ALLSOP, Thomas, 1795-1880, radical reformer

Scope and Content

Folder 1: 24 letters from Bronteme O'Brien to Thomas Allsop, 17 June 1840-3 Dec 1861.
Folder 2: 31 letters from Feargus O'Connor to Thomas Allsop 16 July c1841-24 Aug 1849. Most letter are undated.
Folder 3: 13 letters from Richard Oastler to Thomas Allsop 1 Jan 1845-24 Jan 1851.
Folder 4: One letter from Richard Oastler to Henry Mott of Manchester.

Administrative / Biographical History

Thomas Allsop 1795-1880, entered the silk mercery trade in London in 1812. He then joined the Stock Exchange. He made the acquaintance of Samuel Coleridge in 1818, and on the poet's death published his 'Letters, Conversations, and Recollections'. Allsop was also a friend of the essayists Charles Lamb (1775-1834), William Hazlitt (1778-1830), and the poet Barry Cornwall (1787-1874). Allsop provided the Irish Radical Feargus O'Connor (1796-1855) with his property qualification as representative of Chartism on his election as MP for Nottingham. He was in sympathy with Felice Orsini, the conspirator against Napoleon III. Allsop was charged by the government of having knowingly purchased shells to be used by Orsini in an assassination attempt upon the emperor Napoleon III. Allsop was not brought to trial, however. A reward was offered for his apprehension as accessory in the 'attempt of Felice Orsini', but the overtness of his actions disarmed suspicion.

Arrangement

Four folders

Access Information

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Other Finding Aids

Printed handlist available

Archivist's Note

Output from CAIRS using template 14 and checked by hand on May 8, 2002

Conditions Governing Use

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