Event: ‘The Reform Bill … I say it will be the ruin of the country’: The Worcester ‘reform riot’ of November 1831

The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, Worcester, England WR1 3PD

In early October 1831, the defeat of the Second Reform Bill in the House of Lords led to a huge wave of pro-reform protests and disturbances across Britain and Ireland. Major disorders in the east Midlands, Dorset and Somerset were followed in Bristol by the most serious riot in nineteenth century England. In early November, less than a week after the events in Bristol, Worcester was to experience a riot of its own.

This free talk will consider the rioting in Worcester in detail, with particular emphasis on who the rioters were, their targets and interaction with the authorities. We will also try to answer the following questions:

• Did the events in Bristol influence Worcester?
• In Worcester, how did the political divisions between a largely pro-reform populace and an anti-reform Corporation play out?
• Why did local magistrates find it so difficult to control and disperse the crowd?
• And why, in any case, were labouring class men and women rioting in support of a Reform Bill that was never likely to enfranchise them?

With Prof. Steve Poole (UWE), Dr Roger Ball (UWE) and Daniel Ruddock (UWE).

This lecture is part of the ESRC funded project Intergroup Dynamics within the 1831 reform riots led by the University of West of England.

Futher details and booking here.