John Beckett - The Luddites: 200 Years On - a lecture in Nottingham tomorrow

John Beckett, the Chair of the Thoroton Society of Nottinghamshire, is giving a talk tomorrow in Nottingham on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprisings today. Entitled 'The Luddites: 200 Years On', this is the Maurice Barley Lecture. Here's the blurb from the press release:

In March 1811, two hundred years ago, the first stocking frames were broken by protesters who came to be called Luddites. In this lecture, John Beckett will recall the events of 200 years ago, the context in which they occurred, and the legacy of the Luddite disturbances in and around Nottingham and Loughborough.

Scholars of the Luddites will know that the Thoroton Society issued a fine publication from their 'Record Series' in 1972 by the historian Malcolm Thomis. Entitled 'Luddism in Nottinghamshire', the slim volume features transcripts of official government correspondence, Luddite threatening letters, reports of direct action etc. Whilst it's not as extensive as Kevin Binfield's 'Writings of the Luddites', it is equally essential, though it is long out of print.

The lecture is being held at Nottingham Mechanics Institute at 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham NG1 4EZ at 2.45 p.m. The venue has full disabled access and facilities. A bookstall is available from 2.15 p.m.