning, by many inhabitants and the militia.

On Monday, a public meeting was convened by the Mayor at the Guildhall to consider the most effectual means of preserving the peace. A resolution was passed unanimously expressing the necessity which existed for the principal inhabitants to unite for the purpose of instantly suppressing every future attempt to violate the peace.

In consequence, a great number of Gentlemen and Tradesmen present at the meeting were sworn in as Special Constables, and several others have since stepped forward and cheerfully accepted the office.

A feeble attempt was made on Monday evening to renew the tumult but, with the exception of a few panes of glass being broken in the shop window of a baker in Foregate Street, no further mischief ensued. This is attributed to the prompt and active co-operation of the Magistrates, Constables and Special Constables who assembled on the first alarm and apprehended several refractory persons who refused to retire to their homes when required.

Most of them were kept in our County Gaol for the night but were discharged the next morning on promising not to offend again in a like manner.

The City is now completely tranquil and we trust it will remain so, particularly with the warning that the police will take into custody anyone fomenting disturbances and will deliver them over to the vengeance of those laws which, by such unjustifiable conduct, they will have offended.

The Journal went on to stress that in no place in the country had the opulent and humane exerted greater measures to alleviate the plight of the poor during the food shortages than in Worcester. This, therefore, doubled the injustice of the violence of the local mob.