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United Kingdom
Name: THE OLD BAILEY . Favorite quote: "Defend the Children of the Poor & Punish the Wrongdoer". Location: London. Hometown: LONDON Places lived: ALWAYS ON OLD BAILEY , LONDON. More about you: BUILT IN 1907 AND ADDED TO IN 1972 ON THE SITE OF NEWGATE PRISON. Occupation: A place of history and law. THIS WEBSITE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF LONDON OR THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE.

Tuesday 23 November 2010

Barnaby Rudge " by Charles Dickens

Barnaby Rudge " by Charles Dickens

 
 
 
 
Tuesday, June 6th, 1780 ( The GORDON RIOTS )
Newgate attacked
" At first, they crowded round the blaze, and vented their exultation only in their looks: but when it grew hotter and fiercer – when in crackled, leaped, and roared, like a great furnace—when it shone upon the opposite houses, and lighted up not only the pale and wondering faces at the windows, but the inmost corners of each habitation – when through the deep red heat and glow, the fire was seen sporting and toying with the door, now clinging to its obdurate surface, now gliding off with fierce inconstancy and soaring high into the sky, anon returning to fold it in its burning grasp and lure it to its ruin – when it shone and gleamed so brightly that the church clock of St Sepulchre’s, so often pointing to the hour of death , was legible as in broad day, and the vane upon its steeple-top glittered in the unwonted light like something richly jeweled – when blackened stone and sombre brick grew ruddy in the deep reflection, and windows shone like burnished gold, dotting the longest distance in the fiery vista with the specks of brightness – when wall and tower, and roof and chimney-stack, seemed drunk, and in the flickering glare appeared to reel and stagger – when scores of objects, never seen before, burst out upon the view, and things the most familiar put on some new aspect – then the mob began to join the whirl, and with loud yells, and shouts, and clamour, such as happily is seldom heard, bestirred themselves to feed the fire, and keep it at its height."  -- Barnaby Rudge

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