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History of the Corn Riots

In 1769, landowners were exporting wheat from Jersey to England, where a bad harvest had driven up the price.

Frustrated with the resulting food shortages, rising prices, the unfair taxation system and Jersey’s power structure, around 500 hundred islanders stormed the Royal Court with 13 demands to alleviate their struggles on September 28th 1769.

Though there was no known loss of life, many came armed with sticks and clubs, and an usher was thrown over the court railing during the disturbance.

The event paved the way for major political reform on the island. In the reform, known as the Code of 1771, the Royal Court was stripped of its legislative powers, meaning that from 1771, only the States Assembly could create laws.

https://www.ruraljersey.co.uk/corn-mortgages-and-riots/

The Corn Riots was essentially a time when in Jersey the majority of land was owned by a family called the Lempriere family. In power, was the Lieutenant Bailiff Charles Lempriere. Among his 12 Jurats in control of the Island were Charles’ father, father-in-law, cousin and two brothers. So… of 12, five were from the Lempriere family.

In 1767 protests raged against the exportation of grain from the Island. Anonymous threats were made against shipowners and a law was passed the following year so that all available corn was kept in Jersey. In August 1769 the States repealed this law, claiming that crops in the Island were plentiful and this meant that the Act was no longer necessary.

There was suspicion in the Island that this was a ploy to raise the price of wheat, which would be beneficial to the rich, many of whom had wheat rentes owed to them on properties. This would especially be true of the Lemprières who not only owned a large amount of land in the Island but also had control of the Receiver-General post and so stood to profit the most with rentes going up.

Acts of resistance started taking place. A corn ship about to export goods was raided by a group of women who demanded that the sailors unload their cargo and set about selling it on the Harbour, giving the proceeds to the owner of the vessel. Other disturbances took place, leading to the events of 28 September 1769.

The Lempriere family were exporting corn (main source of food for Jersey) over what they needed (greedy guts) which meant that the people of Jersey were going hungry. The price of corn was increased and the price of rent was increased… the monopoly of the Lempriere family was in full force.

But the people in Jersey had had enough, they decided to Riot! So, they marched from Trinity, picking up parishioners along the way, to the Royal Square where they marched into the Royal Court and demanded change, armed with clubs and sticks.

They ordered that their demands be written in the Court book of the time. The Greffier obliged (although afterward, their demands were literally deleted from the book by being torn out, so the Lempriere could keep their monopoly on the Island!) and their orders included (basically demanding a fair price for food and living)

• That grain and wheat was too expensive and that the price of wheat be lowered and set at 20 sols per cabot.

• That foreigners be ejected from the Island.

• That his Majesty’s tithes be reduced to 20 sols per vergée.

• That the value of the liard coin be set to 4 per sol. • That there should be a limit on the sales tax.

• That seigneurs stop enjoying the practice of champart, (the right to every twelfth sheaf of corn or bundle of flax)

. • That seigneurs stop the right of ‘Jouir des Successions’, (the right to enjoy anyone’s estate for a year and a day after they died without heirs).

• That branchage fines could no longer be imposed.

• That Rectors could no longer charge tithes except on apples.

• The lowering of a money rente due by tenants on a fief.

• That Philippe Larbalestier, who had been sent to prison on 23 September, be released without having to pay a fine.

• That the charges against Captain Nicholas Fiott be dropped and that he be allowed to return to the Island without an inquiry.

• That the Customs’ House officers be ejected.

Once the rioters had left the Royal Court, there was relative peace. It was like they’d said what they needed and now felt that they’d be heard and helped.

However Lempriere family decided they didn’t want to make any of these changes, so they went to London to present the rioters problems to the King. This was done… albeit not exactly truthfully, so the King said that all the demands should be erased from the Court records (eg now the Lempriere family didn’t actually have to change anything).

Locals were obviously furious. But £100 was offered to any rioters who turned another in… so things started turning!

But Colonel Bentinck was unsure whether the Lempriere family had been entirely honest, and after he visited Jersey, he reported to the King that ‘we have been represented as enemies’ – therefore it was made illegal to export crops, and a committee was set up in order to regulate the distribution of grains and food to the market. Colonel Bentinck lay down the ‘code of 1771’ where basically it meant the Law would be as fair as possible. The Lempriere family were slowly loosing their power, and soon one of the family retired as Jurat which further helped.

The Corn Riots were the beginning of making the Law fairer for the people of Jersey.

Extension Task

George Floyd’s murder has sparked global protests against racism, inequality, and police brutality. Here, we compile a growing list of books, articles, and initiatives to learn from and support

At the time of writing, people in all 50 states in the US, and 18 countries worldwide, are protesting for the Black Lives Matter movement. The demonstrations follow the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 25 May 2020, and have amplified the anger and outrage at the racism and inequality that continue to pervade all aspects of society, including the creative industries.

In photography, countless artists have spoken out, with photographers including Campbell Addy, Ronan McKenzie and Emmazed founder Mo Mfinanga calling for systematic change in how Black photographers are treated in the industry and beyond it.