Summary
Summary HISTORY A LEVEL RADICAL REFORMERS NOTES (A*)
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- PEARSON (PEARSON)
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radical reformers 1790-1819how significant was extra parliamentary
protest 1790-1819?
The London Corresponding Society 1792-93
American Revolution and French Revolution - growing interest in politics among
working people
circulation of radical newspapers grew
organisations formed - promoted republicanism and parliamentary reform
1780 - Major John Cartwright - Society for Constitutional Information - promoted
social and political reform
o members mostly middle class industrialists
o discussion but no radical activity - support fell
early 1790s - corresponding societies established in London
members skilled working class
spread their ideas through pamplets + communicated with paris
most important - LCS - founded by Thomas Hardy and supported by skilled craftsmen
o strongly influenced by the SCI - promoted universal suffrage and annual
parliaments
o political education of its members
o peaceful - petition parliament rather than organise mass demonstrations
o didnt limit their membership to a particular class
o Pitt believed that the organisation had the potential to become a miliatary
body - Gov spies inflitrated but only found that they operated within the law
o backlash from conservative groups - loyalist societies viewed them as being
disloyal to king and country
o Association movement - against the republicans and levellers - middle class -
welcomed by the government - used patriotic propaganda and gave secret
help so they could take action against the reformers
The Spa Fields Meeting 1816
peace abroad after the ending of the Napoleonic War was not accompanied by
tranquility at hime
reform meetings in London had been uncontroversial and moderate - followers of
Thomas Spence were unsatisfied with this - planned a mass meeting which they
hoped would lead to rioting and disorder
radical leader and speaker Henry Hunt - invited to address a meeting at spa fields -
10,000 people came
petition presented to the Prince Regent - urging him to reform parliament - came close
to suggeting the use of physical force if demands were not met
was not recieved by the Prince Regent - a second protest meeting called
here - the Spenceans stirred up sections of the crowd and urged direct action - set
off to seize the tower of london and the royal exchange - counstables dispersed the
rioters and arrested their leader
, trial of the ringleaders 1817 - exposed the role of gov informers and spies
defence proved that a gov informer (Castle) had encouraged the riot - jury acquitted
all the defendants
exposed many of the difficulties faced by radical reformers
the use of gov spies and agent provocateurs made it almost impossible to outwit
them
division between those who wanted peaceful reform and those who wanted direct
action/violence made unified action impossible
The Pentridge Rising 1817
gov had established a Committee of Secrecy - operated a substantial network of spies
this enabled them to be prepared for outbreaks of violence or rebellious activity
discussed plans for an insurrection
the group was joined by a Londoner - Oliver - who persuaded the meeting that
radicals in London were preparing an uprising in the capital for 9 June - followed by
similer actions throughout the country - not true
Oliver was in the pay of Lord Sidmouth and sent to spy on radical groups - and in
this case to act as an agent provocateur - intended to lead the activists into illegal
activities
June 9 - the groups leader - Brandreth led 300 men towards Nottingham, intending to
seize the city
due to spies - a regiment of soldiers was able to intercept them before they could
reach the city - 80 arrested
Leeds Mercury - published an investigation that exposed Oliver’s role - blamesd
the government rather than the activists - showed that Spa Fields was not an isolated
incident
this had no impact on the trial - 14 transported, leaders hanged and beheaded
Peterloo 1819
actions taken by gov + improvements in the economy = dampning down of radical
activity
Peterloo - last significant protest of these years
held in manchester - long tradition of trade unionism, strong working class identity
downturn in the textile industry in 1818 (important industry in manchester) -
gave rise to a sustained campaign of mass meetings and demands for parliamentary
reform
Henry Hunt spoke to an audience of 80,000 people
magistates issued a warrant for Hunts arrest and ordered the local yeomanry to ride
through the crowd and arrest Hunt
the density of the crowd combined withthe yeomanry caused violence to break out
and the crowd scattered - 11 dead and over 500 injured
result -
provoked widespread national revulsion - rioting and growth of political unions
symbol of savage repression of working class people by an authoritarian government
however - Gash argues that rather than a massacre it was a mere ‘blunder’ - the
responsibility lay with the manchester magistrates rather than the government who
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