From Oldham Chronicle, 1868

Our Hollinwood correspondent writes:— This village has at length been visited by an offshoot of the riotous spirit. The Irish, in this case, were the aggressing party.

It appears that a little before five o’clock on Wednesday morning, 27th May, eleven ruffian looking men, whose ages varied from about 25 to 40, were seen to enter the village, coming from the direction of Oldham. They appeared to be somewhat fresh in liquor, and their clothes were soiled as if they had been lying on the ground. About half of them were said to be respectably attired, and had the appearance of tailors, whilst the others looked like out workmen, and they spoke with an Irish accent. They jostled against several workmen they met upon the road, and used insulting language, as if bent on kicking up a row.
 
When they got near the Congregational Chapel a person named Smith saw one of them throw a stone through the window. Smith was in his own house at the time, and called upstairs to his mother that the “Fenians” were breaking the chapel windows. Mrs smith ran to the window, and seeing a man throw a second stone, called out as loudly as she could, and asked him what they were about, whereupon one turned round with an impudent grin, and said “The top o’ the morning to yez.” Mrs Smith called out “I can swear to you at any rate,” (identify him), and they then made a short run.

She ran out of the house in a state of semi—nudity, and aroused the neighbours as well as she was able, and she saw them stop at the Jireh Baptist Church, which is about 100 yards below, and begin to throw stones at the windows. They then turned up Hollins Road and she saw nothing more of them. One or two others saw the windows broken, but dared not interfere, and being so early in the morning they made their escape before the inhabitants could be aroused.
 
Two windows were broken in the Independent Chapel, one being about a yard square. Both were figured glass. About £1.lOs would repair the damage. At the Jireh Chapel three squares of ground glass were broken of less dimensions.
 
A man named Elijah Kenyon says that he saw eleven persons at the bottom of Hollins Road, four of whom came to him and asked him if he had any beer in the house, or if he could inform them where they could get any; and. they also inquired the nearest way to Gorton, and he directed them down the canal side, saying that there was an alehouse on the first bridge. (Street Bridge, Failsworth: Hollinwood branch of the Ashton canal). The other seven went down the main road to Manchester.
 
They were met by several parties betwixt this village and Newton Heath, (therefore in Failsworth), and many were placed in bodily fear by their ferocious appearance. They met Samuel Urmston, a collier, in Walmsley Brow, and, by way of rising his ire, they jostled him and. called him “a by big—headed Englishman.” Although a rough diamond, Urmston did not relish the uncomplimentary language and prepared. to swing his owlers” (kick them with his clogs) if his aggressors would come out in single combat. The former, however, put his hand on his breast, and. Urmston fearing that he might have there concealed either a knife or a revolver, went on the road to his work.
 
They next called at a beerhouse a little lower down, and because they could not be served with spirits, (Beerhouses held no spirits license), they kicked the servant’s slop bucket over.
 
Other (5) men, apparently the remnant of the former gang, went down through Hollinwood some twenty minutes later, and they laughed heartily when they saw the chapel windows broken. They were said to be Irish, and fresh in liquor.
 
The four that went down the canal side met a man named Samuel Bradley, near Cutler Hill Bridge, Failsworth, of whom they inquired the way to west Gorton. Bradley said he knew the way to Gorton, but not West Gorton. They said something in Irish, which he didn’t understand, and made towards him, but some workmen just then made their appearance, who were on their way to Hartford ~ Oldham, and they desisted, and made off.
 
They were last seen going down Holt Lane towards Booth Fold Farm, which is on the way to Gorton. A number of men answering the description of the assailants were seen to be going in the direction of Oldham from Manchester about 8 o’clock the previous day. In this way the Irish are supposed to have caused trouble in Hollinwood on their way back.
 
News of the outrage soon spread to the surrounding districts, and. the tale, like a snowball, gathered as it rolled, till it was rumoured in Oldham that a terrible outrage had been committed, and every pane of glass in St Margaret’s Church, Hollinwood, had been smashed by the Irish, and other places of worship at Hollinwood had suffered in pro­portion.
 
This exciting news was said to raise the ire of the youthful end in Oldham, and they subsequently held a council of war at which the cowardly apathy of the Hollinwood people was strongly sensed for not immediately entering into the field of action when the gauntlet had been so tauntingly thrown down by the Irish.
 
At about half past eight on the Wednesday (27th) night, the hooting and shouting at the top of the village showed that the tide of disorder was beginning to flow, and presently there appeared in marching order a company of what might be named “light infantry,” wearing orange favours in their caps, (Protestant), the principals being armed with staves or bits of palling torn from roadside fences. They made several halts on entering Hollinwood, and bawled out “A hawve—a—crown for an Irishman, show us where the  b______ lives.”
 
Irishmen, as a rule, are scarce articles in Hollinwood, for out of a population of some 10,000 scarcely a dozen could be found that are permanent residents, and therefore, the supply not being equal to the demand, 5s and even l0s was offered by the mob.
 
The mob consisted of mere youths from 12 to 18 years of age, there not being more than 100 when they first entered the village, and their sole object seemed to be wanton mischief towards the Irish, of any grade, no matter what their principles might be, it was sufficient if they had the misfortune to be natives of Ireland.
 
John Moran, bricklayer, an inoffensive man, and his workmate were attacked by the mob in Werneth Brow, and most unmercifully beaten as they were returning from their work. They merely asked if he was an Irishman, and on answering to the affirmative he rendered himself liable to an attack and was shamefully beaten.
 
As the mob moved on their numbers increased by hundreds, and. an Englishman narrowly escaped. a sound thrashing for bearing some semblance of a Hibernian imprint on his physiognomy, and he only saved his bacon by crying out “Howd. on, yo’ ci-ci letheryed.s, conno’ yo’ tell me fro’
 
Hoyrishmun’?” Many of the shopkeepers put up the window shutters. The foreman at the new
main sewer that is in cutting locked up all the excavating implements, and it was lucky he
did so, for at this place the mob took away such materials as were suitable for weapons.
 
After viewing the amount of damage done at the two chapels, the mob turned round as if returning again to Oldham, as if disappointed that they were unable to find. some object upon which to satiate their desire for revenge. When near the Friendship Inn, Manchester Street, they set up a loud. shout, and the war cry was “To the Catholic Chapel at Fails— worth and. smash the windows~” They then moved in that direction, and some hundreds more swelled their numbers, the thoroughfare being completely thronged.
 
After they left Hollinwood and entered Failsworth, a reinforcement arrived from Oldham, but they were very young, being mere lads, except for a few ringleaders. These were considered as the rearguard, but they quickened. their march, eager to be at the scene of action, and give their assistance in the destruction of the Catholic Chapel, it being situated nearly two miles from Hollinwood in the direction of Manchester.
 
About 10pm stragglers from the main body returned to Hollinwood, and brought news that they had smashed all the windows in the chapel lying up the road, and that the police were pursuing them.
 
Soon after the main body arrived in marching order singing “Slap bang, here we are again: Murphy boys are we.” (William Murphy d. 12thMarch 1872, Protestant agitator). Shouts of “Ten shillin’ for a priest,” “We’n bin feightin’ for yo’ cowards o’ Hollinwood — we ‘n smasht Virgin Mary her spectacles:” another voice, “We’n dhreawnt her i’th’ holy waythur,” and other such ejaculations might be heard as the mob turned. homewards. Some of the principals went up Hollins Road — perhaps to avoid detection — and when the scattered remnants got to the centre of IIollin— wood, singing “Johnny Comes Marching Home,” Inspector Scholes, Sergeant Adamson, and two other officers, pounced upon them, and so belaboured. their nether ends with their sticks that the “Johnnies” went marching home in double quick time, or any other way that afforded a refuge from the t’batting rods” of the officers.
 
It is quite evident that had the officers been present in the early part of the night they could have routed the whole army and prevented. the destruction of property.
 
The inhabitants of Hollinwood were much alarmed on Thursday night (28th), as it was rumoured that the Irish were going to come up from Man­chester, through Failsworth, in thousands, and. demolish all places of (Froestant) worship. The last ‘bus brought word that a host of Irish had attempted to come up Oldham Road between 8 and 9 o’clock, and. that the (Manchester) police armed with cutlasses had driven them back. An eye was kept on the various religious edifices, but nothing transpired to disturb the peace of the village.
 
About 9pm on Wednesday night (27th) four young Irishmen were seen near Streetbridge, on the old Roman road that leads from Limeside to Failsworth, each being armed with a pistol or revolver, and they were overheard to say “We had better keep the back road all the way.” Four different persons saw them, and when first observed they seemed to be charging their weapons. This would. be about the time the attack was being made on the Catholic chapel. It was conjectured that they were lying in ambush, waiting for the return of the rioters. They were seen again by a man named Ogden, and he suspected their intentions were evil. None of the rioters returned in that direction, or perhaps there might have been something more serious to report.
 
RIOTING AT FAILSWORTH.
 
There was a great deal of rioting at Failsworth on Wednesday evening (27th). At 9pm a telegram came to Oldham Town Hall from Werneth police station, to the effect that there was a large movement in the direction of Manchester by a large body of youths, and it was concluded at once that the object was to have retaliation for some damage done to Protest­ant Chapels at E-Iollinwood. There is a Roman Catholic chapel at Failsworth under the care of Rev Mr Daly. It appears that he bad heard of the danger, and, having stationed himself in a house opposite the chapel, he witnessed the speedy destruction of every pane of glass in the building.
Information was sent to the police station, and, on the approach of eight constables (Sergeant Dickinson in command), the large body of assailants retreated along Oldham Road.
 
The main body of the rioters did not take part in the perpetration of this mischief, but formed a reserve in the view of an anticipated attack by the Irish, which, however, did not take place. The damage to the edifice was roughly estimated at from £60-£70.
 
At l0.50pm the locality was quiet, but a number of people were loitering about, and some even marching from the direction of Man­chester, who took up their position in the Catholic school, Mill Lane, Failsworth, where they were addressed by Father Daly, who strongly advised. them to preserve the peace, and. not to resort to acts of coward­ly violence. He scarcely uttered. this sentence when one of the strangers rushed upon our reporter, and amid. cries of “Murphy, Murphy,” proceeded to abuse the representative of the press in a ruffiant manner. He was forced to the door of the room which is on the second storey, and an attempt was made to throw him down the stairs, but this, owing to the interference of one of the Failsworth Catholics, was not accomplished.
 
Mr Daly, to whom the reporter is well known, came to his assistance as soon as he could make his way through the excited mass. The matter was then explained, and the principal aggressors apologised for their error.
 
Nothing further occurred during the night, and about 5.SOam the “protectors” returned. to Manchester.
 
On Thursday (28th)i±iere was a consultation of the magistrates, and. at 7 o’clock, Mr HL Trafford, and. Mr J Taylor attended. the Nol National School, Newton Heath, to swear in special constables. 45 presented. themselves from the immediate district, and 25 from Failsworth.
 
Throughout the night the greatest excitement prevailed, the streets were thronged with people who had. come from all directions to see what damage had been done. There was a large number of county constabulary present, under the command of Superintendent Bent, who did good service, the specials were paraded. through the streets a little before 10 o’clock, from which time the streets began to resume their wonted quiet app­earance.
 
The Irish mob which returned to Manchester, however, did not go to their homes in peace. On arriving at Miles Platting Rectory, stones were thrown at the windows, but evidently at random, for only one of them passed through the glass. Passing on to St John’s Church a little lower down, another attack was made, and glass broken. The perpetrators of these outrages were young Irish people who appear actuated by a feel­ing of revenge for the attack on the Catholic chapel at Failsworth on the previous night.