Bristol Interest – William IV brass ball-headed truncheon or tipstaff, the shaft engraved ‘R Bryant BRISTOL Oct 30 1831’ (the date of the Bristol Riots), with treen handle, 33cm long

The Bristol riots of 29^th – 31^st October 1831 were some of the largest and most significant in British history. Incensed by local magistrate Sir Charles Wetherall’s claim that Bristol was against electoral reform, hundreds took to the streets on 29 October, attacking prominent buildings culminating in the looting and burning of the Mansion House. In response, on the morning of October 30^th, the Mayor of Bristol, Charles Pinney ordered a posse comitatus to be formed. This had little immediate effect as fewer than 200 volunteers answered the call and the night of the October 30th saw even worse disorder, including the burning of properties in and around Queen Square and the freeing of prisoners in the city's jails. This provoked the middle class into action and some 3,000 men reported for duty in the posse comitatus on the following morning.