Victorian Street Gangs

[LS13]

I'm currently reading Gangs of Manchester by Andrew Davies, which tells the story of the scuttlers, described as Britains first youth gangs who plagued the City from the 1850's to the end of the century. I've also read Philip Goodersons Gangs of Birmingham which covers the Sloggers and the Peaky Blinders, who became famous via the TV series of the same name.These books are a real eye opener -these were youth gangs largely centred on the working class areas of large industrial cities. They fought each other over territory- streets, areas, even different factories had their own gangs. There was none of the economy based violence we see with todays drugs gangs- this was gangs of youths fighting for the sake of it- generally to maintain their area's or their own reputation.The levels of violence against other gangs and the police was shocking - youths were routinely stabbed and many died. Battles or scuttles in Manchester involving 300 youths per side werent uncommon- the similarities with todays soccer 'firms' are striking.The scuttlers generally wore all black, with a coloured muffler, clogs and a billycock hat, worn at an angle to show off their distinctive hair style with long fringe at one side.The book recounts the tale of Owen 'Oney' Callaghan , a member the Meadow scuttlers who murdered Joe Brady of the Bengal Street Tigers and went on the run. He was eventually arrested in Leeds having walked there from Salford. That made me wonder why he headed to Leeds- did he have contacts in the City? The book mentions youth gangs in other Cities such as Liverpools 'High Rip' gangs. It seems unlikely a large industrial City such as Leeds wouldnt have its own version of the Scuttlers or Peaky Blinders. Has anyone ever come across reference to Victorian Youth gangs in Leeds or have information about their existence?

[Leodian]

Hi LS13. It may or may not be relevant to your query about youth gangs but in case it is the August 14 1870 report in this SL thread may be of interest:- http://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messag ... eadID=4262

[LS13]

Thanks Leodian -this bit is definitely relevant -Whilst the disturbance was in progress some thousands of persons assembled in the adjoining streets, attracted by a strange rumour that Orange and Roman Catholic mobs had come to blows about the war between France and Prussia”. That war seems to have held a strange facination for the youth of the day. In Manchester, gangs called themselves the French and the Prussians (one was actually from Prussia street) and they fought a number of bloody battles. Obviously that 'craze' spread to Leeds and the use of pokers in attacks on the police was another regular occurrence in the scuttler battles. It does sound likely therefore that 'scuttling' was happening in Leeds, though I wonder if 'we' had a different name for it?