49:
60:, which had been created from 1767. Class divisions had become more apparent with this architectural separation. Furthermore, conflicts, riots and social disorder were common throughout Scotland at that time. The Old Town was inhabited by a number of gangs of young men, one group was the Keellie Gang (also known as the Niddry Gang), led by Hugh MacDonald and Hugh McIntosh. Police officers had been given more powers, and this was resented, especially by the poor. The petty crimes perpetrated by gangs like the Keellies were increasingly being quashed by authorities.
659:
92:
apprentices". Key perpetrators were seen to be John
Skelton, Hugh McIntosh (16), Hugh MacDonald (18) and Neil Sutherland (18). Skelton was convicted of attempted robbery, while McIntosh, MacDonald and Sutherland were convicted of having planned the riot, and having made attacks; McIntosh was further convicted of the murder of Dugald Campbell. All four were sentenced to death along with James Johnstone, who was never apprehended. Skelton's sentence was later commuted to
666:
1236:
1272:
1260:
1248:
91:
were offered by the Town
Council for information leading to the arrest of his attackers. Victims and witnesses described many of the rioters as "boys" and "young lads". By the end of the month, 68 youths had been arrested, none of whom were over the age of 20. They were described as "a band of idle
74:
On 31 December, the
Keellie Gang members began attacking passers-by in the streets of the Old Town, from around 11.00 pm. Victims were surrounded by youths with wooden sticks, threatened, in some cases knocked to the ground, and robbed. A member of the town watch named Dugald Campbell was attacked
104:
According to historian Andrew
Ralston, the Tron riot case was used to send a strong message about juvenile delinquency, and to deter other would-be offenders. In addition to the three who were sentenced to death, some of the more minor offenders of the riot received relatively harsh sentences for
75:
by a group of the youths in Stamp Office Close, off the High Street. He was beaten with sticks and left to die. Evidently
Campbell was known to the gang, and disliked by them; it was later claimed that they had planned to "give him a licking the last night of the year if they could get him."
39:
and during the early hours of the next day, a group of young men, including the
Keellie Gang, attacked and robbed wealthier passers-by. One police officer was killed in the riot. Sixty-eight youths were arrested, and five were sentenced to death.
112:
Following the riot, the authorities quickly took steps to reorganise and strengthen the police force. Later that year, the
Edinburgh Police Act, 1812 was introduced, which significantly increased the number of police officers patrolling the city.
96:
on account of his previous good character. On 22 April, McIntosh, Sutherland and MacDonald were hanged in Stamp Office Close. McIntosh's body was sent for anatomical dissection, while
Sutherland and MacDonald were buried in
71:. According to later trial testimony, the Keellie Gang had been planning during the last weeks of 1811 to take advantage of the rich New Town Hogmanay crowds, and to attack the police at the same time.
67:
in the streets around the Tron Kirk, which was the parish church at the time. After midnight, crowds would move around the area, travelling to friends' homes as part of the custom of
109:
hoped that these punishments "would not be lost on the youth of this city, but be the means of making them abhor such conduct as had been recently perpetrated here."
1221:
1338:
1180:
747:
56:
The early nineteenth century in
Edinburgh was a time of tension between residents of the city's crowded Old Town, and the wealthier inhabitants of
890:
1170:
1165:
782:
592:
453:
1066:
48:
412:
1175:
1190:
1119:
880:
875:
372:
Policing the
Metropolis of Scotland: A History of the Police and Systems of Police in Edinburgh & Edinburghshire, 1770-1833
802:
379:
762:
1333:
1323:
1114:
850:
772:
472:
1328:
1134:
931:
812:
84:
1298:
1124:
1051:
860:
787:
1139:
658:
936:
926:
354:
106:
1308:
1303:
1206:
1160:
1129:
1071:
1006:
885:
870:
722:
689:
684:
1104:
827:
623:
1144:
1041:
648:
562:
446:
93:
1211:
1109:
1031:
1011:
822:
792:
777:
665:
517:
502:
482:
1056:
674:
587:
88:
1251:
1263:
996:
971:
951:
946:
817:
737:
603:
542:
492:
487:
1318:
1313:
921:
865:
855:
845:
694:
552:
547:
537:
507:
98:
57:
28:
1271:
1239:
1081:
986:
572:
567:
512:
439:
423:
1216:
1099:
1046:
941:
757:
408:
389:
375:
36:
349:
1275:
981:
956:
742:
712:
643:
577:
527:
359:
1061:
1016:
913:
767:
497:
991:
908:
807:
717:
628:
582:
532:
350:"The Attack of the 'half-formed persons': the 1811–2 Tron Riot in Edinburgh Revisited"
1292:
1076:
1021:
1001:
797:
394:
752:
598:
63:
It was the tradition for New Town residents to come to the Old Town to celebrate
732:
633:
557:
961:
727:
608:
522:
68:
462:
32:
24:
363:
358:, vol. 91, no. 2, Edinburgh University Press, pp. 287–310,
1185:
427:, vol. 74, Sands, Brymer, Murray and Cochran, pp. 249–260, 1812
64:
618:
87:, and died from his injuries on 3 January. Monetary rewards of 300
613:
47:
435:
398:, vol. 30, no. 5, History Today Ltd, pp. 41–45
431:
1199:
1153:
1090:
1030:
970:
899:
836:
703:
673:
471:
27:, Scotland in 1811–12. It took place in the city's
447:
52:The crowded tenements of Edinburgh's Old Town
8:
292:
290:
1181:Edinburgh International Television Festival
212:
210:
161:
159:
134:
132:
130:
454:
440:
432:
253:
251:
748:Edinburgh International Conference Centre
891:Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
126:
16:Riot in Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland
1222:Graveyards and cemeteries in Edinburgh
407:, New York: Constable & Robinson,
1171:Edinburgh International Film Festival
1166:Edinburgh International Book Festival
403:Reicher, Steve; Stott, Cliff (2011),
7:
1339:Riots and civil disorder in Scotland
1247:
421:"Trial of Hugh McDonald, &c.",
1067:Edinburgh Waverley railway station
14:
1270:
1258:
1246:
1235:
1234:
1176:Edinburgh International Festival
664:
657:
1259:
1191:Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
1120:Moray House School of Education
388:Ralston, Andrew G. (May 1980),
803:Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
1:
813:Scottish Parliament Building
348:Knox, W. W. (October 2012),
332:
320:
308:
296:
216:
165:
150:
138:
1052:Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
861:National Museum of Scotland
1355:
655:
355:Scottish Historical Review
83:Campbell was taken to the
1230:
1207:Demographics of Edinburgh
1161:Edinburgh Festival Fringe
1130:Queen Margaret University
1072:Haymarket railway station
886:Scottish National Gallery
690:Lord Provost of Edinburgh
685:City of Edinburgh Council
374:, Musselburgh: Turlough,
281:
269:
257:
228:
201:
189:
177:
31:, in the vicinity of the
1140:Scotland's Rural College
1105:Edinburgh College of Art
624:Edinburgh Stock Exchange
405:Mad Mobs and Englishmen?
241:
1145:University of Edinburgh
649:Great Fire of Edinburgh
593:Visit of King George IV
390:"The Tron Riot of 1812"
94:transportation for life
1212:Geography of Edinburgh
1110:Heriot-Watt University
1012:Royal Bank of Scotland
881:Royal Scottish Academy
793:Princes Street Gardens
723:Brass Founders' Pillar
518:Parliament of Scotland
370:McGowan, John (2012),
53:
1057:Edinburgh City Bypass
588:North British Railway
364:10.3366/shr.2012.0103
51:
44:Background and events
1334:History of Edinburgh
1324:December 1811 events
997:Edinburgh BioQuarter
947:Royal Lyceum Theatre
738:Craiglockhart Castle
604:Edwin of Northumbria
543:Edinburgh town walls
493:Mary, Queen of Scots
488:Burning of Edinburgh
1329:January 1812 events
1062:Edinburgh Crossrail
922:Edinburgh Playhouse
866:National War Museum
856:Museum of Edinburgh
846:Fruitmarket Gallery
823:St Giles' Cathedral
695:Scottish Parliament
538:Treaty of Edinburgh
508:Kingdom of Scotland
166:Reicher & Stott
151:Reicher & Stott
99:Greyfriars Kirkyard
1299:1810s in Edinburgh
987:Caledonian Brewery
851:The Georgian House
573:Disruption of 1843
568:Church of Scotland
424:The Scots Magazine
54:
35:. On the night of
1286:
1285:
1217:Beer in Edinburgh
1125:Napier University
1100:Edinburgh College
952:St Cecilia's Hall
942:Reid Concert Hall
818:St Andrew's House
773:National Monument
758:Forth Road Bridge
753:Forth Rail Bridge
513:Act of Union 1707
1346:
1309:1812 in Scotland
1304:1811 in Scotland
1278:
1274:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1254:
1250:
1249:
1242:
1238:
1237:
1034:
982:Bank of Scotland
974:
957:Traverse Theatre
927:Festival Theatre
918:
788:Parliament House
763:Governor's House
743:Edinburgh Castle
677:
668:
661:
644:Greyfriars Bobby
578:Thomas Aikenhead
528:Edinburgh Review
475:
465:
456:
449:
442:
433:
428:
417:
399:
384:
366:
336:
330:
324:
318:
312:
306:
300:
294:
285:
279:
273:
267:
261:
255:
246:
238:
232:
226:
220:
214:
205:
199:
193:
187:
181:
175:
169:
163:
154:
148:
142:
136:
1354:
1353:
1349:
1348:
1347:
1345:
1344:
1343:
1289:
1288:
1287:
1282:
1276:
1264:
1252:
1240:
1226:
1195:
1149:
1092:
1086:
1032:
1026:
1017:Scottish Widows
972:
966:
916:
914:Edinburgh Arena
901:
895:
838:
832:
768:Holyrood Palace
705:
699:
675:
669:
663:
662:
653:
498:Greyfriars Kirk
473:
467:
463:
460:
420:
415:
402:
387:
382:
369:
347:
339:
331:
327:
319:
315:
307:
303:
295:
288:
280:
276:
268:
264:
256:
249:
239:
235:
227:
223:
215:
208:
200:
196:
188:
184:
176:
172:
164:
157:
149:
145:
137:
128:
119:
85:Royal Infirmary
81:
46:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1352:
1350:
1342:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1291:
1290:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1268:
1256:
1244:
1231:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1203:
1201:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1157:
1155:
1151:
1150:
1148:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1096:
1094:
1088:
1087:
1085:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1038:
1036:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1007:Ocean Terminal
1004:
999:
994:
992:Edinburgh Park
989:
984:
978:
976:
968:
967:
965:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
939:
934:
932:King's Theatre
929:
924:
919:
911:
909:Bedlam Theatre
905:
903:
897:
896:
894:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
842:
840:
834:
833:
831:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
808:Scott Monument
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
718:Balmoral Hotel
715:
709:
707:
701:
700:
698:
697:
692:
687:
681:
679:
671:
670:
656:
654:
652:
651:
646:
641:
636:
631:
629:Porteous Riots
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
595:
590:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
560:
555:
550:
545:
540:
535:
533:Holyrood Abbey
530:
525:
520:
515:
510:
505:
503:Burke and Hare
500:
495:
490:
485:
479:
477:
469:
468:
461:
459:
458:
451:
444:
436:
430:
429:
418:
413:
400:
385:
380:
367:
344:
343:
338:
337:
325:
313:
301:
286:
274:
262:
247:
242:Scots Magazine
233:
221:
206:
194:
182:
170:
155:
143:
125:
124:
123:
118:
115:
105:their crimes.
80:
77:
45:
42:
37:New Year's Eve
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1351:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1296:
1294:
1279:
1273:
1269:
1267:
1257:
1255:
1245:
1243:
1233:
1232:
1229:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1198:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1089:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1077:Lothian Buses
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1035:
1029:
1023:
1022:Standard Life
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1002:Fort Kinnaird
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
979:
977:
975:
969:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
915:
912:
910:
907:
906:
904:
902:concert halls
898:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
871:Dynamic Earth
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
843:
841:
839:and galleries
835:
829:
828:Victoria Quay
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
798:Ross Fountain
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
721:
719:
716:
714:
713:Arthur's Seat
711:
710:
708:
704:Buildings and
702:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
682:
680:
678:
672:
667:
660:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
596:
594:
591:
589:
586:
584:
583:Deacon Brodie
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
486:
484:
481:
480:
478:
476:
470:
466:
457:
452:
450:
445:
443:
438:
437:
434:
426:
425:
419:
416:
414:9781780335322
410:
406:
401:
397:
396:
395:History Today
391:
386:
383:
377:
373:
368:
365:
361:
357:
356:
351:
346:
345:
341:
340:
334:
329:
326:
322:
317:
314:
310:
305:
302:
298:
293:
291:
287:
283:
278:
275:
271:
266:
263:
259:
254:
252:
248:
244:
243:
237:
234:
230:
225:
222:
218:
213:
211:
207:
203:
198:
195:
192:, pp. 295–296
191:
186:
183:
179:
174:
171:
167:
162:
160:
156:
152:
147:
144:
140:
135:
133:
131:
127:
121:
120:
116:
114:
110:
108:
102:
100:
95:
90:
86:
78:
76:
72:
70:
69:First-Footing
66:
61:
59:
50:
43:
41:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1200:Other topics
937:Queen's Hall
900:Theatres and
638:
599:Walter Scott
422:
404:
393:
371:
353:
328:
316:
304:
277:
265:
240:
236:
224:
197:
185:
173:
146:
111:
107:Lord Gillies
103:
82:
73:
62:
55:
23:occurred in
20:
18:
783:Old College
778:New College
733:Calton Hill
634:Silvermills
563:James Craig
558:Robert Adam
311:, pp. 43–44
1319:1812 riots
1314:1811 riots
1293:Categories
1091:Health and
962:Usher Hall
917:(proposed)
876:Public art
728:Bute House
676:Governance
609:Devolution
523:David Hume
381:0956791735
117:References
1154:Festivals
1115:Hospitals
1093:education
1033:Transport
706:landmarks
639:Tron riot
483:Etymology
464:Edinburgh
79:Aftermath
33:Tron Kirk
25:Edinburgh
21:Tron Riot
1241:Category
1186:Hogmanay
553:New Town
548:Old Town
335:, p. 339
284:, p. 299
272:, p. 295
260:, p. 289
245:, p. 250
231:, p. 298
204:, p. 297
180:, p. 287
65:Hogmanay
58:New Town
29:Old Town
1265:Outline
1253:Commons
1135:Schools
1047:Airport
1042:A1 road
973:Economy
837:Museums
619:Lothian
474:History
342:Sources
333:McGowan
323:, p. 45
321:Ralston
309:Ralston
299:, p. 44
297:Ralston
219:, p. 43
217:Ralston
168:, p. 41
153:, p. 40
141:, p. 42
139:Ralston
89:guineas
1277:Portal
411:
378:
1082:Trams
614:Burgh
122:Notes
597:Sir
409:ISBN
376:ISBN
282:Knox
270:Knox
258:Knox
229:Knox
202:Knox
190:Knox
178:Knox
19:The
360:doi
1295::
392:,
352:,
289:^
250:^
209:^
158:^
129:^
101:.
455:e
448:t
441:v
362::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.