March 27. A tumult took place in the corn market at Sunderland, in consequence of the price of wheat, 40s being de-manded by one of the dealers for a boll of that grain. The populace immediately raked the kennels for dirt, with which they besmeared the farmer who was glad to retreat to the Fountain inn, the windows of which house were assailed with stones and brick bats, as were also those of the Half Moon and Queen's Head; besides the damage sustained in the brittle materials of the houses attacked, a quantity of corn was madly trodden under foot, and several of the farmer's carts were hur ried into the Wear, one of which was seen floating to the sea the next morning. A justice of the peace, with a few constables, seized upon one of the insurgents, and committed him to the Cage, but he was soon liberated by a body of the rioters. Things continued thus till about nine o'clock, when the justice, with an increased body of constables, again made their appearance, and read the riot act on the steps of the George inn, by candle light, but with so little success, that it was deemed prudent to plant a military guard round his house during the night. In the midst of the affray, a party of the Lancashire militia was called out; they loaded their muskets, but received no orders to fire.
From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867