Kmflett's Blog

The Making of the English Working Class (extract from the book)

Since Luddites or food rioters do not appear as satisfactory ‘fore runners’ of the Labour Movement they merited neither sympathy or close attention. And this bias (of the Fabians KF) was supplemented by the more conservative bias of the orthodox academic tradition.  Hence ‘history’ has dealt fairly with the Tolpuddle Martyrs and fulsomely with Francis Place; but the hundreds of men and women executed or transported for oath taking, Jacobin conspiracy Luddism, the Pentridge and Grange Moor uprisings, food and enclosure and turnpike riots, the Ely Riots and the Labourers Revolt of1830 and a score of minor affrays, have been forgotten by all but a few specialists or, if they are remembered, they are thought to be simpletons or  men tainted with criminal folly

There will be a discussion on the Making of the English Working Class at 60 on Monday 20th November at 5.30pm. Free on Zoom. Participants are encouraged to relate their own experiences of reading the Making!

Register here

https://www.history.ac.uk/events/making-english-working-class-60-roundtable-discussion