Thread by @SocHistoryWar

#NVHOW20 Introducing Mike Sewell @Mike_Sewell @Uni_of_Essex ‘Using the British Civil War in Colchester in the early nineteenth century’ - how the Civil War was used by Whigs and Tories to express loyalty in the late 18th and early 19th centuries #Colchester #CivilWar

1 #NVHOW20 The study of the impact of the British Civil War has often ended in the early eighteenth century as the last combatants died, but the conflict had a lengthier impact on local communities such as Colchester in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

2 #NVHOW20 Colchester was heavily impacted by the 1648 siege, so much so that people would argue in the centuries afterwards that it led to the town’s economic decline in the eighteenth century. The ruins from the Siege are still in the town as a constant reminder of the damage

3 #NVHOW20 Philip Morant’s history of the town told the story of the Siege through Lucas, Lisle and Fairfax. Lucas and Lisle were Royalist officers executed after the surrender and soon became Royalist martyrs; Fairfax commanded the Parliamentarians and was made the villain

4 #NVHOW20 Morant’s work impacted later histories and meant there was a strong pro-Royalist interpretation of events throughout the nineteenth century. The conflict was increasingly important as the political atmosphere had become more unstable by the end of the 18th century

5 #NVHOW20 The French Revolution made many commentators in England look back to the Civil Wars. The Ipswich Journal and Chelmsford Chronicle referred to the siege or used prints of Charles Lucas to highlight the theme of loyalty. Loyalty and the Civil War were a perfect match

6 #NVHOW20 Colchester looked for ways to show their allegiance and loyalty to the crown. James Round’s 1789 sermon stated, ‘This ancient town has ever been famed for its loyalty-it has on former occasions supported the cause of its King and Country…’: A nod to the siege of 1648

7 #NVHOW20 The link between Loyalty and the siege continued in election songs of 1820 and newspapers in 1836: the Whigs showed they could be loyal, remember the heroic sacrifice of the town, and yet still be a supporter and voter for the Whig party.

8 #NVHOW20 The use of the local Civil War by both parties highlights how entrenched the Restoration memory had become in Colchester. Both used the conflict to promote their loyalty in a time of uncertainty and Lucas and Lisle were important figures for each side

9 #NVHOW20 In the turmoil of 1832 with the Great Reform Act and Catholic Emancipation, the Civil War was a reminder to both Whigs and Tories political groups. Both sides claiming the other had brought the nation to the brink of a new Civil War

10 #NVHOW20 The conflict and Loyalty were represented in book (Cromwell: 1820), artwork (Strutt) and in the environment around them. St. Botolph’s saw a new church built in 1836 with a variety of references made to the siege; all of these brought out the theme of loyalty

11 #NVHOW20 In the latter part of the century the Liberals severed their ties with a Restoration memory and railed behind Cromwell and Fairfax. In Colchester, this led to an attack on the Knights legacy; but it was all about contemporary politics

12 #NVHOW20 In the Age of Revolutions the British Civil War was a recurring point of political reference and was important politically, culturally and as an expression of local identity.Thank you. Ask me questions @Mike_Sewell