The location of the current Herkes Undertakers, formerly the site of Gorebridge Police Station, at the foot of Gorebridge Main Street is possibly the scene of the most infamous and bloody moment of all of Gorebridge’s history. The local press were quick to succinctly detail the dramatic and deadly events of a late Saturday night in dreary February 1846:
‘On the afternoon of Saturday a pedlar went into the public house in Gorebridge, occupied by a person of the name of Somerville, and, among other articles, exhibited two watches for sale to a number of Irish labourers carousing there.
While bantering the pedlar about his goods, they contrived to secrete the watches among them; and as they would not give them up, the police had to be called in, when two of the labourers were taken into custody, and lodged in the village lock up, till such a time as they could be removed to a place of safer custody. The news of the apprehension spread like wildfire; and it was secretly arranged that an attempt should be made to rescue the prisoners.
Accordingly, about one o’clock on Sunday morning, a party of Irish labourers mustered in Gorebridge, to the number of about 150, and proceeded to the lock-up to relieve the persons in custody. Sergeant Brown of the railway police, and constable Christie, of the county force, were both on the watch, and offered all the resistance they could to the rioters.
One of the labourers presented a pistol at Sergeant Brown’s head, and threatened to blow his brains out, and another gave Constable Christie a severe blow on the arm with the back of an axe. Seeing that it was hopeless to stand out against such an infuriated mob, the constables withdrew, and allowed the prison to be broken up, which was speedily done by axes, picks and other instruments.
The prisoners on being released were led through the streets in triumph. At this juncture, two constables, names Richard Pace and John Veitch, the former being to the county, and the latter to the railway police – unhappily approached the Village of Gorebridge, having been out agreeably to instructions, visiting all the public houses within their jurisdiction, which extended several miles along the public road southwards. Hearing the mob approaching they crouched into a hedge to escape observation: but in this way they were unsuccessful, and a cry was instantly raised to ‘murder the police!’
Pace was knocked down by a blow on the head with some heavy weapon; and while upon the ground he was kicked and beaten in a most brutal manner. His companion was also severely maltreated, but he managed to make his escape from the savage ruffians. Having satiated their vengeance upon poor Pace, they left him for dead on the road side, and proceeded towards Arniston Toll Bar, and thence to their several destinations.’
Richard Pace, was brutally beaten just 100 yards from the home he shared with his pregnant wife, and would alter die on the Sunday evening despite the best efforts of the local doctor. The two murderers (later identified as Patrick Reilly and Peter Clark) were never found and punished for their actions.
The violence, however, was far from over. Under the pretext of retribution for the savage beating of the policemen (rather than the pre-existing animosity and religious tensions), Scottish and English railway workers – accompanied by colliers from local mine works such as the Lady Victoria at Newtongrange – descended on mass upon the Irish camps. Contemporary estimates vary wildly, however some reports suggest that as many as 1,500 English and Scotsmen rallied, bagpipes, bugle and all, towards the location of the Irish at Crichton Miss, not far from Crichton Castle.
Upon seeing the miltia which was fast approaching their homes, the Irish men fled south, leaving their camp unoccupied and at the mercy of the superior numbers. The drunken mob, who had met at local pubs in the area before their march, evacuated the flimsy wood and turf residences of woman and children and burned them to the ground – helpless wives and mothers, sons and daughters, left to watch as their only source of shelter in cold February burned to the ground. With no battle, and having laid waste to the camp, the band of Scots and English returned to their local watering holes and then home.
By this time word had, naturally, reached Edinburgh of the serious disturbance and, with the uncertainty of whether further unrest could be expected, a troop of the 4th Irish Dragon from Piershall Barracks were sent out, along with Sheriff Speirs, to bring peace to the county. Ultimately, there was little need for further assistance as the English and Scots had retreated, and the Irish were nowhere to be seen.
A mixture of the culpable parties would be arrested throughout the day and into Tuesday.
In total 28 were arrested for the burning of the Irish huts with 13 Irishmen arrested for the rioting which would lead to the death of a police officer. The Irish would ultimately return to their wives and children – and employment – and the tensions would exist from many years to come. As previously mentioned, no arrests would be made for the murder of young Richard Pace, his wife widowed and a town left with the scars of a pay day weekend which turned into a murderous rampage.
A story of drunken disorder, rioting, death, fire-raising, arrests, the army, theft of a watch, which all began at the foot of Gorebridge Main Street.
If you have any information about Gorebridge history, old photographs of Gorebridge, town and residents, please get in contact us through our contact form.
