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One of Leicester's largest riots started with a balloon The infamous balloon riot in 1864 proves mass public disorder isn't new to Leicester The infamous balloon riot in 1864 proves mass public disorder isn't new to Leicester This story was published by the Leicester Gazette: a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our mailing list. Just use that button below to sign up for free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Want to support our work? Click here for membership. Sadly, instances of mass public disorder have become all too common on the streets of modern Britain, but it would be wrong to suppose that such scenes are unique to present-day society. On one summer’s day back in 1864, the disappointment caused by the apparently innocent failure of a hydrogen balloon demonstration in Leicester escalated into a disproportionately violent and destructive protest which caused much local embarrassment. The daring displays staged by the pioneering professional balloonists of the Victorian age really captured the public imagination. Popularly known as aeronauts, these enterprising early practitioners of manned flight were not afraid to experiment with new techniques and equipment, meaning that ballooning often proved to be a risky and unpredictable business. This element of danger and uncertainty only added to its appeal as a public spectacle. The first balloons, pioneered by the Montgolfier brothers in the late 1700s, were made of paper combined with lightweight fabric. They were powered by hot air, which was generated by burning straw in a brazier housed in the basket itself. It’s little wonder that this potentially lethal combination of fire and paper was quickly jettisoned in favour of a gas-propelled version. Gas balloons remained the preferred choice for most aeronauts until well into the 20th-century when technological advancements led to a revival in interest in hot air ballooning. The 1864 balloon demonstration was by no means the first to be held in Leicester. During the late 1840s, hordes of visitors from across the Midlands arrived on special trains to witness the popular performances staged by the veteran celebrity balloonist, Charles Green, each summer at Barker’s Cricket Ground. Following Green’s retirement, several years elapsed before the cricket ground’s enterprising owner, William Barker, persuaded another of the era’s best-known aeronauts to stage a display in Leicester. This was none other than Henry Coxwell, the man who would later fall victim to the 1864 rioters. A former dentist from Kent, 39-year-old Coxwell’s first appearance at Barker’s Cricket Ground was a notable success. “Admirers of these aerial excursions in Leicester have been accustomed to associate successful ballooning with the name of the veteran Green, but it’s evident from the experience of last Wednesday that he is most efficiently succeeded by Mr. H. Coxwell”, reported the Leicester Mercury in July 1858. Despite this success, however, Coxwell did not make a habit of visiting Leicester as regularly as his predecessor, Green, had done, possibly because of an increasingly busy schedule. As well as his aeronautical displays, Green had done much groundbreaking work in pioneering the use of balloons for scientific research, particularly in the field of meteorology. Coxwell now took on this role and, in the early 1860s, accompanied meteorologist, Dr James Glaisher, on numerous ascents to measure the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere at increasingly ambitious high altitudes. One record-breaking flight over Wolverhampton, on 5 September 1862, proved particularly memorable. Coxwell and Glaisher ascended to a height of approximately 37,000 feet (approximately 7 miles or 11 km) above sea level and set a world’s best for the highest altitude reached by a manned flight which stood for nearly 40 years. Unused to flying in such a rarefied atmosphere at sub-zero temperatures, both men experienced serious medical episodes towards the peak of the ascent. Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. Want to support our work? Click here for membership. As oxygen levels dropped dramatically, Glaisher began to lose consciousness. Seeing his companion’s distress, Coxwell decided to release some gas from the balloon in order that they could start their descent. He then discovered that he was unable to open the valve, as its cord had become stuck in the rigging. His only option was to climb out of the basket to disentangle it, a hazardous procedure at the best of times worsened by the fact that he was now losing sensation in his hands and feet because of frostbite. In the end, Coxwell miraculously managed to tug the cord by using his teeth and thus ensured that the balloon returned safely to earth. His quick thinking undoubtedly saved both men’s lives and the press coverage of this dramatic incident propelled the celebrity balloonist’s status to that of a national hero. Two years later, Coxwell announced his intention of returning to Leicester to demonstrate his brand-new hydrogen balloon, the Britannia, at the Foresters Friendly Society’s annual summer fete in Victoria Park. Unsurprisingly, news of his visit generated an unprecedented level of local interest, helped not only by Coxwell’s famous exploits but also his much-hyped new balloon. “Mr Coxwell will make an ascent in his new mammoth balloon, Britannia”, read one local newspaper advertisement. “Just exhibited at the Crystal Palace. This balloon is 90 feet high, 180 feet at its greatest circumference and the Car is capable of accommodating 25 persons”. On 11 July 1864, a crowd of approximately 50,000 people gathered in Victoria Park for this highly anticipated event, but sadly, it proved to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Coxwell subsequently wrote a letter to The Times, reprinted in his later autobiography, in which he set out his version of that day’s disastrous events. He was highly critical of the inadequate security measures at the venue, alleging that only eight police officers were on duty. He was equally unimpressed with the insubstantial fence that separated the enclosure in which the balloon was housed from the vast crowd. He recalled that as he began his pre-flight preparations in the early afternoon, “a gentleman, reported to be a provincial aeronaut, gave it out that the balloon then present was not my largest and newest balloon, but a small one”. This malicious rumour quickly spread through the crowd, angering some who surged towards the enclosure and easily broke through the flimsy fencing. Several residents had paid the considerable sum of three guineas for the privilege of accompanying the celebrity aeronaut on his ascent. As Coxwell now battled to complete his preparations, some of these passengers decided to vent their disapproval at the delay by climbing into the basket and staging a protest. According to Coxwell, one passenger, using “gestures and foul language”, even proceeded to incite the crowd still further by telling them that the aeronaut was refusing to continue with the display. In reality, the actions of the mob made the prospect of making a safe ascent almost impossible. Fearful that his expensive new equipment was in danger of being damaged, Coxwell eventually decided to release the gas from the balloon. Excitement turned to acute disappointment as the spectators realised that the ascent was now not going to take place. “This so exasperated the assembled multitude that several of them pulled out their knives and ripped the balloon up”, reported The Globe. As the baying mob turned their attention to the rest of his equipment, the police inspector on duty advised the despairing Coxwell to flee to safety. The aeronaut’s later description reveals the extent to which he was traumatised by what happened next: “While the work of demolition was proceeding, Sergeant Chapman led me away amid yelling and derision. My clothes were soon torn, and then the cry was raised, ‘rip him up’, ‘knock him on the head’, ‘finish him’, etc., and all of which would have inevitably been executed had I not followed the Inspector’s advice”. Coxwell later received the devastating news that his valuable new balloon had been destroyed, as had the basket which had previously carried him and Glaisher on their historic record-breaking high-altitude flight. Not only did this subsequently cause Coxwell considerable inconvenience and personal expense, when he had to replace the equipment, but it also brought a temporary halt to Glaisher’s important scientific investigations. An independent eyewitness corroborated Coxwell’s version of events in The Times, as did one of the local men who had purchased a ticket for the balloon ride. Writing to the Leicester Journal, he dismissed local rumours that the distinguished aeronaut had never intended to fly the balloon, adding that “no man could strive more than Mr. C. did” to make the ascent. The correspondent ended his letter: “Mr Coxwell has my hearty thanks for his decision and promptness of action, and my sincere regret for the loss of his property”. The actions of the rioters inevitably attracted much critical press coverage and did much to damage Leicester’s reputation at national level. The Leicester Mercury sought to mitigate the damage caused by this negative publicity, claiming that excursionists from Nottingham were responsible for starting the riot and even blaming Coxwell himself. On 16 July 1864, the paper published a particularly robust response to a critical article in The Telegraph, commenting: “Having charged Mr Coxwell with inciting the riot by his own injudicious conduct – by, in short, his want of temper, and the absence of a becoming manner in addressing such a vast crowd as that which pressed upon him, we shall not allow ourselves to be carried away by the anonymous libeller in The Telegraph”. Acknowledging that there was “no justification for the destruction of the balloon”, the Mercury then proceeded to describe it as “an unfortunate deed – more an error than a crime” and again suggested that if Coxwell had “kept his cool”, the riot would have been avoided. The unapologetic tone of this local press coverage probably did little to calm the storm of negative publicity, but a subsequent generous donation of £700 towards the cost of Coxwell’s replacement balloon did help to restore Leicester’s reputation. As for the unfortunate aeronaut himself, the redoubtable Coxwell soon recovered from the traumatic events of the balloon riot and thereafter his career continued to go from strength to strength. Before you go… We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere. The app connects with Bluesky, Mastodon and Threads, giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community.