Saving the People’s Forest: Open Spaces, Enclosure and Popular Protest in Mid-Victorian London

by Mark Gorman

The growth of 19th-century London was unprecedented, swallowing up villages, commons, and open fields around the metropolitan fringe in largely uncontrolled housing development. In the mid-Victorian period opposition to this unbridled growth coalesced into a movement that campaigned to preserve the London commons. The history of this campaign is usually presented as having been fought by members of the metropolitan upper middle class, who played out their battles mainly in parliament and the law courts.

In this fascinating book Mark Gorman tells a different story - of the key role played by popular protest to preserve Epping Forest and other open spaces in and near London. He shows how throughout the 19th century such places were venues for both radical politics and popular leisure, helping to create a sense of public right of access, even ‘ownership.’ London’s suburban growth was partly a response to the rising aspirations of an artisan and lower middle class who increasingly wanted direct access to open space. This created the conditions for the mid-Victorian commons preservation movement, and also gave impetus to distinctive popular protest by proletarian Londoners.

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2021

Reviews

[Robert Nurden · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Saving the People's Forest' by Mark Gorman shows how activists from the past can shape the future in a positive way. Protecting Epping Forest from greedy 19th century landlords means that today millions of Eastenders can walk, relax and play football on the land that working-class Victorian protestors stopped being enclosed. Dynamic history at its best. A great read.