Have you ever heard of "Paint the Town Red"?, here is another story from Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. At the time of this event, William Brown had just turned eighteen. I do not believe the Browns were involved in this incident, but they were known to have caused problems in and around the villages of Melton Mowbray.

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It all happened just before dawn in the early hours of Thursday 6 April 1837. The peaceful inhabitants of Melton Mowbray were aroused from their slumber by an impressive noise. Henry Beresford, 3rd Marquess of Waterford, and his group of companions had attended the Croxton-Park Races and spent the night in Melton Mowbray. At about three o’clock in the morning, the Marquess and his posse had attacked the town's constables. A short time later, after being joined by several more ‘gentlemen’, the group visited the Thorpe End Toll Gate Bar on the Melton Mowbray to Grantham Road. The revellers nailed up the door, screwed down the window shutters, and made a tremendous noise shouting “Gate”. The party of noblemen refused to pay the levy. The gatekeeper, believing someone was breaking into the house, reached down for his loaded horse pistol, but in his confusion, the toll keeper could not locate the powder for the primer. The toll-gate house was not in the best repair, and ladders, brushes and pots of red paint were close by. The Marquess and his group of sidekicks took possession of the items lying around. The group painted the tollhouse door red and headed into the town, taking with them the stolen equipment. The body of men tore down Beast Market (now Sherrard Street), pulled on door knockers, knocked over flowerpots, and painted doors red as they went. As they raced through the Market Place and reached the Old Swan Inn next to what is now the Grapes Public House, the Marquess was hoisted onto the shoulder of another man to paint the carved Old Swan Inn sign red. In 1988, when the porch at the Old Swan collapsed, traces of red paint were found on the back of the carved swan when it was removed for restoration. At the Red Lion Public House on Burton Street (now part of the Harboro Hotel), they pulled down the sign and threw it into the canal. The Post Office and the Leicestershire Banking Company were vandalised during the insurgence, and an attempt was made to turn over a caravan near the Noels Arms Public House where a man was sound asleep. A lone bobby tried to calm the crowd, but was attacked and painted red for his trouble. The night watchmen and two constables apprehended two of the men. One escaped, but Edward Horner Raynard Esq was detained in the Bridewell prison. The Marquess of Waterford, Sir Frederick Johnson, and the Honourable Mr. Villiers, together with the remainder of the party, attacked the watchhouse and broke three locks. The Marquess, who was unable to open the fourth lock, threatened to murder Constable Campion if he did not produce the key. Fearing for his life, the constable released Raynard.

A second day of races took place during the day of 6 April, and it was intimated that the remaining part of Melton Mowbray, which had not been affected by the first riot, would be visited in the evening. Eight special constables were sworn in to preserve the peace. Unfortunately for the inhabitants of Melton Mowbray, the Special Constables and their twelve assistants were considered the stoutest, poorest and some of the most drunken men in the town. Another night of disturbance followed, and the special constables and their assistants did nothing to avert the carnage. The Marquess, Captain Grantham and Edward Raynard were again in the streets. Mr Raynard was once again carried away by three constables and locked up for a second time, but the Marquess fled. On the Friday morning, 7 April 1837, Roger Manners, Esq, and the Reverend Hartopp took their seats at the Swan Hotel in Melton Mowbray to investigate the proceedings of the last two nights. Edward Raynard was charged with assault and ordered to pay a penalty of two-hundred pounds. On top of the two-hundred pounds fine, Raynard was instructed to pay an extra one-hundred pounds to Robert Berridge, a surgeon, and one-hundred pounds to George Bishop, a liquor merchant who had both suffered damage to their properties.

Warrants were ordered against the Marquess of Waterford, Sir Frederick Johnson, and the Honourable Mr. Villiers. Of all the eleven people engaged in the disruption of the two previous nights, only one, Sir Frederick Johnson, was a resident of Melton Mowbray.