Publications
Captain Swing in Sussex and Kent: Rural Rebellion in 1830, by Mike Matthews, published 2006 (viii + 116 pp., Hastings Press, ISBN-10: 1904109136 & ISBN-13: 9781904109136) accessible at: British Library & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries
Abstract:The Untold Story of Rural Class War in the South-East of England.
In 1830, after the prolonged agricultural recession that followed the close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, a series of riots swept across England's southern counties. The outbreaks went on to spread, largely unchecked, into East Anglia, the Midlands and several northern counties, eventually to reach Carlisle. The economic hardship of the long-suffering, wretchedly oppressed and half-starved labourers had become so acute that their usual forbearance finally snapped. This agrarian rebellion was fuelled by an unprecedented level of class hatred and bitterness. Driven by a blind desire for revenge and reprisal against the farmers and their wealthy friends, the farmhands were set on a course of violent, direct retaliatory action, regardless of the consequences.
Mike Matthews, the author charts Swing's progress through just two southern counties, Kent and Sussex, which suffered the greatest levels of incendiarism and destruction of machinery, but this is not a comprehensive regional study of the riots, since to list in chronological order one lawless episode after another would soon become very tedious for the reader: the destruction of farm premises and machinery in Kent and Sussex was on an immense scale, as will become abundantly clear in this narrative. Wherever possible he has tried to avoid duplicating existing published material on Swing, and, whenever feasible, has attempted to combine all the previous historical information on the riots into detailed case-studies of various size. Two chapters contain subject matter relating to the outbreaks that has never before been seen in print and readers interested in the emergence of agricultural trade unionism will learn something new.
Captain Swing explores, closely, what county and national reporters in 1830 were calling a 'war of poverty against property', a civil strife of 'destitution against possession', and breathes new life and colour into the criminal exploits and violent resistance of the Captain Swing insurgents, to endeavour to understand what their contemporaries described apprehensively as 'their dark mischief' and 'state of reckless insubordination'.
Review by Sarah Hanna in Sussex Past and Present no. 118, August 2009:In 1830, after the prolonged agricultural recession that followed the close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, a series of riots swept across England's southern counties. The outbreaks went on to spread, largely unchecked, into East Anglia, the Midlands and several northern counties, eventually to reach Carlisle. The economic hardship of the long-suffering, wretchedly oppressed and half-starved labourers had become so acute that their usual forbearance finally snapped. This agrarian rebellion was fuelled by an unprecedented level of class hatred and bitterness. Driven by a blind desire for revenge and reprisal against the farmers and their wealthy friends, the farmhands were set on a course of violent, direct retaliatory action, regardless of the consequences.
Mike Matthews, the author charts Swing's progress through just two southern counties, Kent and Sussex, which suffered the greatest levels of incendiarism and destruction of machinery, but this is not a comprehensive regional study of the riots, since to list in chronological order one lawless episode after another would soon become very tedious for the reader: the destruction of farm premises and machinery in Kent and Sussex was on an immense scale, as will become abundantly clear in this narrative. Wherever possible he has tried to avoid duplicating existing published material on Swing, and, whenever feasible, has attempted to combine all the previous historical information on the riots into detailed case-studies of various size. Two chapters contain subject matter relating to the outbreaks that has never before been seen in print and readers interested in the emergence of agricultural trade unionism will learn something new.
Captain Swing explores, closely, what county and national reporters in 1830 were calling a 'war of poverty against property', a civil strife of 'destitution against possession', and breathes new life and colour into the criminal exploits and violent resistance of the Captain Swing insurgents, to endeavour to understand what their contemporaries described apprehensively as 'their dark mischief' and 'state of reckless insubordination'.
Subtitled Rural Rebellion in 1830, the book traces the story of these widespread riots, which flared briefly through southern England in the early 1830s. This was a time of depressed grain prices following the Napoleonic wars, when agricultural unemployment was growing and farm labourers believed their jobs were threatened by mechanisation; hence the destruction of new farm machinery, especially horse operated 'thrashing' (or threshing) machines. The rural unrest led to near panic among the landed classes, and was perhaps the start of rural depopulation which continued through the nineteenth century.
A comprehensive history of the riots, Captain Swing by Eric Hobsbawm and George Rudé appeared in 1969, and Mike Matthews complements this story with a detailed study of the process operating locally, for instance he has pinpointed possibly the first incident at Ripple, near Deal in Kent on August 5 1830, earlier than was previously known. This absorbing story is well-referenced and brings to light fascinating details, such as the sad stories of individuals executed as scapegoats, one of whom was probably convicted by the witness testimony of the real perpetrator of the crime.
The illustrations are rather limited, consisting of various commercially available threshing machines and public notices of the period and this is an account of mainly local interest, which does not dwell on the major themes of nineteenth century social change.
A comprehensive history of the riots, Captain Swing by Eric Hobsbawm and George Rudé appeared in 1969, and Mike Matthews complements this story with a detailed study of the process operating locally, for instance he has pinpointed possibly the first incident at Ripple, near Deal in Kent on August 5 1830, earlier than was previously known. This absorbing story is well-referenced and brings to light fascinating details, such as the sad stories of individuals executed as scapegoats, one of whom was probably convicted by the witness testimony of the real perpetrator of the crime.
The illustrations are rather limited, consisting of various commercially available threshing machines and public notices of the period and this is an account of mainly local interest, which does not dwell on the major themes of nineteenth century social change.
A Mugsborough Rebel: Alf Cobb and the Struggle for Justice in Hastings , by Mike Matthews, published 19 January 2011 (178 pp., Hastings: Christie Books, ISBN-10: 1873976461 & ISBN-13: 9781873976463) accessible at: British Library & East Sussex Libraries