Lace Riot Walk - Bench No. 5

Bench No. 5 - The Museum

The Scots Greys arrived on the morning of 23rd August and were greeted with some ribald comments from a crowd of a couple of hundred townspeople. Meanwhile the strikers gathered on an open piece of ground known as Field Bars, a couple of hundred yards up from the Museum. They then marched to the Perry Street Lace Mill in Tatworth, a small village on the outskirts of Chard, and persuaded the workers there to join them and they all marched back to Chard. All four Lace Mills in Chard were now on strike.

The Scots Greys were only in the town for an hour before they were called away. The arrival of the Ilminster Yeomanry at dusk created a tense atmosphere in the town and they were greeted with yells and shouting and a few stones.

They were lodged in the Phoenix Hotel. The Mayor and Aldermen spent the evening swearing in dozens of special constables ready for any trouble to begin the next day.

Listen to Track 5 below: