Dynamite, Treason & Plot: Terrorism in Victorian & Edwardian London

by Simon Webb

Most people are unaware that London was a terrorist target as long ago as 1867. Numerous parallels can be drawn with current news stories. The worst terrorist bombing before 7/7 was in Clerkenwell in 1867 (12 people were killed). In the years since the 7/7 attacks on the London transport system, many people in Britain seem to have become convinced that we live in uniquely dangerous times and that the threat from terrorism has never been greater. In fact, terrorist attacks have been a feature of life in London for many years. The worst terrorist bombing in the capital before 7/7 took place in 1867, when 12 people were killed in an explosion in Clerkenwell. The first person to be killed by a bombing on the Tube died in 1897. From the deadly Fenian campaign against high-profile targets in the capital to the anarchist bombing of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, late 16th- and early 20th-century London saw a constant succession of terrorist threats. This book details the emergence of modern terrorism, a phenomenon which has its roots in Victorian London.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2011

Reviews

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Webb aptly notes that nothing has changed--both the terrorists and the response to them (by both citizens and police) echo those of Victorian and Edwardian England. The obsessive fear of immigrants, the taking away of basic civil rights in the name of security, and the overreaction to everything that had a scent of terrorism or even of the foreign.

It's also a generally interesting look at the radical activists of the time. I hadn't known (though it makes sense) that Irish and Indian activists sometimes tried to coordinate. According to Webb, the Suffragettes were the first to use letter bombs. He also points out that what both ended Suffragette terrorism and led to the vote for women was WWI. Suffragettes joined in the war effort and the sight of women working men's jobs while the men were at war made its own case for the vote for women.

[Nightwitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, but perhaps a little too much time spent drawing parallels to modern-day Britain - speaking as someone who reads the news, we get it, we really do. We don't need it spelled out for us constantly. It could also have used a little more contextualization - it felt like we were just plopped into each terrorist act with insufficient background for what was going on or the people involved. The author apparently writes true crime, and once I learned that, the pacing of the book actually made a lot more sense: there is a focus on the crime rather than the history. I had been expecting, and probably would have preferred, more of a historian's take on it. Still, an interesting subject and an interesting read.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history of terrorism in London during the Victorian and Edwardian periods.

I initially purchased it as a reference work for my next novel, but found it quite interesting and absorbing in its own right.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye-opening account of terrorism in Victorian and Edwardian times.

This interesting book details the campaigns of terror in Britain between 1867 and 1914. The culprits n these crimes being Irish Genuine and Eastern European anarchists. Highly recommende.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick little read. It covers some of the major terrorism events in London from the time of the Fenian actions spanning the Victorian and Edwardian time periods. As an American reader it was nice to read this synopsis of the troubles in London. Likewise, from this perspective the parallels from Radical Muslim actions today to previous terrorism actions is interesting.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for an overview of past terrorism in London. It is not a deep book but certainly informative for anyone looking for a start point on the subject.

[Tom Stanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting little book that delves into the history of terrorism in Britain over the past 100 years. Webb's writing is very concise that makes the book a pleasant read, while not getting involved into the dry world of politics and focusing on the events and characters of the incidents detailed he provides a narrative that's not only relevant to the modern world but provides an interesting viewpoint that todays troubles are steeped in history.

My only criticism is a lack of notes, or references, which would help the reader in any further reading on individual subjects if they chose to do so. This, however, is a small point in an otherwise highly interesting and informative book.