BattlefieldsGordon Riots attack on Bank of England 1780
modern

Gordon Riots attack on Bank of England 1780

1780
Middlesex, England
Era
modern
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Middlesex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Gordon Rioters
Forces
a military guard and John Wilkes as magistrate defending the Bank.
VS
Victor
British Government/Military
Forces
Gordon rioter crowds attacking the Bank
Outcome
Bank of England successfully defended. Government authorised military force. Riots suppressed within days. The Bank defence marked the decisive government counter-stroke.
The Battle

History & Significance

Rioters attempted to storm the Bank of England at the height of the Gordon Riots. The Bank was defended by soldiers and the novelist John Wilkes as a City magistrate. This was the turning point when the government authorised lethal force without requiring magistrate presence.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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