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Nottingham history : The Reform Bill riots

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@liampie The Reform Bill riots were a significant event in Nottingham’s history. In 1831, the House of Lords rejected the Reform Bill, which aimed to make parliamentary representation more equitable. This sparked widespread protests and riots across the country, including in Nottingham. The rioters targeted the homes of prominent politicians and public buildings, including Nottingham Castle, which was burned down.

A few years ago, I spoke to a Nottingham-based historian who told me a lot about this. He mentioned a lot of the people who were found guilty of the trouble, were just simple poor people who were unconnected to the whole event. During our conversation, he revealed to me that many commonly accepted historical accounts are actually inaccurate. I distinctly remember him mentioning that the fire at Nottingham castle was ignited by a group of mistreated servants who worked for the castle's owners.

Allegedly, it wasn't the same people rioting and causing the damage as people are told.

But the common workers who had discussed how they wanted to be treated better, so each of these groups formed a mob that caused damage.

I visited the Galleries of Justice and received an informative tour of their latest exhibit from a knowledgeable staff member. The exhibit centred around several individuals who were unjustly accused of rioting. The exhibit was a fascinating deep dive into their stories.

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