Font size: A A A www.balh.co.uk   OUR PUBLICATIONS The Local Historian Local History News Other Publications Home | About BALH | What's New | Membership | Events | Awards | Education | Useful Links | Our Publications | Online Reviews
BALH GUIDED VISITS Visits are arranged to places of interest to local historians, often not easily accessible to individuals. See EVENTS page for current programme. MEMBERSHIP Click Here to become a member of the BALH ACCESSIBILITY How to make this site easier to use. Search The Site advanced search		The Local Historian Volume 31, Number 3 - August 2001
		Contents	[ Close all Abstracts ]		Current issue
		Early nineteenth-century Criminal Petitions: an Introduction for Local Historians By: Paul Carter [ Read Abstract ] This is a 'guide' article which seeks to bring early nineteenth century criminal petitions to the attention of local historians. With no contemporary formal procedure for criminal appeals or early release schemes the intervention of the Crown's 'mercy' was well developed by this time. Dealing with petitions for mercy by, or on behalf of, convicted prisoners constituted a significant and growing portion of the work of the Home Secretary during this period. The various petitions, letters and reports were created locally and delivered to the Home Office with the hope of some reduction in sentence. As such these records often provide much local background to the case which is missing from the official criminal court record. Indeed the desire of petitioners to provide local detail in the form of mitigating circumstances make these records of particular interest to local historians. This article provides a general introduction to the workings of criminal mercy, numerous examples of the petitions and their contents, and a systematic explanation of how the material is indexed. Rough Music in Black Datchet By: Janet Kennish [ Read Abstract ] This article sets out to record and investigate a previously unpublished incident of 'rough music' in which the mockery and harrassents were directed, over several months, at the curate of Datchet in South Bucks (now Berkshire). The events of 1812-13 are recovered from contemporary sources but details of the original quarrel, between the curate and the parish clerk, remain obscure. Events resulted in the trial of nineteen persons at Aylesbury for conspiracy, nine receiving prison sentences. The role of the clergy and gentry is dicussed, and an attempt is made to identify the protagonists and the rioters from local sources. The work of E P Thompson is drawn upon to assess the typicality of this instance of rough music, and explanations for it are sought in the wider social and economic context. Datchet's Enclosure Act was passed in 1810 and its likely effect upon the labouring poor is considered; a large area of common land was enclosed and unemployment is shown to be at an unusual peak during the winter of 1812. At the same period, the village poor rate was re-assessed, causing poorer households to pay the rate for the first time, and all residents to pay more. It is suggested that the probably unrelated parish quarrel may have sparked off rioting by labourers as an eruption of smouldering resentment against perceived injustice and threats to their traditional way of life. A Tale of Two Cities? Contrast and change in selected residential areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1850 - 1900 By: Peter Hillis [ Read Abstract ] Nineteenth-century Edinburgh and Glasgow displayed many features common to most Victorian cities with large areas of slum housing in contrast to prosperous middle-class suburbs. Residential areas were, however, subject to considerable changes throughout the century. This article examines selected middle-class and working-class areas of each city and demonstrates that a once upper middle-class area of Glasgow, Sandyford Place, suffered declining socio-economic status through increasing commercialisation. Through the work of the Glasgow City Improvement Trust, an area of working-class housing, Malta Street, improved its socio-economic profile. Local factors in Edinburgh helped retain the exclusivity of Royal Terrace, but the Cowgate lost its appeal to skilled workers. This analysis is based on a range of sources including census returns, rateable valuations and Post Office Directories. These brought to light many famous people living within the chosen areas. John Bartholomew, founder of Bartholomew maps, lived at 32 Royal Terrace, and William Copeland, a civil engineer who built water supply and sewerage systems in many countries, including Chile, lived in Sandyford Place. The article adds to our understanding of housing developments in the nineteenth century and complements similar studies of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Reviews Recent Publications in Local History
					Archive
					· Volume: 40, Number: 3 · Volume: 40, Number: 2 · Volume: 40, Number: 1 · Volume: 39, Number: 4 · Volume: 39, Number: 3 · Volume: 39, Number: 2 · Volume: 39, Number: 1 · Volume: 38, Number: 4 · Volume: 38, Number: 3 · Volume: 38, Number: 2 · Volume: 38, Number: 1 · Volume: 37, Number: 4 · Volume: 37, Number: 3 · Volume: 37, Number: 2 · Volume: 37, Number: 1 · Volume: 36, Number: 4 · Volume: 36, Number: 3 · Volume: 36, Number: 2 · Volume: 36, Number: 1 · Volume: 35, Number: 4 · Volume: 35, Number: 3 · Volume: 35, Number: 2 · Volume: 35, Number: 1 · Volume: 34, Number: 4 · Volume: 34, Number: 3 · Volume: 34, Number: 2 · Volume: 34, Number: 1 · Volume: 33, Number: 4 · Volume: 33, Number: 3 · Volume: 33, Number: 2 · Volume: 33, Number: 1 · Volume: 32, Number: 4 · Volume: 32, Number: 3 · Volume: 32, Number: 2 · Volume: 32, Number: 1 · Volume: 31, Number: 4 · Volume: 31, Number: 3 · Volume: 31, Number: 2 · Volume: 31, Number: 1 · Volume: 30, Number: 4 · Volume: 30, Number: 3 · Volume: 30, Number: 2 · Volume: 30, Number: 1 · Volume: 37, Number: 4
Home | About BALH | What's New | Membership | Events | Awards | Education | Useful Links | Our Publications | Online Reviews © British Association for Local History 2005. All Rights Reserved. Registered Charity No: 285467 Web design by BeetleJoose Media | Site photography by Alan Crosby