A LEGION of demons held Perth's mercantile class at its mercy in the late 1700s. The demons were the mob led by three demagogues, chancers who exploited the deprivations of the poor for their greedy ends.
Perth was rocked by social unrest between 1770 and 1777 when oatmeal prices soared on the back of successive poor harvests.
The labouring classes were dependent on oatmeal and its variations of porridge, brose or oatcakes - a dearth in the meal market meant certain starvation.
This story is from the June 2024 edition of The Scots Magazine.
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This story is from the June 2024 edition of The Scots Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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