Internationally bestselling historian Antonia Fraser's new book brilliantly evokes a key period of pre-Victorian political & social history
- the passing of the Great Reform Bill of 1832. For our inconclusive times, there is an attractive resonance with 1832, with its 'rotten boroughs' of Old Sarum & the disappearing village of Dunwich, & its lines of most resistance to reform. This book is character-driven
- on the one h&, the reforming heroes are the Whig aristocrats Lord Grey, Lord Althorp & Lord John Russell, & the Irish orator Daniel O' Connell. They included members of the richest & most landed Cabinet in history, yet they were determined to bring liberty, which whittled away their own power, to the country. The all-too-conservative opposition comprised Lord Londonderry, the Duke of Wellington, the intransigent Duchess of Kent & the consort of the Tory King William IV, Queen Adelaide. Finally, there were 'revolutionaries' & reformers, like William Cobbett, the author of RURAL RIDES. This is a book that features one eventful year, much of it violent. There were riots in Bristol, Manchester & Nottingham, & wider themes of Irish & 'negro emancipation' underscore the narrative. The time-span of the book is from Wellington's intractable declaration in November 1830 that ' The beginning of reform is the beginning of revolution', to 7th June 1832, the date of the extremely reluctant royal assent by William IV to the Great Reform Bill, under the double threat of the creation of 60 new peers in the House of Lords & the threat of revolution throughout the country. These events led to a total change in the way Britain was governed, a two-year revolution that Antonia Fraser brings to vivid dramatic life.

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Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.95cm X 167cm (37.40in x 65.75in)
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Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
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Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
...

Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
...

Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
...

Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
...

Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
...

Perim is a great all-round pestemal towel. Available in a wide range of vibrant colours. Lightweight, compact, multi-use & quick to dry so perfect for holidays or those on the move
- think backpacking, gap-year, festivals, camping & more. 100% Cotton.
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The Vintage World Map Glasses Hard Case with lined interior & cleaning cloth to protect your glasses, featuring an extract of a political map of the world design, with countries in different colours, parallels & meridians, tropics & equator lines. This is a practical & wonderful accessory for anyone passionate about maps & travel. ...