Description

The Nottingham cheese riot, also known as the Great Cheese Riot, started on 2 October 1766 at the city's annual Goose Fair. Coming at a time of food shortages and rising foodstuff prices in England, violence broke out when city residents attempted to prevent Lincolnshire merchants taking away Nottinghamshire cheeses they had bought at the fair. A warehouse, shops and a cargo boat were looted and hundreds of cheese wheels were rolled through the streets by angry rioters. Government troops were deployed when the mayor of Nottingham, Robie Swann, was unable to restore control; one man was killed and several wounded as the military opened fire on the rioters. Order was eventually restored after several days of unrest.