Queen Square riots in Bristol

Background. Bristol had been represented in the House of Commons since 1295, but by 1830 only 6,000 of its 104,000 population had the vote. The second Reform Bill aimed to increase representation for industrial towns like Bristol by eliminating rotten boroughs. The House of Lords' rejection of this bill sparked widespread discontent, leading to riots in the city.

Trigger. Sir Charles Wetherell, a strong opponent of the Reform Bill, visited Bristol on 29 October 1831 to open the new Assize Courts. He was received by a mob who jeered and threw stones at him. At the Guildhall, he inflamed the situation by threatening to imprison any identified member of the mob, causing them to follow him to the Mansion House in Queen Square.

Aftermath. The riots resulted in the destruction of half the buildings in Queen Square. Approximately 100 people involved were tried in January 1832 by Chief Justice Tindal. The north and west sides of the square were quickly rebuilt, but prosperous Bristolians moved to Clifton, leaving the square to decline through the latter part of the 19th century.