The Rioting Fishwives of Moray

In the mid-19th century, after several bad harvests, there was a severe shortage of food in Scotland. Grain was still being grown, but much of that wasn’t being distributed locally to those in need but shipped to continental Europe for a large profit instead. The starving people of the Moray coast were forced to stand by and watch as the food from their fields sailed past in heavily laden ships.

When two of these vessels were moored at Kingston and the crew were unwilling to sell any cargo to the hungry locals, the situation reached a tipping point. If the people wanted to eat, then they would have to take matters into their own hands. Men from every village that dotted the coastline gathered in collective support, then marched together in solidarity to demand the Duke’s Commissioner allow them to purchase the grain for a fair price.

It was a reasonable request, but it was denied. The women left behind in Kingston decided to take a much more direct approach, giving the ship’s captain one last chance to be fair and allow them access to the grain. When he refused, the ladies simply picked him up and launched him into the sea next to his vessel.

A riot ensued and soldiers were called to break things up, but the fishwives of Moray weren’t a force to be trifled with. The troops were pelted into submission with volleys of stones. Eventually, after a severe beating, those soldiers turned on the ships instead in an effort to restore some kind of order. The captains were forced to sell enough of their cargo to the locals at a decent price and the rioting fishwives had won a resounding victory for their families.