This case study analyses the reform related riot in Bath of 30-31 October 1831. The study commences with an assessment of the electoral history and governance of the city in the early nineteenth century. The following section considers Bath and its environs during the reform crisis of 1830-31 with an emphasis on public protest and… Continue reading The Bath riot of October 1831
Category: Case Studies
The Worcester riots of November 1831
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… Continue reading The Worcester riots of November 1831
Prelude to the riots in Dorset in October 1831
This essay considers a series of preludes in 1830 and 1831 to the riots in Dorset and south Somerset in October 1831. Although written from the perspective of Sherborne in north Dorset this paper provides useful context for case studies of riots in Blandford, Sherborne and Yeovil. It examines agricultural disturbances (known as the ‘Swing… Continue reading Prelude to the riots in Dorset in October 1831
The Blandford Forum riots of October 1831
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… Continue reading The Blandford Forum riots of October 1831
The Sherborne Riots of October 1831
This case study covers the reform related riots in Sherborne in Dorset over the period 19-21 October 1831. It commences with an assessment of the demographics, economics and industry, and land ownership in the town and its environs. It considers the living conditions of artisan and labouring families by studying housing and public health and… Continue reading The Sherborne Riots of October 1831
The Yeovil Riots of October 1831
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… Continue reading The Yeovil Riots of October 1831
Bristol Riots Case Study: The Delivery of the New Gaol, 30 October 1831
This case study considers an important escalation in the activities of the crowd on the second day of the riots in Bristol on Sunday, 30 October 1831. It begins by framing the events in Bristol in the context of the ‘great excarceration’ of Newgate prison during the Gordon riots of 1780 in London. In the… Continue reading Bristol Riots Case Study: The Delivery of the New Gaol, 30 October 1831
Bristol Riots Case Study: The Attack on the Bishop’s Palace, Sunday 30 October 1831
This case study analyses the targeting, sacking and raising of the Bishop’s Palace by rioters in Bristol on 29 October 1831. It begins by considering the public disapproval of the Anglican Bishops for their role in the defeat of the Second Reform Bill in the House of Lords and their perceived accumulation of wealth. The… Continue reading Bristol Riots Case Study: The Attack on the Bishop’s Palace, Sunday 30 October 1831