here - Avon Local History and Archaeology

AVON LOCAL HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE REGIONAL HISTORY CENTRE UWE
9.45 – 4.30 SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2015
The rocky road to democracy and freedom:
from king John to mayor George
2015 sees the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. We look at local landmark events in the long
struggle to widen and embed the freedom of the individual. Magna Carta itself reflected the
demands of the barons who sought to
limit the monarch’s power. Their demands
were self-serving and a long way from
freedom and democracy for all, but the
charter came to be seen as a safeguard of
the rights of the subject in relation to the
power of the crown. One theme to be
explored is the slow and gradual way that
local communities gained greater
autonomy in managing their affairs, and
we will consider the charter of 1373 that
established Bristol as the first provincial
town made into a county. A second theme
concerns the freedom of the individual. A third theme is reform of parliament and the
widening of the electorate, an issue which sparked Bristol’s 1831 riots. Even then only some
men had the vote, and although the franchise was extended later in the Victorian period it was
nearly a century before women were admitted to full citizenship. A fourth theme is the reform
of the old municipal corporation, the development of modern local government, and most
recently the direct election of a mayor with executive powers. We hope he will attend.
Other speakers include Professor Peter Fleming on Magna Carta and Bristol politics in the
medieval and early modern periods; Dr Jonathan Harlow on Bristol in the civil war; Dr Steve
Poole on the local politics of the eighteenth century; Alan Jocelyn on the 1831 riots; John
Stevens on the reforms, local and national, of the 19th century; and Lucienne Boyce on Bristol
votes for women.
This will be the first ALHA Local History Day held at the Frenchay campus of the University
of the West of England. Talks and displays will be in the B block lecture theatre, with
refreshments in the S block cafe. There is ample free parking. Full directions, maps and
public transport information will be sent with programmes to those who book in
advance.
Doors will be open from 9.15. A range of food and drink will be available from the S block
cafe in the coffee break and in the lunch hour (arrangements for ordering in advance the same
as last year at Fishponds), or you may bring your own. We welcome displays and sales stalls –
with two free tickets per booked exhibitor.
A booking form is overleaf
ALHA LOCAL HISTORY DAY
SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2015
UWE FRENCHAY
Please reserve . . . places @ £12 and/or . . . places @ £9*
*Concessionary rate for members of ALHA & affiliated groups, UWE, Students, & OAPs
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . .
e-mail ………………………………………
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Post Code . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And/or exhibition space and two free programmes for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Please return BOOKING FORM and CHEQUE (payable to ALHA) by 31 March
to W. Evans, ALHA, 5 Parry’s Grove, Bristol BS9 1TT

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