Graffiti such as "destruction to the Presbyterians" and "Church and King for ever" are scrawled across Birmingham on the morning of July 14.

At this point, Joseph Priestley's friends, fearing for his safety, dissuade him from attending the dinner.

About ninety resolute sympathizers of the French Revolution come to celebrate on the 14th; the banquet is led by James Keir, an Anglican industrialist who is a member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham.

When the guests arrive at the hotel at 2 or 3 p.m., they are greeted by sixty or seventy protesters who temporarily disperse while yelling, rather bizarrely and confusingly, "no popery".

By the time the celebrants end their dinner, around 7 or 8 p.m., a crowd of hundreds had gathered.

The rioters throw stones at the departing guests and sack the hotel.

The crowd then moved on to the Quaker meeting-house, until someone persuades them instead to attack the New Meeting chapel, where Priestley presides as minister.

The New Meeting chapel is burned to the ground, quickly followed by the Old Meeting, another Dissenting chapel.

The rioters proceed to Priestley's home, Fairhill at Sparkbrook.

Priestley barely has time to evacuate and he and his wife flee from Dissenting friend to friend during the riots.

Writing shortly after the event, Priestley will describe the first part of the attack, which he witnesses from a distance.

His son, William, stays behind with others to protect the family home, but they are overcome and the property is eventually looted and razed to the ground.

Priestley's valuable library, scientific laboratory, and manuscripts are largely lost in the flames.

The Earl of Aylesford attempts to stem the mounting violence on the night of the 14th, but despite having the help of other magistrates, he is unable to control the crowd.