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Crofters of Lewis Riot
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Crofters of Lewis Riot
The crofters of Lewis, in the Hebrides, riot against enclosures by landowners : the Riot Act is read at Aignish Farm, near Stornoway
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Media ID 573785
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10009087
1888 Demo Demonstration Enclosures Hebrides Lewis Read Riot Stornoway January Land Owners
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative black-and-white photograph, a large crowd of crofters, their faces etched with determination and resolve, gather at Aignish Farm near Stornoway in the Hebrides, Scotland, in January 1888. The crofters, dressed in traditional tweed clothing, are united in their opposition to the enclosures being imposed upon them by local landowners. The enclosures, a controversial practice that involved the fencing off of common land for private use, had long been a source of tension and hardship for the crofters, who relied on these communal lands for their livelihoods. The situation came to a head in January 1888 when the landowners, with the support of the authorities, began to implement the enclosures at Aignish Farm. In response, the crofters took to the streets in protest, gathering in large numbers to voice their objections. In the photograph, we see the crowd, many of them holding sticks and other makeshift weapons, listening intently as the Riot Act is read to them by a uniformed officer. The Riot Act, a British law dating back to 1715, gave the authorities the power to call upon the military to quell public disturbances. Despite the ominous threat of force, the crofters remained undeterred, and their demonstration marked the beginning of a long and bitter struggle for land rights in the Hebrides. This photograph is a powerful reminder of the determination and resilience of the crofters, and the importance of collective action in the face of injustice. It also highlights a significant moment in the history of the Hebrides and the wider struggle for land rights in Scotland and the UK.
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