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How The Town Where Robinhood Lived Later Had A Very Real And Deadly Revolt Over Cheese
An 18th century community in England fought back when food became scarce and merchants decided it was a good idea to sell cheese for a premium
During the course of human history, a wide variety of issues have caused people to riot and forcefully push back against what they don’t feel is right. Perhaps one of the oddest causes for a mass rebellion was the Nottingham Riot of 1766, which centered on of all things — cheese.
In the fall of 1766, there was spreading concern throughout Europe following an unusually poor harvest. In particular, wheat crops had fallen well short on a wide-spread basis, causing an outcry over food shortages heading into the winter. Well before the days of grocery stores and having access to buy a wide variety of foods at a moment’s notice, people had to carefully plan and store what they were going to eat leading up to the next year’s crop cycle.
The Nottingham Goose Fair was a staple of October of that year. Although it originated selling goose meat, it had expanded to a true market with a variety of offerings. Located in the Old Market Square, it attracted large crowds when in session, looking to buy all manner of goods to stock…
