Cockfighting: A Dangerous Game

While changes to normative behaviour ensured that cockfighting was deemed reprehensible by the overwhelming majority in society, there were those who were not prepared to give it up. Consequently, police officers and animal protection inspectors up and down the country were engaged in an ongoing struggle in trying to stamp out clandestine cock matches while the organisers resorting to increasing stratagems of ingenuity and subterfuge in trying to outwit them. Usually vastly outnumbered, upholders of the law were often on the receiving end of thuggish attacks which could result in bloodshed and even death. Such was the case of ‘The Cocking Affray at the village of Hanworth’, between Twickenham and Teddington; a ‘scene of a desperate riot’, on Easter Monday, 16 April 1838. Henry Thomas, Secretary of the SPCA, had been informed of the cockfight taking place and showed up with society inspectors Rogerson, Lord, Willey and James Piper. They went to The Swan public house where a cockpit had been set up in a garden opposite the premises but were soon recognised by the cockfighting ‘fancy’ who immediately fell upon and assaulted them. Lacking a magistrate’s warrant, Thomas did not have constables in support and left to get help from a mounted police patrol. When he returned, he found that the inspectors, in trying to get into the cockpit, had been so badly beaten two of them were in danger of losing their life. They were taken unconscious to the Brown Bear pub where a Dr Frogley from Hounslow attended them. He was verbally abused and pelted by the mob for his ministrations. The police quickly arrested seven men, two of whom were fined, two discharged and two, Joseph Dean and George Guist, remanded in New Prison, Clerkenwell, until the fate of the wounded men should be ascertained. Warrants were issued against seven others, sworn to as being the ringleaders in the attack. James Piper subsequently died from his wounds. Joseph Dean, John King and Richard Coxen were committed to Newgate on a capital charge.