This case study covers the reform related riots in Yeovil, Somerset over the period 21-22 October 1831. The study commences with an assessment of the administration and government of the town with reference to the changes made by the 1830 Improvement Act. Social conditions and the effect of the collapse of the primary industry, glove manufacture, are considered along with the burgeoning movement for parliamentray reform. The second part provides the context of the Dorset by-election and details the two days of rioting in Yeovil. Part three considers the aftermath of the collective violence by looking at the ongoing threats to property, arrests and criminal prosecutions. The study concludes with an analysis of the targets of the crowd and a sample of the rioters.
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