BattlefieldsMerthyr Rising food and wage riot 1800
modern

Merthyr Rising food and wage riot 1800

1800
Wales
Era
modern
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
ironmasters and magistrates. Military detachment deployed.
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Merthyr ironworkers and colliers
Outcome
Rising suppressed by military. Ringleaders imprisoned. Food prices remained a grievance through the war period.
The Battle

History & Significance

Merthyr Tydfil ironworkers rioted against food prices and wage cuts at the ironworks in 1800. Crowds attacked the homes of employers and grain dealers. The 1800 Merthyr rising was a precursor to the more famous 1831 insurrection and demonstrated the chronic instability of the iron town.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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