When Cheshire's police force and 100 soldiers were sent to Winsford as salt workers went on strike

Herman Falk was probably the most influential of the salt magnates who was behind the amalgamation of the salt works into the Salt Union at Winsford.

The conveyance of white salt by boat was known as salt flats. After an Act of Parliament in 1721, the River Weaver was made navigable from Winsford Bridge to the Mersey Estuary at Weston Point and then onwards to Liverpool where ocean-going ships would load the salt. The return journey would carry coal for the salt pans.

Newbridge Salt Works

Falk was instrumental in forming The Salt Union in 1888. An organisation that encompassed all salt works other than the few that declined to join, and all of the flats owned by them. They controlled the production of salt and the shipping of it. At the same time, the salt flat crews formed the Watermen’s Association, and there was the Winsford and District Salt Makers Association. Today they would be called militant unions and the Salt Union, the bosses.

Four years after the formation of the Salt Union, the members of the Watermen’s Association whose association was based in the Bulls Head at Davenham, went on strike. The salt workers in sympathy with them, refused to load the boats. Because of this, the Salt Union imported 100 non-union men to take their place. Not happy with this, the salt workers themselves came out and joined the watermen. This turned extremely nasty. The non-union men, housed in the packing room of the Salt Union Works at Meadow Bank, were attacked by locals and were informed that if they left, they would not be harmed. They agreed to this and were escorted to Winsford and Over Station by a jubilant crowd.

Winsford and Over Station

The following morning around 60 policemen were stationed at Newbridge. A crowd started to assemble, and another 100 police officers under the deputy Chief Constable arrived. The ringleaders discovered that another batch of non-union men was on the way from Lime Street to Winsford Station and went off to deal with them, surrounding the train.

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After another batch of non-union men arrived from Lime Street, the police escorted them, but walking down through the tunnels towards Newbridge, they were subjected to a barrage of stones and bricks. Most of the men refused to go on and returned to the station. Winsford’s streets were thronged with people excited and apparently intent upon violence and disorder. Additional police were brought in, and troops from Manchester had arrived by train at Winsford and Over Station causing the crowd to rush the station.

A squad of 100 military men of the 41st Hussars were in attendance, and kept the crowd away from the special train waiting at the station. The local MP Mr Edmund Leigh JP was called and it was decided that a riot was possible. Mr Leigh addressed the large crowd in the following words.

Loading a Salt Boat in Winsford

“I have just been fetched from home, where I was almost preparing for bed, to come here and read the Riot Act,” he said. “I was given to understand that there was a riot on or one likely to be commenced, but I hope you, as quiet Winsford men, will not make it necessary for me to read the Act,” he said. “These military men have come here, and if I were to read the Riot Act, they would be able to fire upon you and shoot you down like a grouse.” No more non-union men were imported and mediation ended the strike.