Intergroup dynamics within the 1831 reform riots: towards a new social psycho-history
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the West of England
Department Name: Fac of Arts Creative Ind and Education
Abstract
In October 1831 a wave of disturbances swept across England after the rejection of the Second Reform Bill in the House of Lords. These 'reform riots' began with serious disorder in the East Midlands (Derby, Nottingham) followed by unrest in towns in the West and Southwest. The wave culminated in Bristol with the most serious riot in nineteenth century Britain. Lasting three days, crowds destroyed several major institutions by fire and released prisoners from four jails. The riot was violently suppressed by military units with hundreds of people killed and wounded.
Historical analysis of the Bristol riot has led to two principal narratives; the first characterises the event as the criminal actions of a mindless, irrational, drunken 'mob', and the second as a reform protest. However, neither of these accounts satisfactorily explains how the protest developed into collective violence on such a scale nor how the agenda of the rioters, reflected in their choice of targets, changed over three days. Equally, the spread of the 'reform riots' across the country remains largely unexplained. What were the relationships between these events and Bristol?
The proposed research breaks new ground for historians in that it will be carried out using concepts and principles from social psychology, where social identity researchers have had success in explaining the limits of behaviour in rioting crowds; the role of authorities in the dynamics of such riots; and the process through which rioting spreads across different geographical locations. Sharing social identity allows a crowd to act as one and also specifies what counts as appropriate behaviour, through the notion of a group norm. Since social identities are based on relationships with other groups, when these relationships change so do social identities - including group norms and ability to take collective action. This social identity approach can therefore help explain the escalation of crowd events into conflict and the spread of disorder; why some groups join in with a wave of rioting but others do not.
The social identity approach has not, hitherto, been applied to disturbances in the late-modern period (1750-1900), which is one aim of the present project. In addition, we will critically evaluate our research and analysis in order to create a user-friendly procedure for historians and others applying social identity concepts to analyse similar late-modern disturbances.
The research involves collecting evidence about all of the reform related disturbances in October 1831 in order to produce triangulated accounts of each event. Of particular interest would be the actions of the crowds and the authorities. For example, how participants gained information about previous disturbances in the wave of unrest, why, how and where the crowd assembled, how leadership emerged and what targets were selected for action. Similarly, we are interested in how the authorities behaved, whether they were aware in advance of the event, how they reacted before and during the disturbance and what kind of coercion (if any) was used to deal with the disorder. The research will then focus on the mentalities and feelings of the participants. Of particular import will be sources of evidence that explicate the motivations of crowd members; how they reacted to information about reform protests; their perceptions of legitimacy; and how they understood themselves and their 'opposition' as social groups. The kinds of evidence required range from eye-witness accounts of what crowds were discussing, chanting or heckling, to memoirs, and visual and material sources such as hand-bills, posters and banners.
Combining these two kinds of accounts and using social identity concepts analytically will help us understand how protests developed into collective violence and how they spread across cities, regions and the country, in a new framework that can be applied in the future to other waves of disturbances.
Historical analysis of the Bristol riot has led to two principal narratives; the first characterises the event as the criminal actions of a mindless, irrational, drunken 'mob', and the second as a reform protest. However, neither of these accounts satisfactorily explains how the protest developed into collective violence on such a scale nor how the agenda of the rioters, reflected in their choice of targets, changed over three days. Equally, the spread of the 'reform riots' across the country remains largely unexplained. What were the relationships between these events and Bristol?
The proposed research breaks new ground for historians in that it will be carried out using concepts and principles from social psychology, where social identity researchers have had success in explaining the limits of behaviour in rioting crowds; the role of authorities in the dynamics of such riots; and the process through which rioting spreads across different geographical locations. Sharing social identity allows a crowd to act as one and also specifies what counts as appropriate behaviour, through the notion of a group norm. Since social identities are based on relationships with other groups, when these relationships change so do social identities - including group norms and ability to take collective action. This social identity approach can therefore help explain the escalation of crowd events into conflict and the spread of disorder; why some groups join in with a wave of rioting but others do not.
The social identity approach has not, hitherto, been applied to disturbances in the late-modern period (1750-1900), which is one aim of the present project. In addition, we will critically evaluate our research and analysis in order to create a user-friendly procedure for historians and others applying social identity concepts to analyse similar late-modern disturbances.
The research involves collecting evidence about all of the reform related disturbances in October 1831 in order to produce triangulated accounts of each event. Of particular interest would be the actions of the crowds and the authorities. For example, how participants gained information about previous disturbances in the wave of unrest, why, how and where the crowd assembled, how leadership emerged and what targets were selected for action. Similarly, we are interested in how the authorities behaved, whether they were aware in advance of the event, how they reacted before and during the disturbance and what kind of coercion (if any) was used to deal with the disorder. The research will then focus on the mentalities and feelings of the participants. Of particular import will be sources of evidence that explicate the motivations of crowd members; how they reacted to information about reform protests; their perceptions of legitimacy; and how they understood themselves and their 'opposition' as social groups. The kinds of evidence required range from eye-witness accounts of what crowds were discussing, chanting or heckling, to memoirs, and visual and material sources such as hand-bills, posters and banners.
Combining these two kinds of accounts and using social identity concepts analytically will help us understand how protests developed into collective violence and how they spread across cities, regions and the country, in a new framework that can be applied in the future to other waves of disturbances.
Planned Impact
Public understanding and discourse
A recent study of perceptions of the urban disturbances in England in August 2011 has demonstrated that discredited theories of crowd behaviour retain considerable traction amongst the general public. Concepts such as deindividuation, 'mob mentality' and irrational, epidemic-like 'contagion' were found to be common in the public understanding of 'riots' (Goodman, Price and Venables, 2014). Outmoded views of contemporary collective protest and violence also dictate how members of the public understand disturbances and their spread in an historic context. This project will challenge these commonly-held assumptions by explicating the processes by which protest events in October 1831 developed into collective violence, understanding the meaning of crowd behaviour through examining targeting and self-imposed limits to actions, and by understanding the spread of disturbances through the use of social identity models. In so doing we will provide a space for less pathologizing, alternative discourses concerning historical incidents of 'riot' to emerge and develop in the public domain. Our work will therefore contribute towards a more informed public discussion of the roots and patterns of collective disorder in October 1831, in the late-modern period as a whole, and in general.
Institutions and groups
The project partner Bristol City Council manages one of the most popular institutions in the city, the social history museum M Shed, with over 500,000 visits per year. M Shed will benefit directly as the project will deliver a major part of the funding for significantly expanding and enhancing their current exhibition covering the 1831 reform riot. The new exhibition will be based on the project outputs and will thus provide a significant legacy for the research in the public domain. M Shed will also be the venue for a public conference and other engagement events. Other collaborators with the project in the West and Southwest include local history groups, museums, heritage centres and archives. A series of five 'county-hub' locations have been designated which will act as focal points for research into the reform disturbances in that particular county. The following institutions have formally agreed to participate in the project: Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum (Dorchester, Dorset), Somerset Heritage Centre (Taunton), Newport Museum and Art Gallery (Gwent), Bath Record Office (North Somerset) and the Worcestershire Archive (Worcester). These institutions will host research workshops to which local historians and history groups will be invited to disseminate their local knowledge of archival sources, urban geography and family history during the research phase. The county-hubs will also provide venues for a travelling display and history talks and walks. The various exhibitions and public events will be complemented by four located audio mobile phone applications, aimed at explicating disturbances in locations not otherwise served by public events or exhibitions, or in which disturbances have previously received little public attention: Blandford and Sherborne (Dorset), Yeovil (Somerset) and Worcester. Along with the web-based resources, they will allow the wider public to engage with the findings of the project, extending its impact long after its formal closure.
The public engagement events, travelling display and phone apps will provide incentives for local residents, school age students and tourists to visit the county-hub institutions and the four disturbance locations. The heritage industry in these institutions and locales will benefit from greater footfall and the local communities from secondary economic effects as a result of these interventions. Public engagement through these means will aid in the propagation of new understandings of how waves of protest escalate and spread whilst locating them within the historical context of the widening of the democratic franchise.
A recent study of perceptions of the urban disturbances in England in August 2011 has demonstrated that discredited theories of crowd behaviour retain considerable traction amongst the general public. Concepts such as deindividuation, 'mob mentality' and irrational, epidemic-like 'contagion' were found to be common in the public understanding of 'riots' (Goodman, Price and Venables, 2014). Outmoded views of contemporary collective protest and violence also dictate how members of the public understand disturbances and their spread in an historic context. This project will challenge these commonly-held assumptions by explicating the processes by which protest events in October 1831 developed into collective violence, understanding the meaning of crowd behaviour through examining targeting and self-imposed limits to actions, and by understanding the spread of disturbances through the use of social identity models. In so doing we will provide a space for less pathologizing, alternative discourses concerning historical incidents of 'riot' to emerge and develop in the public domain. Our work will therefore contribute towards a more informed public discussion of the roots and patterns of collective disorder in October 1831, in the late-modern period as a whole, and in general.
Institutions and groups
The project partner Bristol City Council manages one of the most popular institutions in the city, the social history museum M Shed, with over 500,000 visits per year. M Shed will benefit directly as the project will deliver a major part of the funding for significantly expanding and enhancing their current exhibition covering the 1831 reform riot. The new exhibition will be based on the project outputs and will thus provide a significant legacy for the research in the public domain. M Shed will also be the venue for a public conference and other engagement events. Other collaborators with the project in the West and Southwest include local history groups, museums, heritage centres and archives. A series of five 'county-hub' locations have been designated which will act as focal points for research into the reform disturbances in that particular county. The following institutions have formally agreed to participate in the project: Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum (Dorchester, Dorset), Somerset Heritage Centre (Taunton), Newport Museum and Art Gallery (Gwent), Bath Record Office (North Somerset) and the Worcestershire Archive (Worcester). These institutions will host research workshops to which local historians and history groups will be invited to disseminate their local knowledge of archival sources, urban geography and family history during the research phase. The county-hubs will also provide venues for a travelling display and history talks and walks. The various exhibitions and public events will be complemented by four located audio mobile phone applications, aimed at explicating disturbances in locations not otherwise served by public events or exhibitions, or in which disturbances have previously received little public attention: Blandford and Sherborne (Dorset), Yeovil (Somerset) and Worcester. Along with the web-based resources, they will allow the wider public to engage with the findings of the project, extending its impact long after its formal closure.
The public engagement events, travelling display and phone apps will provide incentives for local residents, school age students and tourists to visit the county-hub institutions and the four disturbance locations. The heritage industry in these institutions and locales will benefit from greater footfall and the local communities from secondary economic effects as a result of these interventions. Public engagement through these means will aid in the propagation of new understandings of how waves of protest escalate and spread whilst locating them within the historical context of the widening of the democratic franchise.
Organisations
Publications
Poole S
(2024)
The Bath riot of October 1831
Poole, S
(2023)
The Blandford Forum riots of October 1831
Ball, R
(2023)
The Sherborne Riots of October 1831
Poole, S
(2023)
Chairing and Chair-Breaking
Poole S
(2023)
The Yeovil Riots of October 1831
Poole S
(2023)
The Worcester riots of November 1831
Ball, R
(2023)
Prelude to the riots in Dorset in October 1831
Drury J
(2022)
Why we need a (new) social psycho-history
Title | 1831 Bristol, Bath, Newport and Worcester Reform riots - Travelling Display 2 |
Description | This seven-panel display places the reform riots of 1831 in the west of England within the wider context of the national struggle for reform. From the foundation of popular Political Unions in 1830 campaigning for expansion of the franchise to the collapse of Wellington's government later that year, this was a period of significant political change centred on reform of the parliamentary system. It also provides summaries of detailed case-studies of reform riots in Bristol, Bath, Newport and Worcester along with social-psychological approaches to crowds and riots. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Opens up engagement with general public and hosted by Hubs and collaborators. So far Display 2 has been on location for periods of up to a month in Worcester Library and Archives, Bath Library, Midsomer Norton Library (Somerset), Frome Library (Somerset), M Shed (Bristol), Newport Chartist Convention, University of West of England, Sussex University and Christchurch (Canterbury) University. |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2023/03/1831-reform-riots-in-bristol-bath-and-worcester-travelling-display-laun... |
Title | 1831 Dorset and Somerset Reform riots - Travelling Display 1 |
Description | This seven-panel display places the reform riots of 1831 in Dorset and Somerset within the wider context of the national struggle for reform. From the foundation of popular Political Unions in 1830 campaigning for expansion of the franchise to the collapse of Wellington's government later that year, this was a period of significant political change centred on reform of the parliamentary system. It also provides summaries of detailed case-studies of reform riots in Blandford, Sherborne and Yeovil along with social-psychological approaches to crowds and riots. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Opens up engagement with general public and hosted by Hubs and collaborators. So far Display 1 has been on location in Yeovil Artspace, Blandford Corn Exchange and Blandford Museum. The next bookings are for Sherborne and Shire Hall, Dorchester over the next few months. |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2022/11/1831-dorset-and-somerset-reform-riots-travelling-display-launched/ |
Description | Due to restrictions of access to archives because of Covid 19, we initiated our research with an online study of more than 150 newspapers and Home Office papers. This generated a database of nearly 500 reform-related protest events from Oct-Dec 1831 in Britain and Ireland. This was shown by comparison with previous studies (Tilly/Horne, Tiratelli) to be the most comprehensive available yet. Analysis demonstrated that incidents of reform-related collective violence were not the norm, in fact making up a minority of events and they were grouped both spatially and temporally, in the east Midlands, the southwest in Somerset and Dorset and in the 'west'. These findings informed our understanding of the spread of protests and riots and choice of case studies. We have located, photographed and catalogued a comprehensive volume of primary research material concerning the 1831 riots from eleven archives in London, Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Dorset, Newport and Worcester. This material includes newspaper reportage, hearings from the assize courts and correspondence between central and local government, material from lower courts, family papers and ephemera. It is the first time this series of disturbances has been so exhaustively data-mined and the complexities of interaction between the crowd and the authorities so thoroughly investigated. This material, in combination with social psychological approaches to analysing collective violence, has been used to produce eleven detailed case studies of disorder in English towns during the reform crisis, and these have been used to underpin public engagement activities in each locale. Important findings from these case studies include clear limits to the activities of rioting 'reform crowds', accuracy and selectivity of targeting and examples of empowerment, escalation and emerging norms reflecting the social identity of the crowd and its perception of 'reform'. Biographical data was gathered for samples of arrestees from each location; in total nearly 220 subjects. These samples suggest rioters in the west and southwest of England were predominantly comprised of disenfranchised, propertyless, young, adult, male artisans, factory workers and labourers, who in general did not have serious criminal records and lived in the town or city where the rioting occurred. A second stage of analysis has also been employed, examining the social networks amongst the arrestees. This demonstrated familial, locale, workplace and friendship relationships between the subjects and pointed towards deeper, often contested, day-to-day relationships with magistrates, clergy, gentry and manufacturers. In terms of the spread of collective violence two case studies, Bath and Newport, and their relationship to a third, Bristol, are of particular importance as they demonstrate a previously unknown mechanism of diffusion of riot between locations. This mode of spread we have named the 'instrumental solidarity' riot, where in 1831 the muster and transport of state forces to Bristol to suppress the riot in that locale was delayed by the intervention of the 'lower orders' in nearby cities. This unusual form of civil disobedience is based on shared identity but is marked by a lack of immediate gain for the participants, damaging the idea that riots are merely the convergence of criminal elements. |
Exploitation Route | The project methodology places key emphasis on the public understanding of crowd activity in antagonistic situations and is built upon a belief that our general knowledge of such collective behaviour, on the part of both the crowd and the policing authorities, remains oddly unsophisticated, both in the past and in the present. We are confident that the outcomes of this project will usefully inform further study in other periods and locations by historians with an interest in crowds and protests. |
Sectors | Creative Economy Education Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Government Democracy and Justice Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | https://riot1831.com/ |
Description | Non-academic impact has been a central concern of this project from the start. We are particularly interested in the ways in which riot and 'disorderly' behaviour are understood in the public sphere, and how these public understandings also contribute to historical knowledge. We held public research workshops in Dorchester, Bath, Worcester and Newport on the interactive dynamics between crowds and the authorities during early nineteenth century riots, using original eye-witness source material gathered from archives by the project team. Participants have been asked to evaluate these relationships with reference to a) the linguistic representation of riot and its suppression in the contemporary record and b) insights offered by 21st century social psychology. In addition, we have led public walks through the physical landscape of the 1831 riots in Bristol and Blandford and organised with our collaborating regional hubs very well attended public talks in Sherborne, Yeovil, Blandford, Bristol, Dorchester and Worcester. Some of the workshops have been followed by deeper online discussions with participants in Zoom sessions. These public engagement exercises were central objectives of the award and have inspired offers of assistance with further research from participants in Bristol, Bath, Sherborne, Yeovil and Newport, requests for extra talks (Martock), and at Blandford an independent research group has been established by the town museum to undertake further work. As a result of these interventions, we were invited to give further talks for local history groups in Dorchester, Bournemouth, Bridport, Newport, Monmouth and Bristol. One particularly positive aspect of the impact of our research and engagement with both the public and local history groups has been the proliferation of locally produced publications based on our work. We provided a short walking guide to the 1831 riot for the Worcester Archives and a version of our case study is being published in the centenary edition of the Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society. In Blandford we are acting as historical consultants for the town Museum for a booklet Reform, Riot and Transportation: Blandford Riots of 1831 based on our case study and for which we have written a Forward. In Sherborne we are collaborating in producing a walking guide for the riot of 1831 and in Newport Six Points Press a not-for-profit publisher connected to the historians of Chartism in the town is going to publish our case study. Finally, through collaboration with a local historian, a considerable amount of material from our case study has been used in the leading local history website in the town, Yeovil's Virtual Museum. Collaborative work with the digital arts SME, Satsymph is nearing completion. Satsymph have used case studies to build located audio sound pools at historic riot locations with the intention of immersing public audiences in researched riot scenarios. Fieldwork, scriptwriting and recording have been completed at Blandford, Yeovil, Bristol and at Sherborne Castle . Public engagement has been increased and enhanced by the introduction of a two-part digital survey (at the suggestion of our advisory panel) asking participants to consider and share their views and understanding of riotous behaviour in contemporary society before and after exposure to the findings of our project. Over 120 surveys were completed at Part 1 and there has been approximately a 75% uptake at Part 2. We also designed and produced two large seven panel travelling displays about the project and the reform related riots in the west and south west of England respectively. These have been exhibited publicly at numerous locations in Dorset, Somerset, BANES, Worcestershire, Bristol, Newport and the Universities of the West of England, Sussex and Canterbury Christchurch. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
Description | Introduction of social- psychological approaches to understanding collective violence. |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Title | Survey of reform related riots, disturbances and protests in Britain and Ireland October - December 1831 |
Description | The dataset is consists of a detailed survey of more than 150 online newspapers cross-referenced with Home Office data (HO52) for Britain and Ireland in the period October - December 1831. The data collected has details of reform-related protests and riots in the period, including accurate dates, durations, estimates of crowd size and composition, interventions by the authorities and several other features. The current dataset includes 475 events and has been shown by comparison with two other similar datasets (Tilly-Horn and Taritelli) to be more comprehensive. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Once this data is complete, it will be a unique database and made available for open access. It will provide a useful resource for local historians, students and academics. |
Title | What do you know about crowds and riots? The 1831 survey |
Description | A public survey of attitudes to crowds and collective violence was developed by the project in order to judge the prevalence amongst the public of outmoded concepts of crowd behaviour and to measure impact through changing perceptions following public engagement activities by the project. Part 1 of the survey was approved by the University of West of England ethics committee and launched using Qualtrics software in 2021. So far (Feb 2023) we have obtained 227 responses to Part 1. Part 2, aimed at gathering information after the impact of the project, is planned for 2023. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Part 1 of the survey provides information about public knowledge of reform riots in 1831 and current attitudes to crowds and riots. However, comparative results cannot be ascertained until Part 2 of the survey has run in 2023. |
URL | https://uwe.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_09688PnAoNDfxUq |
Description | Bristol 1831 Riot Exhibition @ M Shed Museum, Bristol |
Organisation | Bristol City Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The team have provided both theoretical and detailed research material and have taken part in several meetings to discuss the aims, content and technical aspects of the proposed upgrade of the current 1831 riot exhibition. |
Collaborator Contribution | M Shed have provided advice and guidance on the form and content of the proposed upgrade to the exhibition and organisational progress reports. |
Impact | Not at this stage. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Research Hub 1 - Somerset - South West Heritage Trust |
Organisation | South West Heritage Trust |
Department | Devon Heritage Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The collaboration has involved the project team in: 1. facilitating research into local reform-related riots in 1831 in the archives 2. introducing the practioners (archivists, curators) to the interdisciplinary nature and concepts of the project (history, social psychology) 3. proposing narratives from the research as exhibition or schools material for the hub to employ in the future |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has involved the partners in: 1. sharing their specific knowledge concerning the archival material to aid the project research 2. sharing their networks of local contacts to aid the research and promote the project 3. facilitating the project research workshops in the hub or elsewhere 4. promoting and disseminating our public survey of attitudes to crowds and riots |
Impact | South West Heritage Trust facilitated a research workshop in Taunton in 2021, which was later switched to a field trip with a local historian in Yeovil. They also promoted the project and disseminated our public survey of attitudes to crowds and riots. The collaboration is multi-disciplinary in that it engages the collaborator with both historical and social psychological techniques and concepts for research and analysis. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Research Hub 4 - Newport Museum |
Organisation | Newport Museum and Art Gallery |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The team provided a public research workshop studying the solidarity actions in Newport to support Bristol rioters in 1831. The event was held at the Cwtsh Centre, Newport on 30 November 2022. |
Collaborator Contribution | Despite the closure of Newport Museum and Art Gallery their team suggested an alternative venue for the research workshop. |
Impact | Public research workshop which led to collaborations with local historians some of whom were from the Newport Chartist Convention group. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Research Hub 5 - Bath Record Office |
Organisation | Bath and North East Somerset Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The team provided an interactive public research workshop studying the Bath reform riot of 1831. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Bath Record Office team organised, funded, promoted and facilitated the research workshop in the Brunswick Room in the Bath Guildhall on 28 February 2023. Bath Record Office team also distributed our public survey to their distribution networks. |
Impact | Public research workshop which led to ongoing engagement with participants for further research. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Secondary Collaborator: Yeovil Library |
Organisation | Somerset County Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Due to public demand the team provided two public history talks entitled 'Zummerset Refarmers' - the Yeovil 'reform riot' of October 1831 at Yeovil Library on Saturday 28 Jan 2023. We also exhibited Display 1 as part of the event. |
Collaborator Contribution | The team at Yeovil library provided the venue, promoted and facilitated the two public history talks and exhibited Display 1. Yeovil Library team also distributed our public survey to their distribution networks. |
Impact | Two public history lectures, exhibiting Display 1. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | "I fear there will be blood spilt this evening": The 1831 reform riots in Dorset |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was part of the programme for the 2023 Dorset Radical Bookfair. The presentation was given by Dr Roger Ball (UWE) on 7th October 2023 in Bournemouth, Dorset. Using the reform riots in Dorset as a case study the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.brh.org.uk/site/events/dorset-radical-bookfair-3/ |
Description | "I fear there will be blood spilt tonight" the 1831 Yeovil Reform Riot |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This talk was an invitation from the Martock History Society (Somerset) after some of their members had attended the earlier event at Yeovil Library. The talk was given by Prof. Steve Poole (UWE) in the Martock Church of England Primary School in Martock on 17th October 2023. Using the Yeovil reform riot of 1831 as a case study, the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.martock.org.uk/events/i-fear-there-will-be-blood-spilt-tonight-the-1831-yeovil-reform-ri... |
Description | "On this day" 1831 Twitter Campaign |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Using Twitter over a 40 day period we posted "On this Day" 1831 a daily post highlighting the main Reform related protests and disturbances. This followed our timeline which was derived from our overall survey of reform related events for Britain and Ireland for the months October-December 1831. As a result we increased our followers and created new contacts with other history projects. The average exposure over the period was 500 per day with a peak of approximately 5,000. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://twitter.com/UWEriot1831 |
Description | 'I fear there will be blood spilt this evening': The 1831 reform riots in Dorset |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was organised by Bridport History Society as part of their 2023 winter talks programme and given by Dr Roger Ball (UWE) on 14th December 2023 in the United Church Hall, Bridport. Using the reform riots in Dorset as case studies the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. Amongst the positive comments about the presentation, one local historian who was researching a riot in 1850 in Dorchester used our analysis to inform his work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://bridporthistorysociety.org.uk/past-programmes |
Description | 'Some examples should be made': Prosecuting Reform Bill Rioters in 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This hybrid seminar was given by Prof. Steve Poole at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) in London on 6th March 2024. The event attracted a large number of academics concerned with crowds and protest in the 'long eighteenth century'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.history.ac.uk/events/some-examples-should-be-made-prosecuting-reform-bill-rioters-1831 |
Description | Beyond Contagion - podcasts |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The ESRC funded project 'Beyond contagion: Social identity processes in involuntary social influence' (ES/N01068X/1, 2016-2019) used social-psychological concepts to understand how riots devloped and spread using the August 2011disturbances in England as a series of case studies. Three podcasts were produced in 2021 which brought together the leading academics in the Beyond Contagion project to discuss the nature and findings of the research. Part 3 of the series of podcasts discussed in detail two research projects that were a consequence of the Beyond Contagion work, including 'Intergroup dynamics within the 1831 reform riots'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
URL | https://anchor.fm/nick8522/episodes/Beyond-Contagion---Episode-3-e16jia9 |
Description | Dorset Research Workshop #1 - Blandford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This research workshop was held in Shire Hall Historic Court-house Museum on 16 October 2021. The workshop introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. A case study of a reform-related riot in Blandford in October 1831 was examined through interrogating primary source material with the participants. As a result of this meeting Blandford Museum requested history talk and walk and added us to their website as a partner, keen to develop the Blandford case study with us. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2021/08/public-research-workshop/ |
Description | Dorset Research Workshop #2 - Sherborne |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This online research workshop was the result of a request from participants in the first research workshop held in Shire Hall Historic Court-house Museum in October 2021. Held on 25 November 2021 the workshop considered the case study of a reform-related riot in Sherborne in October 1831, through interrogating primary source material with the participants. As a result of this workshop contacts were made with local historians in Sherborne and Sherborne Museum asked the project to provide a public history talk in October 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2021/12/report-research-workshops-in-dorset-and-somerset/?preview_id=968&previe... |
Description | Online public lecture: The St Paul's riots: From 'mindless mob' to 'conscious crowd'. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This was a public lecture given on behalf of the UWE Regional History Centre as part of a series of events at the social history museum M Shed in Bristol in October 2020. Although the lecture was focused on the St Paul's riot of 1980 it involved introducing social psychological concepts concerned with crowds and riots to the general public. These concepts are essential to the research and analysis in the current project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/whats-on/the-st-pauls-riots-from-mindless-mob-to-conscious-... |
Description | Public Research Workshop Bath |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This research workshop was held in Bath Guildhall on 28 February 2023. The workshop introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. A case study of a reform-related riot in Bath in October 1831 was examined through interrogating primary source material with the participants. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/?s=bath |
Description | Public Research Workshop Newport |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This research workshop was held at Cwtsh Art Centre on 1 December 2022. The workshop introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. A case study of a reform-related incident in Newport in October 1831 was examined through interrogating primary source material with the participants. As a result of the workshop further research was carried out some of the participants and supplied to the team. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2022/10/newport-research-workshop/ |
Description | Public Research Workshop in Somerset |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Our planned south Somerset research workshop in Taunton was reorganised to take place in Yeovil, the site of our chosen reform-related riot case study. Through the publicity we were able to organise both a meeting with a knowledgeable local historian and a guided field trip. As a consequence of this the local historian has contributed significant information and knowledge to our project, as well as updating his voluminous local history website. This fruitful relationship continues. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2021/12/report-research-workshops-in-dorset-and-somerset/ |
Description | Public Research Workshop in Worcester |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This research workshop was held in the Hive, Worcester on 30 April 2022. The workshop introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. A case study of a reform-related riot in Worcester in October 1831 was examined through interrogating primary source material with the participants. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2022/04/worcester-research-workshop/ |
Description | Public Talk: 'Fife, Drum and Flag': The Sherborne 'reform riots' of October 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was organised by Sherborne Museum as part of their 2022 winter talks programme and given by Dr Roger Ball (UWE) on 6th October 2022 in Digby Memorial Hall, Sherborne. Using the Sherborne reform riot as a case study the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://youtu.be/miY4be0oZwU |
Description | Public Talk: 'The Reform Bill I say it will be the ruin of the country': The Worcester 'reform riot' of November 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was given twice due to public demand and organised by Explore the Past: Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service as part of their public talks programme. It was given by Prof. Steve Poole (UWE), Dr Roger Ball (UWE) and third year undergraduate Daniel Ruddock (UWE) on 1st April 2023 in The Hive, Worcester. Using the Worcester reform riot as a case study the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. The talk was recorded as an audio-PPT and is available on Youtube. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2023/06/the-reform-bill-i-say-it-will-be-the-ruin-of-the-county-the-worcester-r... |
Description | Public Talk: 'Zummerset Refarmers' - the Yeovil 'reform riot' of October 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was held in Yeovil Library on 25 January 2023. The talk used the case-study of the Yeovil reform riot of 1831 to introduce the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. 45 people registered to attend the free talk (the max room capacity). Due to demand the talk had to repeated on the same day for a further 45 people. The feedback was excellent and suggested that there was interest for more talks. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://youtu.be/rGnVNLTpRT8 |
Description | Public Talk: The Burning of Bristol's New Gaol in 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This talk was delivered online in collaboration with Bristol Museums, M Shed and the Regional History Centre, UWE on Thursday 17th November 2022 by Steve Poole. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://youtu.be/hQvKO11wL18 |
Description | Public Talk: Unmasking the 1831 Bristol Riots |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was organised with our partner organisation Bristol Culture as part of their 2023 museums summer talks programme. The presentation was given by Prof. Steve Poole (UWE) and Dr Roger Ball (UWE) on 23rd June 2023 in M Shed, Bristol. Using the Bristol reform riot as a case study the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. It was organised in conjunction with the viewing of the travelling Display 2 - The 1831 reform riots in the west of England. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2023/05/unmasking-the-1831-bristol-riots/ |
Description | Public talk: "I fear there will be blood spilt this evening": The 1831 reform riots in Dorset |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This public lecture was organised by Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum as part of their 2023 talks programme. It was given by Dr Roger Ball (UWE) and Prof. Steve Poole (UWE) on 27th May 2023 in Shire Hall Museum, Dorchester. Using the case studies of riots in Blandford, Sherborne and Yeovil the talk introduced participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/2023/05/i-fear-there-will-be-blood-spilt-this-evening-the-1831-reform-riots-in-... |
Description | Public talk: 'Very bad feeling was shown by the lower orders': The Newport incident of November 1831 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The 1831 team were invited to give a paper as part of the annual Newport Chartist Convention. Dr Roger Ball (UWE) and Prof. Steve Poole (UWE) gave the presentation on 4th November 2023 at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport in conjunction with the exhibition of travelling Display 2 - The 1831 Reform Riots in the West of England. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.newportrising.co.uk/events/chartist-convention-2023-2?utm_campaign=41a153b9-1ed8-4a25-bc... |
Description | Riot 1831 website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Riot 1831 website was launched in 2021 to provide a medium for disseminating the following information: 1. The content and aims of the 'Intergroup dynamics within the 1831 reform riots: towards a new social psycho-history' project and in particular its inter-disciplinary nature. 2. To publicise events and exhibitions organised by the project and others of interest. 3. To provide contextual information about the reform-related riots of 1831. 4. To provide through an interactive map details of the extent and location of disturbances. 5. To publicise the findings of the project in an accessible manner. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
URL | https://riot1831.com/ |
Description | The 1831 Bristol reform riot - a view from the southbank |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This talk was an invitation to take part in the South Bristol History Festival 2023. The talk was given by Prof. Steve Poole (UWE) and Roger Ball (UWE) at St. Paul's Church, Bedminster, Bristol on 2nd November 2023. Using the Bristol reform riot of 1831 as a case study the talk introduced the participants to the social-psychological concepts for understanding how collective violence develops and spreads. The venue was chosen as it was the scene of disturbance in 1831 involving the Bishop of Bath and Wells. The clergy at St Paul's who have researched this history collaborated in putting the event on. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.brh.org.uk/site/events/the-1831-bristol-reform-riot-a-view-from-the-southbank/ |
Description | The 1831 reform riots: towards a new social-psycho history |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | This talk was given as part of the Unversity of Sussex, School of Psychology lunctime seminars. The talk was given by Roger Ball (UWE) at Sussex University on 7th November 2023. Using the overall survey of protest events and the case studies of reform riots in 1831 this talk critically outlined the application of social identity approaches to analyse colective violence in the period. The talk was complimented by the exhibiting of the travelling Displays 1 and 2 covering the 1831 reform riots in the west of England. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | The 1831 reform riots: towards a new social-psycho history |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | This talk was given as a seminar at Canterbury Christchurch University, School of Law, Policing and Social Sciences . The talk was presented by Roger Ball (UWE) in Canterbury on 7 February 2024. Using the overall survey of protest events and the case studies of reform riots in 1831 this talk critically outlined the application of social identity approaches to analyse colective violence in the period. The talk was complimented by the exhibiting of the travelling Displays 1 and 2 covering the 1831 reform riots in the west of England. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |