Overview of Balloon Riots (Stuff You Missed in History Class)
This episode traces the unexpected violent side of early ballooning—from the 18th-century “balloonomania” that turned scientific spectacle into mass entertainment, to a string of riots in Europe, North America and Australia when launches failed or audiences grew unruly. Hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey explain why balloon ascents so often provoked mob violence, give several well-documented case studies (notably the 1819 Philadelphia Vauxhall riot and the 1864 Leicester riot), and place those events in the context of early aeronautics, public spectacle, and crowd dynamics.
Key background: why balloons drew huge, volatile crowds
- Origins: small Chinese sky lanterns (3rd century BCE) inspired much larger hot-air and gas balloons developed in 1783 in France.
- Milestones:
- Montgolfier brothers (Joseph‑Michel & Jacques‑Étienne): successful hot‑air demonstrations in 1783; first untethered human flight Nov 21, 1783.
- Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers: early hydrogen balloons in 1783 (produced by reacting sulfuric acid and iron filings).
- Balloonomania: balloon launches became mass spectacles—huge crowds, souvenirs, fashion, theater references, and sensational press. Some observers quickly tired of the mania, others worried about military uses.
- Two strains of ballooning culture:
- French: often tied to the Academy of Sciences and scientific inquiry.
- English/British: more showmanship and commercial spectacle, with adventurers staging ticketed events.
Common causes of balloon riots
- Massive, impatient crowds attracted by spectacle and novelty.
- Paywalls/ticketing: those excluded often tried to peek or force entry.
- Long delays or failed inflations heightened frustration.
- Alcohol and vendor presence increased volatility.
- Accidental damage (punctures, fires) or deliberate vandalism (stones, sticks).
- Rumors—especially of injury or death—sparked violent reactions.
- Insufficient crowd control and policing at launches.
- Souvenir economy: torn balloon fragments became prized keepsakes, sometimes encouraging destruction.
Notable incidents covered in the episode
Jeunesse, near Paris (1783)
- Early hydrogen balloon drifted and was attacked by villagers who didn’t recognize it; example of immediate local hostility to unfamiliar aerial objects.
Luxembourg Gardens, Paris (July 11, 1784)
- Jean‑François Janinet and Abbé Laurent‑Antoine Miolin’s three‑balloon experiment failed to fully inflate; balloon caught fire (unclear if accident or arson).
- Ticket holders stormed in, tore material from the balloon, and threw it into the fire.
Vauxhall Gardens, Philadelphia (September 8, 1819)
- French aeronaut “Monsieur Michel” planned an ascent and parachute descent before ~30,000 people (paid spectators inside and onlookers outside the fence).
- Delayed inflation (possibly punctured by a thrown rock), intoxicated crowds, and an altercation involving a teen who climbed the fence sparked a riot.
- The balloon was shredded and set on fire; pavilion and benches burned; multiple injuries; owner sold the property afterward.
Cremorne Gardens, London (circa 1838)
- Balloon inflation repeatedly caught fire due to miscalculated furnace size; spectators pelted the balloon with stones, pulled it into a lake, tried to tear it, and attacked park property before police dispersed them with a fireworks diversion.
Sydney, Australia (December 18, 1856)
- French balloonist Pierre Magre (as recounted) tried to make Australia’s first successful balloon flight before ~5,000 people.
- Slow inflation and doubts about the balloon’s fabric led to crowd impatience; tethering and deflation problems followed.
- Crowd chanted and set the balloon/tents on fire; poles were toppled, injuring children—11‑year‑old Thomas Downs later died from a skull fracture; Magre was censured.
Melbourne / Cremorne Gardens, Australia (1858)
- Successful coal‑gas ascents later met with hostility on descent; balloonists were physically assaulted and equipment damaged by crowds seeking reward money or souvenirs.
Leicester Forrester’s (racecourse), England — Leicester Balloon Riot (July 11, 1864)
- Henry Tracey Coxwell (popular aeronaut) planned to test his new balloon, Britannia, before a Foresters’ fete with an estimated 50,000 spectators.
- Poor crowd control (temporary barriers that were quickly breached) and rumors that Coxwell’s balloon was inferior inflamed the crowd.
- Coxwell released gas to prevent a dangerous situation; enraged spectators attacked, set the basket/car on fire, and destroyed the balloon—pieces were sold as souvenirs.
- Scientific fallout: destruction of Coxwell’s equipment hampered meteorologist James Glaisher’s work (Glaisher had famously nearly died with Coxwell in a high‑altitude 1862 ascent).
- Coxwell survived and sought compensation; local fundraising raised substantial sums.
The Glaisher–Coxwell high‑altitude flight (1862) — why it mattered
- James Glaisher (meteorologist) and Henry Tracey Coxwell ascended to extreme altitudes (~37,000 ft estimated). Both experienced near‑fatal hypoxia and blackout; Coxwell is credited with saving the flight by opening the valve with his teeth when he could no longer use his hands.
- The flight illustrated the physiological dangers of ballooning and boosted Coxwell’s fame—helpful context for why his later Leicester flight drew such a huge crowd.
Outcomes and broader effects
- Repeated destruction of balloons, loss of property, injuries, and at least one documented death (Sydney).
- Popular culture: balloons influenced fashion, art, theater, and late‑18th/19th‑century imagination.
- By late 19th century ballooning’s mass‑spectacle mania declined—fewer massive public crowds meant balloon riots became rarer.
- Modern depiction: the 2019 film The Aeronauts centers on Glaisher (played by Eddie Redmayne) but omits Coxwell’s role.
Notable quotes & insights
- Benjamin Franklin warned contemporaries that failed public experiments would “draw upon you a great deal of censure and affect your reputation” and could anger crowds—Benjamin’s prediction proved prescient.
- Episode emphasizes the mix of science, entertainment, and commerce that made ballooning uniquely prone to crowd violence.
Main takeaways
- Ballooning combined cutting‑edge science with mass entertainment; that combination produced enormous public interest and unpredictable, sometimes violent, outcomes.
- Repeated causes of riots were avoidable crowd‑management failures: insufficient policing, poor barriers, delayed or botched launches, and the presence of alcohol/vending.
- Balloon riots reveal social dynamics around novelty technologies—high expectations, sensational press, and a thin line between wonder and fury when spectacles fail.
Practical lessons (for modern event planners and historians)
- Manage expectations: clear communication about timing and safety reduces crowd frustration.
- Adequate barriers and trained crowd control are essential for large spectacles.
- Limit combustible materials in proximity to inflation/fire processes; enforce safety perimeters.
- Historical context: early aeronauts balanced scientific goals with commercial pressures—knowing that helps explain risky public demonstrations.
Final note
The hosts close by noting balloon riots largely faded as the balloon fad declined, and they round out the episode with listener mail and small cultural asides. The segment is a useful illustration of how early scientific spectacle exposed vulnerabilities in crowd psychology, event organization, and public understanding of novel technologies.