Parliamentary Archives and Birmingham Archives and Heritage worked with an adult reading group from Northfield Library to investigate the history of the right to vote and the links between Birmingham and movements for political reform.
This group focussed on the movement for electoral reform in the nineteenth century. They looked at Birmingham people and organizations which had a huge impact on the reform movement, such as Thomas Attwood and the Birmingham Political Union. They also looked at national movements, such as the Chartists, and how these related to Birmingham.
They worked with a local film maker, Sima Gonsai, to produce a film exploring Birmingham’s role in the reform movement. The content of this case study is based on the research carried out by the group, particularly by Don Hazard.
A trail leaflet was also produced which highlights local sites associated with the history of the electoral reform movement, both in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.