The incident and consequences surrounding the visit by General Haynau, the Austrian ‘woman flogger’, to Barclay Perkins brewery in September 1850, sparked a furious diplomatic row. The Austrian Ambassador in London demanded an explanation. Prime Minister Lord Palmerston, without waiting for Queen Victoria’s approval, replied that he was in fact sympathetic to the draymen’s actions who had public opinion and the popular press on their side. The Prince Consort (Albert) was furious and the Queen’s disapproval caused a letter of apology to be sent to the Austrian Court. The incident remained a subject of resentment between the two countries.  However, 14 years later,  Garibaldi visited the brewery with this message:

Let this to tryants a lesson be,
Not to crush fair liberty,
Or like Haynau they’ll have to flee,
And not get off so well as he.