Description

Rural Conflict, Crime and Protest makes a major contribution to the historiography of nineteenth century crime. The work presents a new analysis of several important and controversial themes: the concept of social crime, petty crime and protest in the English countryside between 1800 and 1860. The bulk of the research into rural crime has traditionally emanated from East Anglia, the south and the east; however, the bulk of the evidence for this book has come from Herefordshire, in the west of England, adding to the historiography of nineteenth century rural crime. Based upon a rich vein of primary source material and liberally interspersed with court room revelations and newspaper reports this work is both informative and scholarly and would make a useful addition to the bookshelves of academics and students alike, without excluding the casual reader. TIMOTHY SHAKESHEFF is lecturer in modern British social history at the University College, Worcester.