The Great Cheese Riot of 1766

In 1766 in Nottingham, England what began as anger over a poor harvest spiraled out of control, and soon rioters were breaking windows and stealing from shops. But it was the object of the looting that made this riot unique. The rioters were after cheese.

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Script by JCG

#history #thehistoryguy #riots

[be-noble]

Wallace: “Every Society is only Three Skipped Cheeses from Chaos, Gromit!”

[ELCADAROSA]

Sooo ... is it too much of a stretch to presume that those "cheese thieves" were sent to America and settled in Wisconsin???

[buzbuz-]

I have heard people threaten to do it many times, but this is the first time I have heard of someone actually "reading the Riot Act".

[electrostatic]

It annoys me how the algorithm is now straight up hiding independent creators like this. 1.2 million 'subscribers" but less than 1/10th of them were notified of a new video.

[MrARock]

As the old saying goes: When the poor have nothing left to eat, they will eat the rich.

[Mark.Andrew.Pardoe]

Whato old chap,
I am a Nottinghamian and we have been taught the Royal Charter that gave Nottingham its right to hold a fair (now known as Goose Fair) was dated 1284. Goose Fairs are numbered from that date. Incidentally Goose Fair still exists but is now one of the biggest funfairs in Europe with (it is claimed) 500 attractions.

[johnvincentio]

It is also the root cause of the Irish famine. Food, produced largely by the poor on the land of the landowners, is exported by the landowners to the highest bidder, leaving the poor to starve. Parliament, stacked with the same landowners, passed laws to protect their own interests, much like today. Starvation was seen as an indication of overpopulation, the solution being either the many starving to death or transportation to the colonies, there being seen, at the time, not much difference between the two.

[lizshoemaker]

My husband is on the road all the time, but if he was home you could bet that the history channel would be on, he drove all five of our children crazy when they were little watching history all the time and before they were school age they could tell anyone that you have to know your history or you are bound to repeat it. He looks forward to every video of yours when they come out. Watching YouTube videos while he is out kills time and keeps him entertained

[joechamberlain]

I was born and grew up in Nottingham, England and I this is the first time I have ever heard of the cheese riots. But I certainly do know about the Goose Fair - still going strong and a major local annual event which always boasted being the largest fair in the country. It's amazing what history lies right under our noses. Great channel, thanks.

[matthewyabsley]

It’s just dawned on me, if there was ever a type of riot I’d like to see…. It would have to be a cheese riot…

[cinemaipswich]

I love the great "Herring Riot" as told by Betty White, in The Golden Girls. Her home-spun dialogue is very funny.

[simongleaden]

I'm from a town about 30 miles from Nottingham, and know a bit about local history, but this is the first I've ever heard of the cheese riots of 1766. A very interesting story from our history that deserves to be remembered.

[theemmjay]

As one of my favorite G.K. Chesterten quotes goes, "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese." Good to see that you aren't following suit.

[oliverscratch]

Some things never change. The steep climb in prices US consumers paid for natural gas last winter was largely driven by massive exports of gas to Europe. While there were humanitarian reasons to justify these exports, they created enormous profits for gas companies while straining the budgets of American families and leaving some people in the cold.

[douglasstrother]

"The Cheese Shop" sketch *is* based on reality!
Who knew?
The History Guy knew.

[JonathanLopezUT]

3:33 Look at that lazy dog, and that horse, just standing there, lol

[stuffedninja]

As a cheese lover….yeah, I can get behind this. Don’t touch my feta.

[epiendless]

The cheese riots led to a further shortage of 'e's, and towards the end, poor folk had to resort to demanding "dairy product" instead. Several printing establishments were burned down, having been accused of stockpiling that staple vowel.

[NLynchOEcake]

A tale fit for Sheogorath himself, I can imagine him cackling while riding a wave of cheese wheels downhill into the mayor

[timmainson]

Your enunciation and emphases on the word "cheese" reminded me so much of Peter Sallis's portrayal of the cheese loving "Wallace" from the Wallace and Gromit series. Thank you.