BattlefieldsGordon Riots — Holborn burning 1780
modern

Gordon Riots — Holborn burning 1780

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

Who Fought

Defeated
property and civil order
Forces
Langdale distillery workers; London constables and watch
VS
Victor
Gordon rioters
Forces
Gordon rioter crowds
Outcome
Langdale distillery destroyed with enormous losses; surrounding buildings damaged; military arrived too late to prevent destruction
The Battle

History & Significance

Rioters burned the distillery of Thomas Langdale in Holborn, releasing vast quantities of gin into the gutters which caught fire; bystanders who drank gin from the gutters died; the Holborn fire became a defining image of the riots

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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