Mexborough and Swinton Times May 15, 1915
Serious Disturbances at Goldthorpe.
Five Men Shot-Four Arrests
Extensive Business Premises Wrecked.
Baton Charges by the Police.
Serious riots among the populace of Goldthorpe have broken out this week.
An anti-German demonstration, on Tuesday night, was carried out by large crowds, who wrecked the shops of Mr. F. Schonhut at Goldthorpe and Highgate. Mr. Schonhut and his family left the district the following day.
On Wednesday night a more serious outbreak took place, and the premises of the London Tea Company, owned by Mr. J. R. Bakewell, were raided in force and completely wrecked.
Mr. Bakewell, his two sons, and a guest, defended the place, and firearms were used, there being five casualties, two men being seriously wounded and conveyed to the Montagu Hospital.
Mr. Bakewell, his, sons, and their friend were arrested after the police, reinforced by contingents from Barnsley and Doncaster, had succeeded in dispersing the crowd.
Serious riots among the populace of Goldthorpe have broken out this week.
An anti-German demonstration, on Tuesday night, was carried out by large crowds, who wrecked the shops Mr. F. Schonhut at Goldthorpe and Highgate. Mr. Schonhut and his family left the district the following day.
On Wednesday night a more serious outbreak took place, and the premises of the London Tea Company, owned by Mr. J. R. Bakewell, were raided in force and completely wrecked.
Mr. Bakewell, his two sons, and a guest, defended the place, and firearms were used, there being five casualties, two men being seriously wounded and conveyed to the Montagu Hospital.
Mr. Bakewell, his sons, and their friend were arrested after the police, reinforced by contingents from Barnsley and Doncaster, had succeeded in dispersing the crowd.
The most serious right experience in the district since the famous Wath Main riots of 1893 took place Goldthorpe on Wednesday night, when the whole of the block of business premises occupied by Messrs Bakewell and sons, with which Mr John Robert Bakewell was the proprietor, were wrecked and ruined by angry crowds which surged around the building for hours.
The trouble had been brewing ever since the attack on Mr Frederick Schonhut’s premises in Doncaster Road, Goldthorpe and Highgate on Tuesday night. Mr Schonhut is British born but of German extraction, and the raid on his premises was part of the general expression of British indignation at the loss of the Lusitania under such revolting circumstances.
Mr. Schonhut with his family left the district early on Wednesday morning, and the crowd appeared to have cast round for some other worthy object of their indignation.
A Rumour Tackled.
It appeared likely at first that Mr. Sam Elsbury, the prominent Goldthorpe Socialist, and until recently a member of the Bolton Urban District Council, would be marked out for attack. Somebody said he was a German Jew, and he acted very promptly. He went round the place personally ringing u bell and declaring that he would give £5 for information as to the person who had circulated the rumour (which an travel like wildfire).
He added that he was born in Russia, and was not connected in any way with enemy subject. He was tactful and timely, and the wrath of the crowd was turned away.
But then a fresh rumour began to gain ground. It was said that Mr John Robert Bakewell was a German June. This was absolutely idle and mischievous rumour for there could have been no possible foundations for it, son of Mr Bakewell has resided in Goldthorpe for good many years and it was generally known that he and his family were Derbyshire people.
Mr Bakewell himself is a native of Kilburn, near Belper. However the rumour gained credit all over the place and its effect upon Mr Bakewell, who is of a highly strung and excitable temperament was unfortunate.
As a precaution he commenced a barricade the whole of his frontage in Doncaster Road. His frontage embraces five large well-stocked shops. The operation was commenced at 6 o’clock, and said to attract the attention of the police. However at 8 o’clock it appeared to be on the point of successful completion. There was only the provision department remaining to be boarded up when suddenly there was a spontaneous combustion among the crowd and with a shout the bombardment of the only unprotected front commenced.
Grim Riot
Then the riot commenced in grim ernest. There was originally a force of about 25 police, and they concentrated upon the remaining window, at great risk to themselves, the crowd quite openly and understandably assailed it with sticks and stones, and splintered glass reclining all directions shortly before 9 o’clock the situation very tense, but the police still nominally held the upper hand.
A Shot
Suddenly a shot rang out from the back and a cry from the crowd. Then the police were swept aside like chaff before the wind. They were cleared from in front of the provision window which was swept clean of glass. Then the crowd rushed into the front premises, and the force went round to the rear. While the mob in the front were ransacking the shops, destroying what was no service to them, the police and the Bakewell family were engaged in a desperate struggle in the rear. It was quite dark and exceedingly difficult to follow was happening.
What was, however, clear was that someone was shooting either with a revolver or a rifle, and gunfire was repeatedly heard.
The names of those injured and suffering from gunshot wounds are:
John Eades, a 27 of Jackson St, Goldthorpe, severe abdominal injuries
John Hurley, miner, H 45 upholstery Goldthorpe, scalp wound and revolver wound in chest.
John Caroll (sergeant in the Barnsley Battalion, Goldthorpe), wounded in the leg.
Samuel Kilner, miner, Goldthorpe, shot through the right arm.
Albert Watson, 14, Irving Terrace, Bolton on Dearne (Mr Bakewell’s assistant), shot in the thigh.
Eades and Hurley were conveyed to the Montagu Hospital, Mexborough on Thursday morning, after receiving first aid treatment during the night from local ambulance men, led by Mr C Hanmer.
The police luckily escaped the crossfire revolver shots and sticks and stones, escape, that is, save for a severe cut in the face sustained by Inspector Brimms of Wombwell, and a dislocation of the shoulder by PC Humberstone, also of Wombwell.
The crowd at the front having completed their work and made off the business premises a veritable Louvain, pulling up and tearing out everything upon which they could lay their hands, came round to reinforce the crowd at the back, and the revolver shots rang out faster than ever. Then the crowd quickly realising situation, returned to the front, and attempted to take the Bakewell’s in the rear. Fortunately the woman of the house had made good their escape at the first sign of serious trouble. Mr Bakewell, his two sons, a friend, and a plucky assistant, made their last stand against the huge crowd in the kitchen.
Police Reinforcements
The rest of the house was overrun, but with the police struggling and straining in the backyard, and in the kitchen, the crowd could not get to the heart of things, and were daunted for a sufficiently long time to enable the police to be reinforced, first from Barnsley and then from Doncaster, by motor charabanc, and finally force of well over a hundred policeman assembled, and with a sudden rush expel the invaders from Mr Bakewell’s premises. Then arose the problem of clearing the street, and it was complicated by the fact that the audience at the Empire Theatre opposite was just beginning to file out after the first performance.
An Inspector’s Appeal
It is to the credit of one of the inspector that he promptly and smartly dealt with the situation. He went up to the crowd, which, having been unconscious of the stirring happenings of the evening, was calm and reasonable, and addressing them, he said “Good citizens, we are about to clear the streets. I advise you, especially in view of what has happened tonight, to go quietly to your homes.” This address was favourably received, and the theatre crowd vanished behind the rioters.
Baton Charges
The police then, with a series of short baton charges, forced the crowd back.
A shower dispersed the crowd somewhat, but only for a period. Meantime local police have been reinforced by number of others from Barnsley and neighbouring district, but their numbers were two insignificant to cope successfully with the crowd.
Shortly before nine word was passed round that the inhabitants were affecting their escape. This apparently was the signal for a rush was immediately made, the police being powerless to stop it, and in very short time missiles of various proportions were being hurled from all directions. The crashing of the windows was accompanied by shouts and the singing of patriotic melodies.
By 9.30 the crowd had entered the premises and an indescribable scene took place. The premises were entirely cleared of the stock of foodstuffs and women, as well as men participated in the general purloinment which followed.
What furniture, including the piano, that could not be thrown out the window was wrecked, as also were the shopfittings. Meanwhile other people enter the bedrooms and wrecked the all the furniture, and was not until the old place was complete wrecked did the people enter the street and police obtain possession of the premises which would be about 11 o’clock.
After a number of people reach vengeance on the shop at Goldthorpe, they proceeded to Highgate, to the Prince premises occupied by the father of Mr F Schonhut and treated that in exactly the same manner. In this instance no police were present at the time.
We have informed that neither Mr F Schonhut nor his brother was born in Germany. As a matter of fact, the family boast 70 years residence in this country, a fact which they made public at the commencement of the War.
The Condition of the Wounded
Enquiries at a late hour last night elicited the fact that he, who had been operated upon at noon, was in a highly critical condition, and early was making satisfying favourable, a slight progress.
An operation on this patient is to be formed at the first favourable opportunity.