1879: Catholics fight Protestants
160 Years is a series marking the launch of The Press newspaper in Christchurch on May 25, 1861.
Sectarian violence broke out in Christchurch on Boxing Day, 1879, when 30 Catholic Irishmen attacked an Irish Protestant or Orange procession in Manchester St.
There were similar scenes in Timaru when 150 men emerged from the Hibernian Hotel to surround a parade of Orangemen.
‘‘Disgraceful outrage’’ was the headline on The Press’ coverage of the Christchurch attack.
‘‘The Protestant Alliance Friendly Society was marching in procession down Manchester street, en route for Prebbleton, where they intended to hold a picnic, when they were savagely and brutally assaulted by a number of men who sallied forth from Barrett’s Borough Hotel and commenced striking indiscriminately with a number of pick staves.
‘‘Some of the assailants came from the right of way close to the hotel, others dropped from the windows, and indeed the whole affair seemed to be a preconcerted movement.
‘‘The people in the procession, quite unprepared for such a savage and brutal onslaught, broke and scattered in every direction, the assailants using their weapons right and left, and, tearing a banner from the bearers, bore it to the back of the hotel.
‘‘A number of men were more or less wounded about the head, and four very seriously.’’
Barrett’s Borough Hotel, later the Excelsior, was on the corner of
Manchester St and High St.
As for Timaru, The Press reported that locals were shocked to see sectarian violence there.
‘‘Had anyone ventured yesterday to hint that such an exhibition of party religious feeling would occur in Timaru, he would have been looked upon as little better than a maniac, for hitherto all sections of the community have lived in perfect unison.’’
But police had been tipped off about the violence in Timaru.
That had an unfortunate sideeffect as reinforcements from Christchurch meant police were unprepared for the battle in Manchester St.
After the attack, all of Timaru’s public houses were closed ‘‘and no liquor was obtainable. Had it not been for this precaution blood would have been shed, as many of the rioters were armed with revolvers, and declared their intention of shooting the first man who showed the orange colors.’’
The Orangemen were also armed but put away their swords at the request of police.