“We are driven into a shed, iron-barred from end to end, outside of which a foreman or contractor walks up and down with the air of a dealer in a cattle market, picking and choosing from a crowd of men, who, in their eagerness to obtain employment, trample each other underfoot, and where like beasts … Read more
In this series of blog posts we are showcasing the work from GCSE and A-Level students who have worked with the Citizens Project to research and write blog posts on key moments of protest and reform throughout British history. In this blog post Calum Laurie, a pupil at Cambourne Village College, explores the reasons behind the 1819 … Read more
In this series of blog posts we are showcasing the work from GCSE and A-Level students who have worked with the Citizens Project to research and write blog posts on key moments of protest and reform throughout British history. In this blog post Kasia Macklow-Smith, a pupil at Ibstock Place School, explores the life and legacy of … Read more
The Chartist Movement had significant popular support in Birmingham from 1838 and there was a good deal of local involvement in its establishment. Thomas Attwood, MP for the town, was a key supporter and was responsible for sending out the first National Petition in 1839. In May of the same year the Chartist National Convention … Read more
Torquay is regarded as a sleepy and affluent place. Yet, despite its ‘sleepy’ reputation, the Riot Act was read twice in the nineteenth century. The town was one of great inequality. While large villas were built for wealthy families, there was a shortage of homes for the working people. In one slum, two thousand men, … Read more
For nineteen years, a group of women maintained camps around the perimeter of an American base at Greenham Common in Berkshire, protesting the storage of nuclear weapons. The actions were part of a wider movement, spearheaded by CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament). The American military eventually withdrew from Greenham and in 2002, a memorial garden … Read more
In March 1984, the Conservative government announced the closure of twenty coal mines with a loss of 20,000 jobs. In response, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) announced a strike which ultimately lasted a year and, at its peak, involved 142,000 workers. The strike was one of the most bitter trade disputes in British history, … Read more
The records show numerous occasions when riot and rebellion occurred in Devon. The reasons for disorder were many and included food shortages, price rises, and opposing religious views. Background Between 1790 and 1801, bread prices quadrupled and wages failed to keep up with rising prices. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the Corn … Read more
The Brixton Riots were a key turning point for race relations in Britain. The riots, which began on the 10th April 1981, lasted a total of three full days before over 1,000 police officers from across London overcame the force of the rioters and brought an end to the chaos. The rioting was the result … Read more
The First World War produced Britain’s first major anti-war movement. Conscientious Objectors (COs) were a collection of individuals who refused to fight. Although there were organisations such as the No-Conscription Fellowship, it was up to the individual, at enormous personal sacrifice, to make the protest. This meant facing alone the combined strength of the judiciary, … Read more
