This case study covers the reform related riots in Worcester over the period 5-7 November 1831. The study commences with an assessment of the electoral history and governance of the city in the period along with the rise of the reform movement and the formation of the Worcester Political Union in 1830. The following section considers protests and disturbances in Worcestershire and its environs in the wake of the defeat of the Second Reform Bill in the House of Lords in October 1831. Preparations by the Worcester mayor and magistrates for disorder in the city are investigated and a detailed account of the 5th November riot is provided. Judicial policy and criminal prosecutions in the aftermath are examined along with an assessment of the tactics of the authorities in containing the unrest. The study concludes with an analysis of the targets of the crowd and the characteristics of a sample of the arrestees.
Download the PDF here: