This book, first published in 1989, examines how a seemingly trivial incident can act as a flashpoint for wider disturbances. It investigates the underlying causes, the immediate context of the events, and the communication between police and crowd that takes place within them.
In a comparative study drawing on material from the United States and Britain, this book, first published in 1992, examines how various types of industrial, political, urban and sectarian disorder occur. It presents the 'flashpoints' model to explain public disorder.
Meticulously researched, David Waddington vividly resuscitates the nineteenth-century lives of the inhabitants of long-lost Fryston Hall. The West Riding pit village of Fryston, once called 'a mining Shangri-la', was a small, isolated community of twelve terraced streets, accessible only via a narrow railway bridge. It epitomized the mining tradition and a once-fabled way of life. The village pub, the 'Milnes Arms', hints at its rich history, as the local mine and village were established on the vast estate of the wealthy Milnes dynasty of Wakefield. Central to this narrative is Richard Monckton Milnes, later Lord Houghton, known for his biography of John Keats and his long courtship of Florence Nightingale. A distinguished poet and reformist politician, Milnes was a controversial figure, with a library reputed to house Europe's largest collection of erotic literature. Despite his libertine lifestyle, he was a notable philanthropist, supporting many struggling individuals and institutions. His legacy continued with his children, including Robert, a prominent politician, and Florence, a novelist and animal rights activist. The early twentieth century saw a decline in the Milnes family's ties to Fryston Hall, leading to its deterioration, contrasting with the growth of Fryston village. In this first volume, Waddington explores the significant cultural, political, and humanitarian contributions of Richard Monckton Milnes and his