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cultural lines, ranging from businessmen to labourers, and pushed Kemble to lower the prices. Kemble did so (and also issued an apology) and the situation returned to normal, until he tried to maintain half the number of private boxes at the start of the next season – the riots started again, forcing him to withdraw his plan.
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and other private militias, but this only made the situation worse, and the rioters did not disperse until 2am. After the first night, the rioters only came in at half price time, and the inside of the theatre was covered with banners and slogans. Newspapers and journals reported frequently on the
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was destroyed by a fire along with most of the scenery, costumes and scripts. The damage was estimated at £250,000. However, a public subscription was introduced by the Duke of York, King George III and the Duke of
Northumberland, which contributed £76,000. The new theatre opened on 18 September
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Mendoza, who had lost his championship in 1795 and was now in his mid forties, was already semi-retired; he had turned down a return match against Lee in 1807 saying that he was devoted only to teaching the sport. It seems that his participation in the OP Riots also lost him following with his
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on 23 September 1809, aged 6 days". The riots were to last another 64 days. However, unlike earlier riots, little damage was done to the theatre and the whole affair was characterized by a "spirit of fun". The rioters even had a name for themselves: the OPs. The OPs stretched across class and
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to four shillings for the pit, and the third tier, usually reserved for the public, was converted into private boxes at a rent of £300 per year. The gallery price was unchanged but often referred to as "pigeon holes" since people inside could only see the legs of the performers.
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riots, citing as central to its continuation a perceived suppression of customary liberties and a lack of dialogue between the patrons and the management. At one point, a coffin was carried in with the message "Here lies the body of the new price, which died of the
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supporters amongst the poorer folk of London, who now saw him fighting on behalf of the 'toffs'. Some of
Mendoza's biographers therefore see the incident as a turning point in his popularity, although he still gave occasional demonstration bouts.
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1809. The cost of constructing and furnishing the building, however, was so high that the management was forced to raise the prices from six
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There had been previous riots in 1762 when the management of Covent Garden
Theatre had threatened to raise seating prices.
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and his associates to contain them. This tactic misfired and resulted in increased violence, as shown in the contemporary
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National
Theatre in Transition: The London Patent Theatre Fires of 1808-1809 and the Old Price Riots.
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and continued throughout the play. At the end, the audience refused to leave so Kemble sent for the
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The OP War, Libertarian
Communication and Graphic Reportage in Georgian London
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The Covent Garden Old Price Riots: Protest and
Justice in Late‑Georgian London
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139:'Down down to H--l with all OPs & say twas Dan that sent thee there.'
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307:, Blady, Ken, (1988) Shapolsky Publishers, Inc., New York, NY, p. 15
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BRANCH: Britain, Representation, and
Nineteenth-Century History.
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Bizarre London: Discover the
Capital's Secrets & Surprises
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Killing No Murder as
Performing at the Grand National Theatre
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On the opening night, riots broke out during a performance of
205:"JEWISH-AMERICAN HALL OF FAME JEWISH MUSEUM IN CYBERSPACE"
137:. Mendoza can be seen at the centre, uttering the words
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In an attempt to quell the rioters Kemble hired the
186:"Ticket prices keep rising; why aren't we rioting?"
239:Theatre and Disorder in Late Georgian London...
86:to seven for the boxes, from 3 shillings and
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294:Theatre and Disorder in Late Georgian London
230:Theatre and Disorder in Late Georgian London
34:of 1809 (also sometimes referred to as the
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114:Daniel Mendoza and the Old Price Riots
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303:Opened a pub after the Lee fight in
77:On 20 September 1808, the original
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323:Theatrical Experiences in London
305:The Jewish Boxer's Hall of Fame
146:History of the Old Price Riots
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221:Robert Chambers' Book of Days
353:19th-century riots in London
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23:Cartoon of the riots by
319:'s exhibition in London
131:Isaac Robert Cruikshank
25:Isaac Robert Cruikshank
363:1800s crimes in London
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79:Covent Garden Theatre
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16:1809 riots in London
158:Web. 29 March 2016.
151:Robinson, Terry F.
348:History of theatre
284:The London Theatre
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52:John Philip Kemble
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358:Royal Opera House
194:18 September 2019
163:Earlier incidents
102:Bow Street police
69:medal, depicting
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67:Antisemitic
343:1809 riots
332:Categories
171:References
127:caricature
84:shillings
88:sixpence
40:OP riots
97:Macbeth
71:Shylock
263:p. 105
58:Causes
48:London
120:boxer
315:The
36:O.P.
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