This talk opens up new perspectives on rural Britain during the Victorian era. Corinne Fowler will discuss her book of country walks, which explores how the influx of colonial wealth impacted on landownership, agriculture and rural society. Her talk includes the return of the Tolpuddle Martyrs from penal colonies in modern day Australia and Tasmania, the 1860s Lancashire cotton famine and its origins in the American Civil War, the loss of common land in Norfolk and Rider Haggard's day job as an agriculturalist.

Corinne Fowler has recently retired as professor of colonial history and heritage at the University of Leicester.  In 2020, she was the co-author of a report into the colonial history of properties belonging to the National Trust. Her XXX book, Our Island Stories, takes the reader on ten country walks, connecting local histories and landscapes to global history, exploring the stories of colonial rule often hidden behind the pastoral idylls of the British countryside.

This talk is free of charge for all BMI members and £5 for non-members. Please contact reception on 0121 2363591 for more details.