Barnaby Rudge

Barnaby Rudge is an historical novel that deals with the Gordon Riots of 1780. In 1778 the British parliament passed the Catholic Relief Act. The act replaced anti-Catholic legislation. However it was not a universally popular change. On June 2nd of 1780 Lord George Gordon lead a group of like-minded people to parliament. They wanted the Catholic Relief Act repealed. Violence broke out and spread. Peace wasn't restored until June 9th. By that time Catholic chapels had been broken into, Newgate Prison was burned and hundreds of people were killed.