This case study covers the reform related riots in Blandford Forum in Dorset over the period 15-19 October 1831. The study commences with an assessment of the governance and jurisdiction of the town with reference to the borough boundary and brief context concerning the Swing riots and the county by-election. A detailed day-by-day analysis of the actions of the rioters and the local authorities and their interactions is then undertaken. In the latter sections, the judicial outcomes for the arrestees are considered along with studies of the targets of the crowd and biographies of the rioters. An appendix gives brief biographical details of key characters in the narrative.
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