Ian H
Guru
We were at an entertainingly quirky lecture by Todd Gray on historical oddities related to Exeter. In the 19th C there were tussles for power between the city council, the cathedral and the police.
A poor, illiterate man stood outside the guildhall shouting that he and all men* should have the vote, for which crime the mayor had him thrown in gaol. The police decided this was illegal and released him. The mayor then had him dragged into the guildhall and ordered him to apologise. He refused, saying he had the right to speak his mind, and left. The mayor sent some thugs after him to 'teach him a lesson'. Todd Gray commented that Exeter was far worse than any rotten borough (mentioning Honiton, just 11 miles to the east).
*not women, of course.
A poor, illiterate man stood outside the guildhall shouting that he and all men* should have the vote, for which crime the mayor had him thrown in gaol. The police decided this was illegal and released him. The mayor then had him dragged into the guildhall and ordered him to apologise. He refused, saying he had the right to speak his mind, and left. The mayor sent some thugs after him to 'teach him a lesson'. Todd Gray commented that Exeter was far worse than any rotten borough (mentioning Honiton, just 11 miles to the east).
*not women, of course.
