Satirical cartoon, Suffolk Rats protecting their cheese

Satirical cartoon, Suffolk Rats protecting their cheese or the County fencibles called to arms. One of several prints satirising the proliferation of volunteers. A sign proclaims: wanted a number of stout able Bodied young men for the Suffolk Fencibles &c enquire at the Sign of the Hard Cheese'. Here rats have become volunteers or fencibles (defencibles), wearing uniforms, bearing muskets, and holed up in a giant hard cheese which they are vigorously defending from a large cat. The Volunteers of different counties had nicknames, for example Suffolk rats, Essex calves and Hampshire Hogs

1790s 1795 Cheese Defending Drummer Drumming Fores Muskets Protect Protecting Rats Satirising Volunteer Volunteers

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > RFM