The Leicester Balloon Riot of 1864

How did a huge hydrogen balloon cause a riot and chaos in Victoria Park?

Let’s take you back to the 1864, when a crowd of around 50,000 spectators gathered to see the astonishing sight of a new hydrogen balloon taking to the skies.

Before the days of air travel, this was an amazing spectacle and people came from around the country to see it. Expectations were sky high.. and that's where the problems began.

IMAGE: By Penny Illustrated Paper from 1864

Reporter: Ben Jackson
Producer: Andrew Fewster

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