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Law and Order in Enlightenment Edinburgh |
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Porteous Riot
© Scran |
In September 1736 a large body of men broke into the prison after having secured all the gates of the city and dragged Porteous from his jail cell, he was then hanged on a signpost in the Grassmarket. Despite the large number of people believed to know the perpetrators behind Porteous's murder, not one person was ever arrested or tried for the crime, high-ranking people in Edinburgh society were thought to have been involved in the plot from day one, with the unspoken backing of the Church.
Initially, the Government presented an Act of Parliament punishing the city for its collective actions - given that no individual has been convicted of murdering a successful anti-crime officer - but due to overwhelming public opinion, the Act was watered down to such an extent that the City had to pay a fine of £2000, directly to Porteous's wife, and the Lord Provost was barred from holding public office.
As time wore on, public detest of the Guard turned to derision as Porteous's methods died with him. The sloppy and undisciplined Guards had less and less effect on the city, especially as poverty increased late in the 18th Century. Crime rose dramatically, especially during the period after 1799 when the crops failed and through famine, food prices rose beyond affordable levels for most families. Sacks of grain and oatmeal were ransacked regularly, and traders demanded better levels of protection.
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